This the year for the A’s.
After years of treading water, the A’s have put together a young, exciting, talented team that can realistically contend for a playoff spot.
So long as that playoff spot they’re aiming for isn’t the American League West crown — that’s already the Astros’.
But a Wild Card spot? That’s on the table for Oakland in 2018, so long as:
• The team remains healthy and doesn’t have to tap too far into its organizational depth.
• The five remaining starting pitchers — they lost Jharel Cotton and top prospect AJ Puk to UCL injuries in the spring — can stay healthy and either match or exceed expectations.