To pick an emoticon for the future of the Oakland Athletics outfield after the 2016 season before acquiring Khris Davis from the Milwaukee Brewers for prospects Jacob Nottingham and Bubba Derby, I'll go with ¯_()_/¯. While acquiring Davis and the four years he will be under Oakland's control helps, there are still questions to be addressed in the years to come.
| Projected A's outfield after Khris Davis trade | ||||||
| 40-man | LF | CF | RF | |||
| Player | Earliest FA | Player | Earliest FA | Player | Earliest FA | |
| Davis | 2020 | Burns | 2021 | Reddick | 2017 | |
| Crisp | 2017 | Fuld | 2017 | Fuld | 2017 | |
| Canha | 2021 | Crisp | 2017 | Smolinski | 2021 | |
| Fuld | 2017 | Ladendorf | 2022 | Lambo | 2021 | |
| Smolinski | 2021 | |||||
| Lambo | 2021 | |||||
| Prospects | LF | CF | RF | |||
| Player | Projected | Player | Projected | Player | Projected | |
| Olson | mid-2016 | Barreto | mid-2017 | Olson | mid-2016 | |
| Barreto | mid-2017 | Barreto | mid-2017 | |||
In 2016, Davis taking over the bulk of left field plate appearances may limit Mark Canha's playing time, though I have few doubts that manager Bob Melvin will find ways to get Canha into the lineup most days.