Athletics’ roster teardown yet to pay dividends while some of the departed are thriving elsewhere

It started on March 14, 2022 at the behest of Athletics owner John Fisher. The A’s had been run on a shoestring budget for years, somehow managing to stay relevant in the crumbling Coliseum.

The A’s went to the playoffs from 2012 through 2014 under then-general manager Billy Beane and manager Bob Melvin, and again from 2018 through 2020 before contending with an 86-win team in 2021. Beane stepped down to be an advisor to Fisher in November of 2018 and Melvin was allowed to escape on a lifeboat provided by the San Diego Padres as manager.

Even the shoestring was about to be clipped.

That’s not how current general manager David Forst or manager Mark Kotsay would frame the teardown that was officially underway. They were merely carrying out the wishes of Fisher, who speaks only through the lips of team president Dave Kaval as if he were a ventriloquist.

The plan was to strip the payroll bare, dumping all talent which either already made too much money or was due big money on the horizon.

The first to go was right-handed pitcher Chris Bassitt, who went 12-4 in 27 starts with a 3.15 ERA in 2021 and came back from taking a line drive to the face. The exodus continued throughout last season right up to Feb. 11 of this year, when left-handed reliever A.J. Puk was shipped to the Miami Marlins.

In all, the A’s traded 11 players. Dealt before the season were Bassitt (Mets), Matt Olson (Braves), Matt Chapman (Blue Jays) and Sean Manaea (Padres) as well as minor league pitcher Aaron Holiday (Padres). Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino were shipped to the Yankees last August with the trade deadline approaching.

Catcher Sean Murphy (Braves) was dealt on Dec. 12, Cole Irvin went to the Orioles on Jan. 26, and Puk was sent out two weeks later.

The plan shaved the A’s payroll to $60,777,593 million in a sport where eight teams are paying their players more than $200 million, topped by the New York Mets at $345,847,094.

The Athletics’ plan was to do what they could to make up the difference in the aggregate, getting 23 players in return for the 11 that were traded. The latest to appear with the big club will be Luis Medina, a hard-throwing right-hander who was promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas and will start Wednedsay night against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.

Everyone knew the transition would be painful. Going into Tuesday night’s game the A’s were 5-19, tied with the Kansas City Royals (5-18) for the fewest wins in the majors. They have lost their first seven series in a season for the first time in franchise history.

This comes off a 2022 season that required a late flurry just to get to 62-100, the A’s worst season since going 54-108 in 1979 after a Charlie Finley teardown.

“We saw a lot of really good players leave here,” Forst said during the A’s last 0-6 homestand. “There’s no denying that. And trades take a lot of years to really evaluate them. I think we got a lot of talent back. I think we’re starting to see some of it. I think it’s going to take some more time.”

In the meantime, Olson, Chapman and Murphy are hitting a combined .303 with 24 doubles, 17 home runs and 54 RBIs. The Braves and Blue Jays are winning at a .630 clip (29-17).

It hasn’t gone as well for the pitchers. Bassitt is 3-2 with a 4.82 ERA with Toronto after going 15-9 with the Mets and left his last game with lower back tightness. Manaea, now with the Giants, is 0-1 with a 6.60 ERA after a poor season with the Padres. Cole Irvin was recently sent to Triple-A by Baltimore. Montas could miss the entire season following shoulder surgery.

The most effective pitcher has been Puk, who has four saves in eight games for Miami and a 1.00 ERA.

Here’s a look at what the A’s received in return from the purge of 2022 and 2023:

Big league roster

(Name in parenthesis indicates deal in which player arrived)

CF Esteury Ruiz (Brewers, Murphy): Acquired in three-way trade with Atlanta and Milwaukee, the fastest player on the roster is hitting .272 with no home runs, nine RBIs, five steals and playing a solid center field.

C Shea Langeliers (Braves, Olson): Hitting .214 with four homers and 10 RBIs, Barring injury, he is entrenched as the starting catcher.

SS Kevin Smith (Blue Jays, Chapman): Recalled recently from Triple-A Las Vegas, Smith is hitting only .186 since his promotion but hit a three-run home run Monday night in Anaheim.

P Kyle Muller (Braves, Murphy): The lefty was the A’s Opening Day starter and is 0-2 with a 7.23 earned run average after struggling in his last three starts.

P Ken Waldichuk (Yankees, Montas): The Saint Mary’s product has pitched better in recent starts, but is 0-2 with 7.82 ERA and has given up nine home runs. Pitched 6 1/3 innings on April 12 — the longest outing by an A’s starter this season.

P JP Sears (Yankees, Montas): The left-hander is 0-1 with 4.98 ERA in four starts but has swing-and-miss stuff as evidenced by 23 strikeouts in 21 innings.

P Adam Oller (Mets, Bassitt): A spot-starter and long reliever is 1-0 with a 9.18 ERA, which is deceiving considering he’s been left on the mound in several blowout losses to reduce stress on the bullpen.

P Luis Medina (Yankees, Montas): Recalled from Las Vegas, replacing the struggling James Kaprielian, who was optioned to Triple-A. Medina, 24, will make his big league debut Wednesday night. Had a 3.86 ERA in three Triple-A starts and opponents were hitting. 161 against him, but walked eight in 9 1/3 innings.

Injured list

P Kirby Snead (Blue Jays, Chapman): Left-handed reliever has been on 60-day injured list with a left shoulder strain and is not ready for rehab assignment.

P Adrian Martinez (Padres, Manaea): Pitched in six games of long relief with a 6.75 ERA in 17 1/3 innings. Went on injured list Monday with right elbow strain.

P Freddy Tarnok (Braves, Murphy): Right-hander is on 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain.

C Manny Pina (Braves, Murphy): Currently on rehab assignment in minor leagues after a wrist injury. Remains to be seen whether the veteran will return to the big league roster upon recovery.

Minors

(prospect rankings according to MLB.com)

OF J.J. Bleday (Marlins, Puk): Outfielder is hitting .270 with four home runs and nine RBIs at Triple-A Las Vegas.

P J.T. Ginn (Mets, Bassitt): Right-hander is 0-1 with an 8.59 ERA in Double-A Midland. No. 14 ranked prospect.

P Ryan Cusick (Braves, Olson): A 6-6, 235-pound righthander with a 2.77 ERA in Double-A Midland in three starts. No. 20 ranked prospect.

P Joey Estes (Braves, Olson): Right-hander is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA at Double-A Midland. No. 21 ranked prospect.

P Gunnar Hoglund (Blue Jays, Chapman): Last at Single-A Stockton, Hoglund is being brought along slowly following Tommy John surgery. No. 12 ranked prospect.

INF Euribiel Angeles (Padres, Manaea): Hitting .177 in Single-A Lansing. No. 25 ranked prospect.

INF Cooper Bowman (Yankees, Montas): Hitting .205 at Double-A Midland.

P Royber Salinas (Braves, Murphy): Right-hander is 1-0 with 2.70 ERA at Double-A Midland with 24 strikeouts and two walks in 13 1/3 innings.

INF Darell Hernaiz (Orioles, Irvin): Hitting .233 in 23 games for Double-A Midland.

No longer on roster

OF Cristian Pache (Braves, Olson): Traded to Phillies for pitcher Billy Sullivan, who is pitching in Triple-A Las Vegas.

P Zach Logue (Blue Jays, Chapman): Was 3-8 for A’s last season, designated for assignment and is now in Triple-A Toledo for Detroit Tigers.