Athletics: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Closer Competitions for Fantasy Baseball Players to Monitor

By now about half of you have already drafted and may or may not be comfortable with your relief pitcher selections. Did you draft a bona fide closer in earlier rounds or take a swing on a couple of arms with less defined roles hoping to strike gold?

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

A's Rotation Appears Set with Plenty of Upside

There has been some slight doubt about who would be the fifth member of the A's rotation, based off of Jacob Lopez's late start to camp and questions about whether he'd have enough time to ramp up for the season.

Athletics News / Athletics Nation / March 15

A’s Demolish the Royals 12-1 in Cactus League Action

The Athletics offense picked up where it left off yesterday, taking advantage of the dry, hot Arizona air to bash four home runs in a 12-1 rout over the Kansas City Royals.

Athletics News / Sport Relay / March 15

L’Italia S’è Desta! Italy Edges Puerto Rico, Makes WBC Semifinals

HOUSTON (Mar. 14) — Italy has arrived — and their 8–6 win over Puerto Rico in Saturday’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinals proved it. Italy stole five bases, walked eight times, and cracked eight hits in the victory.

New York Yankees News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The '50-HR, .300 average MLB seasons' quiz

How many of the 20 MLB players to bat .300 and mash 50 home runs in the same season can you name in five minutes?

The 'Last 40-homer season by MLB team' quiz

The 'Active 100-RBI MLB season leaders' quiz

The 'Live-Ball Era strikeout leaders' quiz

Athletics News / MLB on ClutchPoints / March 14

3 bold WBC predictions for USA vs. Dominican Republic

The United States has come to the World Baseball Classic with the intention of winning the championship and it has a loaded lineup that includes Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber.

Athletics News / Yardbarker

One storyline to follow for every MLB team in 2026

As Spring Training opens for 2026, all 30 teams have high hopes and big questions. These are the storylines to follow for each team heading into Opening Day.

Athletics News / Athletics Nation / March 14

Eyeball Scout Wowed By 12-1 Win: Lots To Love

The morning was good enough: I was able to sit down with catcher Shea Langeliers, OFer Henry Bolte, and pitching coach Scott Emerson for interviews I will post in the coming days.

Athletics News / Total Apex Sports / March 14

Team Italy Hangs On To Beat Puerto Rico To Advance To Semifinals Of 2026 World Baseball Classic

Daikin Park sounded like San Juan on Saturday afternoon. The crowd was loud, the energy was electric, and Puerto Rico felt like the home team. Then Italy decided it had heard enough.

Shea Langeliers News / ESPN / March 14

Langeliers homers 3 times in spring training game

Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers homered in all three of his three plate appearances in a spring training game Saturday against the Royals.

Paul Skenes News / Field Level Media / March 14

Team USA, Paul Skenes face prolific Dominican Republic in WBC semifinal

MIAMI - It will be power arm against power bats when Team USA takes on the Dominican Republic in a World Baseball Classic in a high stakes semifinal on Sunday night.

Athletics News / Oakland Athletics on SI / March 14

What A's Spring Training Lineup Adjustments Tell Us to Expect Opening Day

The A's have been signaling their plans for the season all spring, but they may have provided their biggest indication of what their Opening Day lineup could be on Friday.

Athletics News / Field Level Media / March 14

Spring training roundup: A's prospect Tommy White drives in 7 more

Athletics prospect Tommy White continued his tear through spring pitching, going 3-for-5 with a double, home run and seven RBIs Friday in a 13-4 blowout of the Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix.

Athletics News / Yardbarker

25 MLB players that could be traded during the 2026 season

The 2026 MLB season is right around the corner, and it is never too early to start thinking about how it might unfold. Seemingly, every year, we have a decent handle on who should contend and who is likely to struggle, which makes looking ahead to the trade deadline inevitable.

Athletics News / ESPN / March 13

A's club 3 straight HRs on 3 pitches vs. Padres

The Athletics' Henry Bolte, Breyson Guedez and Nick Kurtz took Padres starter Michael King deep on three straight pitches during Friday's Cactus League game in Mesa, Arizona.

Kevin McGonigle News / Minor League Baseball on SI / March 13

Tigers' Kevin McGonigle Drawing Comparisons to All-Star Infielder

The buzz around the Detroit Tigers' top prospect, Kevin McGonigle, has been steadily growing this spring as fans anxiously wait to hear whether he'll make the Opening Day roster.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Most men's NCAA Tournaments' quiz

The '21+ made free throws in an NBA game' quiz

The '100-rushing-yard Super Bowls' quiz

The '1K-yard, 10-TD-catch NFL seasons' quiz

Athletics News / Last Word On Sports / March 13

I’m Breaking Out in 2026: American League Edition

We’re about two weeks from Opening Day in Major League Baseball. Many fans are optimistic, while others are skeptical. Wherever you stand, hopefully, you have some excitement for the upcoming 2026 season.

Athletics News / Oakland Athletics on SI / March 13

Three A's Making a Late Spring Push Towards Roster Spot

Opening Day of the 2026 season is just two weeks away, and camp will be ending even sooner. This is the time of the spring when players can make a late push in camp to hopefully solidify their spot on the Opening Day roster.

Athletics News / Oakland Athletics on SI / March 13

How Concerning is Luis Morales' Slow Spring?

After being arguably the most productive starter for the A's in his small sample size during his debut in the 2025 season, 23-year-old Luis Morales was looking to build off that success and have another strong year when spring began.

Athletics News / Just Baseball / March 13

Top Athletics Prospects Who Could Contribute in 2026

The Athletics turned over a new leaf in 2025 with their arrival in Sacramento, which will be their home for at least two more seasons before eventually settling in Las Vegas.

Athletics News / New Baseball Media / March 12

2026 Transactions: Cubs, Rays, Yankees Make Spring Cuts

While the 2026 World Baseball Classic has taken center stage in the baseball community, MLB teams continued to make cuts on March 11 & 12. The Yankees, Cubs, Braves, Rays, and Mariners were among the teams to trim their 2026 spring rosters.

Athletics News / Just Baseball / March 12

WBC Pool A Recap: Canada and Puerto Rico Advance

I think that it is safe to say that both Pool A and San Juan lived up to the billing. Prior to the WBC kicking off, I stated that Pool A was the most balanced and competitive group in the tournament.

David Forst News / MLB on ClutchPoints / March 12

Athletics’ David Forst explains logic behind long-term extensions to core players

The Athletics are currently gearing up for a 2026 season in which they will look to end their five-year playoff drought. The team will be playing in Sacramento as they gear up for an eventual move to Las Vegas, and the Athletics have been hard at work this offseason, locking down several members of their young core.

Juan Soto News / MLB on ClutchPoints / March 12

Juan Soto ties historic WBC mark vs. Venezuela

With a 7-5 win over Venezuela at loanDepot Park on Wednesday night, the Dominican Republic completed the group stage unbeaten at 4-0, and star slugger Juan Soto not only helped his team secure first place in Pool D but also matched a prestigious Dominican Republic record in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Athletics News / Last Word On Sports / March 12

Parity and Potential: Why the AL West is Baseball’s Most Intriguing Division

The AL West is one of the more fun divisions to watch in baseball going into 2026. If things go right, this division will be a fight to the end. If things don’t go right, it might be a one horse race.

Athletics News / Total Pro Sports / March 11

Who Is Jake Gelof? The Los Angeles Dodgers Prospect Playing At The WBC

The World Baseball Classic is usually where global stars grab headlines. However, every tournament also produces a few “wait, who’s that?” moments. This year, one of those names is Jake Gelof, a young infielder representing the Los Angeles Dodgers pipeline on an international stage.

Nick Kurtz News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Four-HR MLB games' quiz

How many of the 19 Major League Baseball players in the Live Ball-Era (since 1920) can you name in five minutes?

Jesus Luzardo News / Field Level Media / March 10

Phillies, LHP Jesus Luzardo finalize $135M extension

Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo finalized a five-year contract extension worth $135 million on Tuesday, a deal that keeps him in Philadelphia through the 2031 season.