Passan also reported that “Teams are trying to get a young bat from the Athletics for controllable starting pitching. They aren’t particularly inclined to mess with one of the best lineups in baseball and will focus on the free agent market.”
The A’s developed into one of the most intriguing and fun teams in MLB in 2025, thanks to a young lineup featuring shortstop Jacob Wilson (.311/.355/.444), and outfielders Nick Kurtz (.290/.383/.619) and Lawrence Butler (.234/306/.404).
It makes sense that teams, knowing full well that the A’s typically sell talent before they have to pay them, would look into acquiring them.
Passan added about the A’s, “They aren’t particularly inclined to mess with one of the best lineups in baseball and will focus on the free agent market.”
Nor should they. As the team maintains their hopes of a move to Las Vegas, they will need young, exciting talent to convince people to show up to the ballpark. Holding onto assets like Kurtz, Butler, and Wilson is one way to fill that need.
Building a winner by mixing in the right free agent veterans is another.