Speculation surrounded Marcus Semien’s future with the Oakland A’s. Would the organization take the extension plunge? At the peak of his career (so far), was a trade on the horizon? Or, in the final year of arbitration eligibility, would the 30-year-old shortstop demand and settle for a hefty one-year contract?
The first two options seemed unlikely — hefty extensions may be on the table once a new ballpark is underway, and a trade would destabilize this highly-anticipated window’s foundation. So, the Oakland Athletics settled on a $13 million contract with Semien for the 2020 season, first reported by Mark Fiesand and confirmed by Mercury News sources.