Image: Ed Szczepanski / Imagn Images
2024 Record: 69-93 (.426 win%, 4th in Division)
2024 Payroll: $63,407,581 (30th)
2024 Top 10 Players (by fWAR):
1. DH/LF Brent Rooker, .293 AVG/.365 OBP/.562 SLG, 164 WRC+, 5.1 fWAR
2. RF Lawrence Butler, .262 AVG/.317 OBP/.490 SLG, 130 WRC+, 3.2 fWAR
3. CF JJ Bleday, .243 AVG/.324 OBP/.437 SLG, 120 WRC+, 3.1 fWAR
4. RP Mason Miller, 2.49 ERA, 41.8 K%, 8.4 BB%, 2.3 fWAR
5. C Shea Langeliers, .224 AVG/.288 OBP/.450 SLG, 109 WRC+, 2.0 fWAR
6. 2B Zack Gelof, .211 AVG/.270 OBP/.362 SLG, 82 WRC+, 1.4 fWAR
7. RP Osvaldo Bido, 3.41 ERA, 24.3 K%, 10.0 BB%, 1.3 fWAR
8. UTL Max Schuemann, .220 AVG/.311 OBP/.308 SLG. 85 WRC+ 1.3 fWAR
9. SP Mitch Spence, 4.58 ERA, 19.4 K%, 6.8 BB%, 1.2 fWAR
10. SP JP Sears, 4.38 ERA, 18.1 K%, 6.5 BB%, 1.2 fWAR
M-SABR Predicted Record (Under 57.5 Wins) vs. Actual (69-93):
While this under-over was set at a low number, it makes sense how the A’s could be seen as a 100+ loss team going into the year. They finished with just 50 wins in 2023, and made no noticeable improvements to the team. Nobody really knew what the Athletics had with Mason Miller, as he had yet to stay healthy, and there were huge jumps from some of the hitting core that were not predictable. Lawrence Butler had an OPS jump of over 200 points, Rooker and Bleday had jumps of around 100 points, and the bullpen became a serviceable unit with Miller and Lucas Erceg, who was traded at the deadline. The combination of these improvements made a very fun and interesting group that was able to string together a solid second half to eclipse 57 wins rather easily.
Regular Season Recap:
The season started off in a very notable way for the Athletics, but not on the baseball side of operations. Just a week into the season, it was announced that the team will play at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, home of the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants from 2025-2027. This was brought about through a deal with the owner of the Sacramento Kings, Vivek Ranadivé. After this announcement, the season took on a deeper meaning for Oakland, as they knew they would be leaving their long-time home after the year.
The beginning of the season was okay for Oakland, as they were hovering around .500 for the first month of the season. However, a dreadful May and June would spell disaster for the team, as they finished 9-19 and 7-20 in the months, respectively. This was partly due to separate eight- and nine-game losing streaks during this stretch. This effectively took the team out of contention, and it became a season of development and trying to savor the last season in Oakland.
Some players who took serious steps forward included JJ Bleday and Joey Estes. Bleday was the main return piece in the trade that sent Jesús Luzardo to the Marlins, and last year in 82 games he had hit .195/.310/.355 for an OPS+ of 88 in 82 games for the team. He boosted that number up to a 120 OPS+ along with an above average arm in center field. He is showing the talent that made him a fourth overall pick so long ago.
Estes, who just turned 23, started the year at Triple-A in Las Vegas and was called up in May. He became the youngest pitcher since 2016 to throw a complete game shutout, doing so against the Angels in July. Though he finished with a 5.01 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, there still remains promise that he can be an effective major league player.
At the trade deadline, the A’s made some moves that got rid of some veterans for a decent reason. They traded Paul Blackburn to the Mets in exchange for pitcher Kade Morris, and Lucas Erceg to the Royals for a large haul. Erceg was seen as one of the premier relievers on the market, and the biggest piece they got back was pitcher Mason Barnett, who was ranked the Royals #7 prospect by FanGraphs. He is just 23 and in Double-A currently, and projects to be a future starter for the A’s.
Into the second half of the season, the Athletics got hot, becoming one of the best teams in the league for a stretch. Carried by their offense, the A’s went 31-22 from July 1 – September 4, led by the hot hitting of Lawrence Butler who hit 10 home runs in July. After cooling off in September, the A’s finished 32-32 post All-Star Break.
However, there were definitely some bright spots for this team, and that came in the form of their incredible displays of power on some nights. The Athletics were one of three teams to score 20 runs in a game, doing so on May 4th against the Marlins in a 20-4 victory. Furthermore, they were the only team to put up multiple 18+ run games, scoring 19 on July 6th against Baltimore and 18 on July 14th against Philadelphia. The A’s hit eight home runs in that game against the Phillies, and they were led by a three-home-run performance by Butler.
The final game at Oakland Coliseum was one to remember. The A’s took victory 3-2 over the Texas Rangers, and it was a sellout crowd of 40,000+. During the final inning, there were smoke bombs and beer cans thrown onto the field; however, after much delay, Mason Miller closed out the final game in the East Bay. Manager Mark Kotsay delivered a passionate speech to the fans, but it fell on ears that won’t see their team in Oakland again.
The worst part about this relocation is that the fans would have shown up if there was an effort made. Five years ago, when the Athletics last made the playoffs with a crowd (they made it during the pandemic in 2020), they sold out the Coliseum for the 2019 Wild Card Game. They had fan support when the product on the field was good and even some support when the wins weren’t there. But with John Fisher dismantling the roster and trading any good player before he had to pay them, there was no motivation to come support a team and an owner who wasn’t trying to bring them a good product.
If you look at recent relocations, there are some teams that do not and have not had the fanbase to support a team, and it shows. If you are a hockey fan, the Arizona Coyotes relocating to Utah this year has been at the front of the offseason discussion. I believe this was a justified relocation, as the Coyotes had never established a viable fanbase in their 29 years in the NHL.
The Athletics have been in Oakland for 57 years, had loyal fans, had a winning culture, and could survive at the Coliseum longer. The lack of a clear plan makes this relocation frustrating as well, as the A’s are heading to a Triple-A stadium with about 10,000 seats, similar to what the Coyotes did before moving to Utah. There is so much uncertainty around a stadium deal in Las Vegas, so renewing the least in Oakland would have made sense, at least for the short-term. This isn’t the case, and my heart goes out to the great fans of Oakland for losing their team.
Player We Watched #1: 2B Zack Gelof
Gelof had an incredibly disappointing season, at least relative to his 2023. After hitting .267/.337/.504 in nearly half of a season after being called up last year, Gelof took a huge step backwards in 2024. His expected stats were abhorrent as well, with a .202 xBA and a 34.4 K%, among the bottom of the league. It is unsure whether he will be a future piece of this team; however, this past season may be more indicative of his true value.
Player We Watched #2: DH/LF Brent Rooker
Rooker was absolutely ridiculous this year, raising his game to a level that many had not seen coming. After bouncing around some organizations in his early years, he became an All-Star last year, but his numbers paled in comparison to his work this year. He finished sixth in the MLB in slugging percentage and ninth in Barrels per Plate Appearance. With a .927 OPS that ranked eighth, Rooker established himself as one of the best hitters in the league. With Rooker being under team control through 2027 and arbitration eligible on a cheap contract, it will take a large haul for a contender to acquire his services.
Player We Watched #3: RP Mason Miller
Given the hard-throwing righty’s injury-prone history in the rotation, the A’s decided to move him to a bullpen role in 2024. It worked out. Miller was free to throw 102 all the time with a wipeout slider and cruise to his first All-Star appearance. He was absolutely electric and shut down hitters the entire year. After breaking his hand right at the trade deadline, the team had no choice but to keep him. He could potentially be traded this offseason, as he is still pre-arb, but the A’s are nowhere close to contention. His 2.18 FIP and 159 ERA+ would play on any team.
Offseason Outlook:
With this franchise in flux and not knowing what the future holds, it will be incredibly tough to acquire talent through free agency, even if the organization wanted to. Much of the conversation will revolve around the talent currently on the roster, and if it will be traded for a haul this offseason. Rooker and Miller were not moved at the deadline, and it is expected that the Athletics could be looking to get a bigger return with more time to weigh options and consider suitors.
The A’s could look for more low budget options for players who are struggling to stay in the league, in the same vein as J.D. Davis, Ross Stripling, and Kyle Muller, players who are looking to hold on to jobs. I also would not expect the Athletics franchise to start spending money now, at least until they get a permanent home.
Someone to watch out for next year is 1B Nick Kurtz, the fourth overall draft pick this year. Kurtz only lasted seven games at the A level, being promoted to Double-A to finish the season. He hit .368/.520/.763 across a very small sample size of 12 games across both levels; however, things are desperate for the Athletics, and it is not unreasonable to say that he could be called up next year in order to help out, as first base has been a problematic position since Matt Olson was traded. He has excellent power to all fields and a game that could translate quickly to the major league level.
Categories: 2024 Season Review, Articles, Season Analysis
M-SABR 
Leave a comment