You might be aware that I absolutely love the Oakland A’s acquisition of Tommy La Stella. He is exactly the player they needed — not just the type of player, but the actual specific individual who realistically made most sense.
But how can the A’s best utilize his skill set within this specific lineup? First and foremost, he strikes out less than anyone in the league, and that kind of consistent contact is what Oakland has been critically missing in clutch moments with runners in scoring position. That’s been their biggest problem and they’re one of the worst in the bigs at it despite being good overall hitters, and La Stella’s acquisition appeared to be a direct nod toward it by giving them a new dimension to contrast their Three True Outcomes foundation.