Athletics’ Full Trade Deadline To-Do List

The Athletics have a very strong lineup right now, but an extra slugger could be what the A's need to really take the next step. Even guys who are not headliners are playing well. Think Zack Gelof , Jonah Heim, Henry Bolte, and Tyler Soderstrom. These players have made the Athletics' offense a well-oiled machine.

Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers are two players who have elevated this team to new heights. And adding one more player of that caliber could mean a deep playoff push. Players like former Athletics star Matt Chapman could be an interesting pick-up from the Giants. Luis Arraez is another player to keep tabs on.

But as mentioned earlier, the Athletics already have a very solid offense, so this should not be the A's main priority as the deadline approaches. This season, the Athletics are ranked 12th in MLB in runs scored, eighth in batting average, sixth in slugging, and seventh in OBP. Stats that scream playoff contender.

Pitching Needs Help

The Athletics' pitching this season has been abysmal and is the key reason why this team has been unable to stay above .500. Even though Gage Jump and J.T. Ginn are playing amazingly, the rest of the rotation and the bullpen need to be fixed if the Athletics hope to enter the postseason cleanly.

With how top-heavy the Athletics rotation is right now, adding an extra starter is exactly what the Athletics need to prioritize in the coming weeks. Guys like Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan, and Sandy Alcantara are three high-profile pitchers who can make the Athletics a very strong team on paper.

A team the Athletics should be in talks with is the Boston Red Sox. Not only do they have a premium reliever in Aroldis Chapman, but they also have former Athletic Sonny Gray, who has been great for the Sox as a starting pitcher, hosting an 8-1 record, despite the team as a whole struggling badly this season.

The bottom line is that the Athletics have room to improve; so does every team in the league. That said, it might be tricky to pull off any of the players mentioned on this list. But if the A's are able to succeed in acquiring a player, hopefully a pitcher, the Athletics will go from a .500 team to a potential playoff juggernaut.