Athletics GM sends defiant message on trade deadline urgency

The athletics/athletics-news-brutal-shea-langeliers-injury-update-ends-yankees-trade-possibility">Athletics may have fallen quite a way out of the American League playoff race as a result of a deep losing streak that has hit the team, but don’t expect general manager David Forst to break up the team’s core just to get a prospect or two in return.

The Athletics have fallen to fourth place in the American League West with a 45-63 record. They are 9.5 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers. They are also 10 games out of the final Wild Card spot in the American League and the only American League team with a worse record is the Los Angeles Angels.

However, the Athletics may not be very active at the trade deadline. While teams that are normally far from contention usually will trade some of their most noteworthy players for prospects and veterans, the A’s are not likely to do so.

Forst likes the crew of young talent the team has developed, and he may not want to move those players because he believes they could produce winning results in the future.

“We’ve built this team for the long haul,” Forst said, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. “I’m not looking to break the team up. Just because we’re not in a playoff race doesn’t mean you’re selling off pieces. I don’t feel compelled to make a trade just because the deadline is Monday.”

The Athletics feature catcher Shea Langeliers, first baseman Nick Kurtz, outfielder Tyler Soderstrom, center fielder Henry Bolte, right fielder Lawrence Butler, designated hitter Brent Rooker and shortstop Jacob Wilson. Those are some of the players that the Athletics’ general manager would like to hold on to and reap the benefits in the future.