Mark Kotsay and his staff got some answers, but need more after 102-loss season
The A’s returned to the Bay Area with nearly as many questions as when they opened camp in Arizona two months ago.
A lot of puzzle pieces remain for second-year manager Mark Kotsay and his staff heading into Thursday’s opener at home against Shohei Ohtani and the Angels, And the 26 players who make the Opening Day roster will be just the starting point in another season likely full of unprecedented roster movement. Oakland used a franchise-record 64 players last season, and it would be surprising if they don’t come close to that number again.
Kotsay named Kyle Muller the A’s Opening Day starter opposite Ohtani. Muller, 25, acquired from Atlanta in the Sean Murphy trade, has all the makings of a potential front-line starter, but was inconsistent with the Braves and also this spring. The A’s also are counting heavily on lefty Ken Waldichuk, the former Saint Mary’s College star who showed promise in a handful of starts after being acquired from the Yankees late last season but was inconsistent in camp.
Seth Brown led the team with 25 home runs last season, but the A’s need more thump. Former All-Star Jesús Aguilar and Rule 5 draft pick Ryan Noda are the most obvious potential candidates to boost the power, but newcomers Jace Peterson and Aledmys Díaz, and catcher Shea Langeliers will play enough to threaten double-digit home run totals.
Much of the reason to run is rookie outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who led the minors with 85 stolen bases last season and was 6 for 7 in Arizona. Outfielder Conner Capel added five steals and shortstop Nick Allen had four.The A’s liked what they saw late last season in Langeliers, a big piece of the Matt Olson trade, but hoped the 25-year-old could share time and apprentice under Manny Piña.
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