This winter has been nuts. An already insane MLB offseason came to a crescendo this past week with the blockbuster Mookie Betts deal (and its surrounding drama). That deal capped off a hectic few months during which many of baseball’s most mediocre clubs took definitive, aggressive steps toward contention.
Specifically, American League teams like the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels opened up the checkbooks big time. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays were very active on the trade market, though it remains to be seen whether their moves actually improved their major league roster.
And yet the Oakland A’s, coming off their second consecutive 97-win season and second consecutive Wild Card loss, have been nearly silent.