2024 Oakland Athletics Predictions with World Series Odds and Season Win Total Picks
Oakland participated in one of the worst seasons in the history of the MLB in 2023. The team won just 50 games on their way to a 50-112 record while averaging an attendance of just over 10,000. The front office is in shambles with no clear plans, not even for relocating. The roster, though young, has no star power and is well on their way to another disappointing showing. And if the 62 games below .500 wasn’t enough to tell you how bad this team was, they actually performed four games better than their expected record of 46-116. There was a six-game gap between the basement dwellers and the 56-win Kansas City Royals.
Offensively, there were two solid contributors in Brent Rooker and Zack Gelof. Rooker would lead the team with 30 homeruns, 69 RBIs, and was second with a .817 OPS. Gelof, despite playing only 69 games at the big-league level, would lead the team with a 2.6 WAR, a .840 OPS, and would add 14 homeruns and 14 stolen bases. Esteury Ruiz was tied for the team lead in hits, with Rooker, and would total 67 stolen bases. As a team, the A’s would rank dead last in OPS, runs, and AVG while also ranking 20th in homeruns, and striking out 1,496 times which was the 6th most.
As for the pitching, there is a not a lot of good things to talk about. JP Sears led the team with 172.1 innings and 161 strikeouts, but no Oakland starter would post a sub 4.00 ERA. Paul Blackburn led the rotation with a 4.43 ERA, Sears had a 4.54 ERA, while Ken Waldichuk and Luis Medina had ERA’s north of 5.00, while Kyle Muller posted an ERA over 7.00. Out of the bullpen, the A’s had two solid options in closer Trevor May and set up man Austin Pruitt. May would record a team leading 21 saves with a 3.28 ERA, while Pruitt led the bullpen with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.
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Oakland Athletics Key Additions/Losses
There is some good news in the fact that Oakland didn’t lose a lot this offseason and made some decent additions. Trevor May and Tony Kemp hit the free agent market, while the team sent their leading reliever in Austin Pruitt down to the minors.
The additions are significant for this upcoming season. The A’s added some pop to the lineup by claiming Miguel Andujar off waivers while also trading for Abraham Toro from Milwaukee. Oakland has also signed pitchers Osvaldo Bido, Trevor Gott, Alex Wood, and Scott Alexander, while also trading for Ross Stripling.
Oakland Athletics Prospect Outlook
The team is young, and they do have some more prospects on the way. Pitchers Mason Miller (2nd), Joey Estes (12th), Freddy Tarnok (13th), Joe Boyle (20th), Mitch Spence (23rd), Royber Salinas (24th), and Brady Basso (28th) are all reinforcing the pitching staff and will get their chance at big-league camp.
While the pitching prospects are plentiful, there are a few bats on their way up as well. Shortstop Darrell Hernandez (9th) is on the 40-man roster while catcher Daniel Susac (4th), infielders Max Muncy (7th) and Brett Harris (10th) all have invites to big league camp.
Oakland Athletics X-Factors
The Veterans- Brent Rooker, JP Sears, Paul Blackburn, Alex Wood, Ross Stripling, and Trevor Gott could all bring in a good return in the summer months as playoff-caliber teams look to add and make a run. With the exception of Sears and Rooker, none of the mentioned names are part of the club’s future plans and are solely on the team as dangled carrots for competing clubs to get later on in the season. Sears and Rooker could both bring in big returns, but Oakland may ask for the moon before shipping out their two best players.
Esteury Ruiz/Zack Gelof/Shea Langeliers- This trio has a chance to form a competitive trio at the top of the A’s lineup this season. Ruiz is a nice table setter and will only improve at the plate, while his speed allows him to get in scoring position for Gelof and Langeliers to knock him in.
Oakland Athletics Expectations
Another bad season for the club. No one expects the team to be a 70-win ball club, and their better players will likely be shipped off at some point this season in order to kick the can down the road as they attempt to strike gold on a few more prospects. Though there are a lot of prospects and young talent, none of them possess that difference making ability to change the club’s direction, at least not yet.
Oakland Athletics Notable Odds:
World Series Champions- +50000
Pennant Winners- +20000
Division Winners- +25000
AL Cy Young- JP Sears- +20000
AL MVP- Brent Rooker- +20000
Oakland Athletics Predictions
I do like the team to improve slightly on their 50-win campaign from a season ago and could see them breaking into the 60’s. I do like the over 57.5 wins; the pitching staff greatly improved and seems to have a lot of young arms on the way. The addition of Toro and Andujar will deepen the lineup adding protection for Rooker and Langeliers to improve their numbers. However, it will still be an ugly season and every team will be excited to play the A’s this season.
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