Athletics shying away from top targets in search for second baseman

Jared Bloom

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Athletics shying away from top targets in search for second baseman image

The Athletics are coming off the best record they have seen since the 2021 season. Youngsters really showed up for this club this year, specifically the trio of Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker, and Nick Kurtz. 

Now, the club looks to take the next step as it heads into the offseason. They have a few holes they need to fill, like adding to the bullpen, grabbing another frontline starter, and adding another second baseman to the roster. 

The A's are expected to be more aggressive than they have in seasons past. However, fans should not get their hopes up that the team is targeting top names this offseason. 

Athletics shying away from top targets in search for second baseman

Two intriguing names that have been tossed around this offseason have been Bo Bichette, who sits on the open market, and Ketel Marte, who has been involved in multiple trade rumors. 

Bichette could handle the move to second base, and both players would be an immediate upgrade to what the A's currently have. However, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal, these are not players the A's are targeting. 

"The Athletics supposedly are ramping up payroll as they prepare for their move to Las Vegas in 2028 but hardly are getting carried away. In need of a second baseman, they are not considering Bichette or a trade for Arizona's Ketel Marte."

Instead, the two believe that a trade for Brandon Lowe or Jeff McNeil is more likely. 

Lowe is a two-time All-Star who is coming off a season where he played in 134 games with the Tampa Bay Rays, hitting.256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs and 83 runs batted in. 

Jeff McNeil, on the other hand, is also a two-time All-Star who played in 122 games for the New York Mets this past season, hitting.243/.335/.411 with 12 home runs and 54 runs batted in.

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Editorial Team