Oakland Athletics
Team Record: 69-93 (.426)
4th Place, AL West
Team ERA: 4.37 (25th)
Team OPS: .694 (20th)
What Went Right
Unfortunately for the A’s and their fans, 2024 was just as much about what was happening to the team off the field as on it, with the future of the franchise in the air. But there were a few bright spots around the diamond despite a 69-93 record. Chief among those were Brent Rooker and Mason Miller. Rooker was claimed off waivers by Oakland in 2022 and flashed some promise with 30 homers and a .817 OPS in 2023. The 29-year-old slugger broke out in a big way this season, slashing .293/.365/.562 with 39 home runs, 82 runs scored, 112 RBI, and 11 steals across 614 plate appearances, putting him in the top 10 in home runs, RBI, and OPS (.927). Miller had his 2023 cut short to injury after debuting as a starting pitcher. The 26-year-old flamethrowing right-hander was moved to the bullpen this season to help minimize his injury risk 33and he flourished as the team’s closer, converting 28 saves with a 2.49 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts across 65 innings.
Then there’s Lawrence Butler, who came into the season with some hype after ascending through Oakland’s minor league system. He got off to a slow start, posting just a .555 OPS with two home runs across 121 plate appearances through May 13 before being demoted to Triple-A. He returned to the A’s on June 18 and was one of the best hitters in baseball through the end of the season. From June 18 on, he slashed .291/.330/.565 with 20 home runs and 15 steals over just 330 plate appearances.
What Went Wrong
Zack Gelof was the highest-drafted A’s player in fantasy leagues after posting a .840 OPS with 14 homers and 14 steals across 300 plate appearances in 2023. While he did hit 17 homers with 25 stolen bases, he slashed just .211/.270/.362 while striking out at a 34.4 percent rate. And outside of Mason Miller excelling as a top-tier closer, the team didn’t get much out of any other pitcher as Oakland ranked near the bottom in team ERA. JP Sears posted the best numbers in the rotation with a 4.38 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts across 180 2/3 innings. Mitch Spence was the next best contributor, with a 4.58 ERA across 151 1/3 innings. Alex Wood and Ross Stripling were expected to come in and stabilize the rotation as veterans, but neither made more than 14 starts or posted an ERA under 5.00. The same can be said for Joe Boyle and Luis Medina, who were thought to be two starters who could potentially take a step forward in 2024. Medina posted a 5.18 ERA across 40 innings before he was shut down to undergo Tommy John surgery. Meanwhile, Boyle posted a 6.42 ERA in Oakland while shuffling between the Triple-A and the majors.
Fantasy Slants
** As an overarching thought for both the hitting and pitching, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of offensive environment the A’s will move into in Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park in 2025. The dimensions appear similar to Oakland’s Coliseum, but temperatures in California’s Central Valley can get considerably warmer than in the Bay Area.
** Miller turned into one of the league’s best closers in 2024, maximizing his elite velocity and strikeout ability in short outings, closing out 28 games with the highest strikeout rate among relievers with at least 30 innings pitched at 41.8 percent. Expect him to be one of the first relievers taken in 2025 drafts as his strike rate and ratio help put him among the top tier.
** Butler’s outstanding run upon his return might have gone under the radar by much of the fantasy community after his slow start and demotion. And it could lead to a discount in 2025 drafts. He’s likely to go well behind other rookies who made some noise this season, including Jackson Merrill, Jackson Chourio, and Wyatt Langford. But from June 18th on, the 24-year-old outfielder actually had more combined home runs and steals than any of them. And everything behind his stats supports the production, with a 23.9 percent strikeout rate, 47.4 percent hard-hit rate, and 11 percent barrel rate.
** There were some red flags underneath the hood of Rooker’s first-half breakout after he hit .291 with 21 homers through the All-Star break, including a .390 BABIP and 32.6 percent strikeout rate. Not only did he beat the regression, his skills took a step forward in the second half. Rooker hit .295 following the break with a .333 BABIP thanks to a cut in his strikeout rate down to 24.1 percent. While he’ll be hard-pressed to repeat the .293 batting average in 2025, he may not be a liability there. And a 16.6 percent barrel rate and 49.6 percent hard-hit rate prove the power is legit.
** Shea Langeliers has proven to be one of the best power-hitting backstops in baseball, hitting 29 homers while driving in 80 runs in 2024, both among the best at the position. The 26-year-old slugger made some strides in his contact rate, but fantasy managers should still plan around a low batting average if taking on his home run production in 2025.
** JJ Bleday will have some deep-league appeal in 2025 for leagues starting five outfielders. The 26-year-old outfielder was one of the A’s most steady and productive hitters, slashing .243/.324/.437 with 20 homers, 74 runs scored, and 60 RBI across 642 plate appearances. While he doesn’t stand out in any one category, there’s a place for that kind of production at the back end of rosters in deeper formats.
Key Free Agents
Ross Stripling, Alex Wood, Abraham Toro, Sean Newcomb
Team Needs
The top of the lineup seems to be set with a solid top four of Butler, Rooker, Bleday, and Langeliers. But the team is going to need to find some production from players that can lengthen the lineup. A step forward from Gelof would help. The 24-year-old second baseman could make for a decent post-hype sleeper. Tyler Soderstrom also flashed some potential, with nine homers across 213 plate appearances. The team isn’t likely to add any major pieces in free agency, so improvements will have to come internally. On the pitching side, things don’t look as optimistic. This is where the team will need to improve the most. As things stand, the rotation consists of JP Sears, Mitch Spence, J.T. Ginn, and Joey Estes.
