Athletics News

Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker is an emerging power threat for fantasy managers after reaching the 30-homer mark in each of his three seasons in the Bay Area. Rooker has been named an All-Star in two of the last three years as well, and he finished his sixth year in the big leagues in 2025 by slashing .262/.335/.479 with an .814 OPS, 30 home runs, 89 RBI, 92 runs scored, and six stolen bases in all 162 regular-season games. Although the 31-year-old veteran wasn't quite as good as he was in 2024, it's worth noting that he cut down on his strikeouts (22.2%), and his .275 xBA and .509 xSLG suggest he was a little unlucky for how hard he was hitting the ball (44.5% hard-hit rate). Rooker's drop in strikeout rate suggests that he could easily return another 30-plus-homer season for fantasy managers in 2026, and he should have outfield eligibility in most leagues. He deserves consideration for his power and run production as a top-15 outfielder at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park.

Athletics infield prospect Leodalis De Vries could be in the mix to make his MLB debut in the second half of the 2026 campaign. De Vries was the headliner piece that went to the Athletics in return for relief pitcher Mason Miller, who was traded to the Padres at the deadline. De Vries is currently viewed as the No. 3 overall prospect in baseball on MLB.com. The 19-year-old spent most of the 2025 campaign with High-A and posted an overall .249/.354/.426 line with a .780 OPS, 10 home runs, and nine stolen bases. He was then promoted to Double-A Midland late in the season and continued to perform well over his brief 21-game look. During this short look, De Vries led a .281/.359/.551 line with five long balls. If the 19-year-old can continue this pace at Double-A to begin the season, he should be in the mix for an early promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas, leaving the door open for the late-season MLB debut. He is a top dynasty asset heading into the 2026 season.

Athletics left-handed starting pitching prospect Gage Jump flashed solid upside in his first professional season and has put himself on the redraft radar heading into 2026. The Athletics selected Jump in the 2024 MLB Draft out of LSU. He currently sits as the team's No. 3-ranked prospect on MLB.com and the No. 60 overall in the sport. The left-hander made his professional debut with High-A last season and looked quite dominant, logging 31 innings to the tune of a 2.32 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and a 45:4 K:BB. This strong start earned him an early ticket to Double-A, where he logged his final 81 2/3 innings with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. However, he began to stumble over the last month, which inflated his ratios. Removing his last four outings (where he allowed 20 earned runs through 13 1/3 innings), Jump posted an impressive 1.74 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP across his first 67 1/3 frames. Jump could contend for an early-season Triple-A debut, which would make him a strong midseason stash candidate.

The Athletics and catcher Shea Langeliers have agreed to a $5.25 million contract for 2026 to avoid arbitration, according to MLB insider Robert Murray. Langeliers has now posted back-to-back seasons with at least 29 home runs and 70 RBI. In 2025, Langeliers hit a career-high 31 home runs with 72 RBI, 73 runs scored, and seven stolen bases, good for a 132 wRC+. He has also improved his plate discipline, posting a career-low 19.7% strikeout rate. Langeliers ranks among the best offensive catchers in baseball and benefits from playing half of his games at Sutter Health Park, which has a 108 park factor, according to Baseball Savant, making it the second-most hitter-friendly environment in MLB. Over the last month, Langeliers has been the fourth catcher off the board in early drafts with an ADP of 55. Looking ahead to 2026, Langeliers has legitimate 30-home run upside. However, his biggest drawback is his durability. Langeliers has never played more than 137 games in a season, but if he stays healthy, he will be worth his ADP.

The Athletics have signed catcher Brian Serven to a minor-league contract. Serven spent the entire 2025 campaign with the Detroit Tigers. While he never reached the major leagues, he logged 62 games with Triple-A Toledo, where he posted a .232/.335/.313 slash line with a modest .648 OPS. He hit just seven doubles with three round-trippers. He made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Rockies and spent two seasons with them before moving to Toronto. Through 101 MLB contests, the former fifth-round pick has held a low .187/.247/.293 line with only six long balls. Given that the Arizona State product has not spent time in the majors since the 2024 campaign, he will likely open the 2026 season in the minor leagues with Triple-A Las Vegas.

Outfielder/first baseman Tyler Soderstrom and the Athletics have agreed to a seven-year, $86 million contract extension, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal includes a club option for 2033 and can escalate to $131 million if all incentives are reached. This is the largest guaranteed deal in A's history. The 2025 season marked Soderstrom's first full year in the majors and his first extended run in the outfield, and he impressed on both sides of the ball. He slashed .276/.346/.474 with 25 home runs, 93 RBI, and 75 runs scored across 624 plate appearances, good for a 125 wRC+, while also finishing as a Gold Glove finalist. While the 24-year-old ran at a relatively high.327 BABIP, his 49.8% hard-hit rate suggests the production was driven more by skill than luck. The former first-round pick consistently barreled the ball while keeping his strikeout rate to a manageable 22.6%. Looking ahead to 2026, Soderstrom is expected to hit in the middle of the A's lineup in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball. With a current 95.6 ADP, he offers legitimate 30-homer, 100-RBI upside while providing positional flexibility, making him a solid target for fantasy managers in all leagues.

New York Mets infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil was traded to the Athletics on Monday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. In exchange, the Mets will receive right-hander Yordan Rodriguez from the A's. The assumption is that McNeil will take over the starting second base job to begin the 2026 season. Last season, McNeil slashed .243/.335/.411 with 12 home runs and 54 RBI in 122 games with the Mets. His numbers have fallen over the last few seasons, but McNeil is still a decent contributor. McNeil finished with a 2.0 WAR last season, so the A's will take that in exchange for a 17-year-old pitcher. The hope is that the move to a smaller stadium with the A's should boost his offensive numbers. The 33-year-old did undergo thoracic outlet surgery in November, but he's expected to be ready for spring training.

The Athletics are in agreement with free-agent relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. on a one-year deal worth around $3 million, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Leiter Jr. will turn 35 years old in March 2026. Across 48 1/3 innings (59 games) with the New York Yankees last season, Leiter Jr. pitched to a 6-7 record with a 4.84 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts. Leiter Jr.'s 3.72 xERA and inflated .374 opponent batting average on balls in play could be indicators of poor luck and better results going forward. Still, Leiter Jr. also saw his strikeout rate drop from an excellent 33.6% in 2024 to 24.7% in 2025, his lowest mark since the 2018 season. Leiter Jr. has a tiny bit of closing experience, recording seven saves across two seasons with the Chicago Cubs in 2022 and 2023. With the Athletics, Leiter Jr. could have an outside chance at the closer role, but is more likely ticketed for middle relief.

Free-agent right-hander Nick Anderson agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with the Athletics earlier this month that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Anderson's MLB salary is $1 million if he's added to the 40-man roster. The 35-year-old has pitched in six big-league seasons with five different teams. He appeared in 12 games out of the bullpen in 2025 for the Colorado Rockies, posting a career-worst 6.14 ERA (10 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings) while striking out 10 and walking two. In his career, Anderson holds a 3.43 ERA (3.38 FIP), 1.11 WHIP, 10 saves, 212 strikeouts, and 49 walks in 173 innings pitched over 177 relief appearances. Anderson will be far from the fantasy radar in all formats and will most likely start the 2026 season at Triple-A Las Vegas.

Free-agent first baseman/designated hitter Joey Meneses signed a minor-league deal with the Athletics on Saturday, sources told Francys Romero. Meneses did not surface in the big leagues during the 2025 season, instead spending all of his time at Triple-A Syracuse in the New York Mets' organization, where he slashed .264/.321/.444 with 11 home runs, 55 RBI, and 37 runs scored in 421 plate appearances. The 33-year-old Mexican debuted in the majors in 2022 with the Washington Nationals and hit a combined .274/.322/.408 with a .731 OPS, 29 home runs, 165 RBI, and 123 runs scored in 286 games over three seasons in D.C. The 33-year-old will be fighting for an Opening Day roster spot with the A's at spring training in 2026, but if he makes the squad, he'll merely be a right-handed-hitting option off the bench. Meneses hit 13 homers and drove in 89 in a career-high 154 games for the Nats in 2023.

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz was named the American League Rookie of the Year for the 2025 season on Monday night. Kurtz had one of the best rookie seasons of any hitter in the history of baseball, so it's no surprise he won the award unanimously. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound lefty slugger debuted with the A's on April 23 and went on to hit an impressive .290/.383/.619 with 36 home runs in 119 games in 2025. The Wake Forest product led all MLB rookies in homers, RBI (86), runs scored (90), OPS (1.002), OPS+ (173), and wins above replacement (4.6 per FanGraphs, 5.4 per Baseball Reference). The 22-year-old was the third rookie in the modern era (since 1900) with an OPS+ of 170 or higher, joining Jose Abreu (2014) and Aaron Judge (2017). Kurtz's superior slugging was on display on July 25, when he went 6-for-6 with four homers and eight RBI in a single game. He becomes the ninth player in A's history to win the award.

Catcher Austin Wynns (abdomen) and the Athletics are in agreement on Thursday on a one-year, $1.1 million deal that includes performance incentives, sources told Robert Murray of FanSided. Wynns suffered an abdominal injury in the second half of the season and landed on the injured list in August. He ended up playing in 40 big-league games in 2025 with the A's and Cincinnati Reds, slashing a solid .291/.321/.544 with a career-high six home runs, 21 RBI, and 13 runs scored in 110 plate appearances. The 34-year-old veteran will return to the Bay Area in 2026 as insurance behind starter Shea Langeliers. In his seven seasons in the big leagues, Wynns has done very little at the plate, hitting .239 (173-for-724) with 19 home runs and 84 RBI in 278 games played with six different teams. Wynns won't be on the fantasy radar anywhere.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knee) is moving around well following knee surgery and said he will be fully ready for the start of spring training in February, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Butler has dealt with knee issues in the past, and he had surgery early this month to fix a torn right patellar tendon. The 25-year-old also had scar tissue removed from the same knee and received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left patellar tendon. Butler cleared the 20-homer mark for the second straight season and also had his first 20-20 campaign with the A's in 152 games played in 2025 in his second full season in the big leagues, but his knee issues could help explain why he hit only .234 (133-for-569) in 630 plate appearances. With better health in his knees, Butler's fantasy profile is still on the rise as a budding power-speed outfield threat.

Oakland Athletics third baseman Brett Harris (thumb) underwent successful surgery on his left thumb on Tuesday. If his recovery stays on track, the 27-year-old is expected to be ready for spring training and compete for the starting third base job on the rebuilding club. Harris showed promise during a limited 2025 campaign, slashing .274/.349/.342 over 32 games. Known for his glove, Harris could play a key role in the Athletics' infield next season. With a healthy return and continued development at the plate, the opportunity is there to secure the hot corner moving forward.

Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler (knee) had successful surgery on his right patellar tendon on Friday, according to the team. Dr. Mike Banffy performed a partial tendon repair and debridement of chronic scar tissue in Butler's knee. Additionally, Butler also received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left patellar tendon to address chronic tendonitis. He will now rehab during the offseason and hopes to be ready for the start of spring training in 2026. The 25-year-old hit just .234 (133-for-569) in his second full MLB season, but he was also able to obtain his first 20-20 season with 21 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 152 games. Butler added a career-high 63 RBI and also set a new career high with 83 runs scored for a young, up-and-coming A's ballclub. It's a bit worrisome that Butler is dealing with issues to both of his knees, but you can't deny his 20-20 potential in fantasy.

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz continued his phenomenal rookie campaign in an 11-5 loss to the Houston Astros on Thursday. Kurtz went deep twice, giving him 35 home runs on the year, to highlight a 3-for-5, three-RBI day. While Kurtz has only collected 17 hits in 75 September at-bats (good for a .227 average), he has helped make up for it with eight long balls, 14 RBI, and 18 runs scored. After his latest superb performance, the AL Rookie of the Year shoo-in is slashing .293/.387/.623 with 84 RBI and 88 runs in 477 plate appearances. He's scheduled to face one of the league's other top rookies in Kansas City Royals left-hander Noah Cameron on Friday. Kurtz went 1-for-2 with a single against Cameron in their first meeting on June 15.

Athletics shortstop prospect Leodalis De Vries went 2-for-3 with a walk, two home runs, three RBI, and three runs scored for Double-A Midland on Sunday. The performance gave the RockHounds a 1-0 lead over the Springfield Cardinals in the best-of-three series for the Texas League Championship. The Athletics' top-ranked prospect went 18-for-47 (.383) with five doubles, a triple, and five home runs over the final 10 games of the regular season, and is now 7-for-11 (.636) with three home runs in three postseason games. Not bad for being one of only two 18-year-olds at the Double-A level. The switch-hitting Dominican looks like he'll be ready to test Triple-A next year and should be in the majors by 2027. With the makings of a future star, the youngster needs to be stashed away in dynasty formats.

Athletics right-hander Mitch Spence will start on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Lefty Jeffrey Springs had been scheduled to toe the rubber, but Spence will get the ball after throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen and earning a win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. Across 30 appearances and seven starts this season, Spence has gone 3-5 with a 4.48 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and 64:24 K:BB in 78 1/3 innings. On paper, the 27-year-old has a favorable matchup against a Pittsburgh offense that ranks last in the majors in both runs and OPS.

The Athletics announced that they have placed left-hander Sean Newcomb (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation and recalled righty Scott McGough from Triple-A Las Vegas. Newcomb's season will end early, but he was an excellent buy-low pickup for the Athletics after they acquired him from the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations in late May. After opening the season as a starter for the Red Sox, Newcomb worked exclusively from the A's bullpen and put up a 1.75 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 50:14 K:BB in 51 1/3 innings. Between the two teams, the 32-year-old combined for 92 1/3 frames and recorded a 2.73 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP, 91 strikeouts, and 31 walks.

The Athletics have activated infielder Max Muncy (hand) from the 10-day injured list and placed second baseman Zack Gelof (shoulder) on the 10-day IL with a dislocated left shoulder. Muncy is returning after missing two months with a fractured right hand. Before landing on the shelf on July 22, the 23-year-old rookie hit .215/.258/.385 with nine homers, 23 RBI, and 17 runs scored across 59 games and 213 plate appearances. Defensively, Muncy has divided his time between second and third. He's out of the starting lineup on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, though, with Darell Hernaiz playing second and Brett Harris handling the hot corner.