Perhaps it’s time to talk more seriously about the Rule 5 draft, that “shot in the dark” which usually yields nothing (no offense, Ben Copeland) but occasionally lands you a Mark Canha or even a Johan Santana.
The A’s have done relatively well with the Rule 5 picks, nabbing Canha 10 years ago and Mitch Spence last year, for two of the more successful selections in recent history. Their chances of picking a winner in 2024 are enhanced by the fact that while they are only slotted at 5th overall, teams need to have space on their 40-man roster in order to pick and currently that eliminates 3 of the 4 teams ahead of the A’s.