Oakland Athletics 2018 Season Preview

Oakland Athletics additions and subtractions:

Key additions: Stephen Piscotty, Yusmeiro Petit, Emilio Pagan, Ryan Buchter, Brandon Moss

Newcomer to watch: Stephen Piscotty. Last year was a rough year for Piscotty, as the former Cardinals outfielder struggled in virtually every facet of the game after signing a long term extension. Although he was able to get on base, his .235/.342/.367 batting line, with nine homers, was not what the Cardinals had in mind.

When he was traded to the Athletics, it was learned that his mother had been diagnosed with ALS earlier in the year. In that context, it is understandable why Piscotty struggled, as his mind had to be somewhere else. With his family on the west coast, being that far away would be difficult for anyone.

Now that he is closer to home, Piscotty has a chance to become the type of player the Cardinals had hoped for. A solid hitter throughout his minor league career, and a consensus top 100 prospect in both 2014 and 2015, Piscotty could be the next building block in Oakland. With a strong performance this year, he could reestablish himself as a potential star.

Key losses: Ryon Healy, Jesse Hahn

Biggest loss: Ryon Healy. Even though Ryon Healy would have been a man without a position for the Athletics, he still had a part to play in their future.

Pushed out of a starting role by the presences of Matt Olson, Khris Davis, and Matt Chapman, Healy could still have provided a solid utility player. Although both Chapman and Olson showed tremendous potential, they are younger players. It is distinctly possible that they take a step back over the course of the season. Even then, with a player like Healy on the roster, the A’s cuold give each player a game off during the week, and not miss much of a step offensively.

At the end of the day, the Oakland Athletics did not lose much this offseason. However, a depth piece like Healy may prove to be a bigger loss than expected.