The American League is riddled with postseason contenders. The A’s are in a tight sprint for two available Wild Card spots with at least four other teams — the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.
But a quick pitstop looms: the trade deadline. And the A’s will surely be looking primarily at the starting pitching and bullpen options.
What’s to give up? Oakland has a bit of an infielder glut in their farm. Jorge Mateo and Franklin Barreto crowd a middle infield pipeline. There’s also some backup in the outfield, with Dustin Fowler and Nick Martini waiting behind a loaded outfield corps.