The Athletics started this season with payroll 46% lower than the Diamondbacks payroll. The Athletics payroll was lowest in the Majors and the franchise’s lowest since 2013.
Their Division includes three teams who are playing very well - Astros, Mariners, and the Angels. The pessimistic view is they are in fourth place in the AL West. Their odds of winning the Division are very small.
The optimistic view is their odds of a wild card berth are 19% (source fivethirtyeight.com). They are currently above 500. If they can finish the season above 500, it would mark a successful season for the Athletics.