Three areas for the Athletics to focus on during offseason

The Athletics, as a franchise, are in a period of transition. The 2025 season was only the beginning of that process.

After forcing their way out of Oakland, the A's spent their first season in what is expected to be a temporary home in Sacramento. The A's surprisingly opened up the checkbook, signing pitcher Luis Severino while locking in designated hitter Brent Rooker and outfielder Lawrence Butler with long-term extensions.

Although the A's are looking at contending in time for their expected move to Las Vegas, the 2025 season was a success. The A's were nine games better than in 2024. An exciting, dynamic core has emerged in the lineup. However, there is still plenty of work to be done. Let's take a look at three areas for the A's to focus on during the 2025-26 offseason.

Three areas for the Athletics to focus on during the offseason

1. Find a taker for Luis Severino

Buyer's remorse was apparent early in the marriage between Severino and the A's. Severino complained about Sutter Health Park, the A's temporary home, almost immediately, saying that the atmosphere felt like a minor league game. The A's were reportedly ready to move on from Severino ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, although the right-handed starter remained in Sacramento through the end of the year.

The offseason may be the perfect time to shop for Severino. Although his overall numbers were disappointing, he posted a solid 3.02 ERA and a 1.071 WHiP over 80.1 innings on the road in 2025, striking out 58 batters with 21 walks. The A's may need to eat some of his salary, but sending Severino away may be a case of addition by subtraction.

2. Keep locking in their young core

The A's made a pair of significant investments in their future by signing Rooker and Butler to long-term extensions. First baseman Nick Kurtz and shortstop Jacob Wilson need to be next in line.

Kurtz, the runaway favorite for the AL Rookie of the Year, posted a .290/.383/.619 batting line in 489 plate appearances, hitting 36 homers, including the first four-home run game by a rookie in MLB history. Wilson had been viewed as the favorite for the Rookie of the Year before he landed on the Injured List with a fractured left forearm. He posted a solid .311/.355/.444 batting line over 523 plate appearances, hitting 13 homers and 26 doubles. Both players appear to be franchise cornerstones; locking them in now makes perfect sense for the A's.

3. Is their closer already on the roster?

The A's stunned the baseball world at the trade deadline as they sent closer Mason Miller to the Padres. The A's had five different pitchers record a save over the final two months of the season, playing matchups instead of having a set option for the ninth inning.

However, the best option for the closer role going forward may not be any of the 14 relievers the A's used in the second half last season. Jack Perkins appeared to be the A's closer in waiting after posting a 2.75 ERA and a 0.915 WHiP over 19.2 innings in relief, striking out 19 batters with seven walks. Instead, the A's put Perkins into the rotation as he was a starter in the minors. He made just four mediocre starts before landing on the Injured List with a strained right shoulder. Perkins did show the potential to be a weapon in the back of the bullpen - it is just a matter of allowing him to prove he can be the A's closer.