Two Players Athletics Must Make Decisions on Soon

Jeff McNeil has easily been one of, if not the best, players for the Athletics since the break. During this time, he has batted a team-leading .319, with a solid .813 OPS. He has also hit six home runs, along with 33 RBIs, which ranks him second on the team, behind only Lawrence Butler.

With stats this good, this shouldn’t even be a question; it should be a matter of when this happens. But when you consider what it would take to bring him back, the conversation starts to shift. For starters, if the Athletics were to bring McNeil back, it would cost $15.7 million, a price that might be too much to stomach. 

Another reason to potentially let McNeil go is the performance of the players beneath him. Potential suitors who could take over at second base next year include, but are not limited to, Donovan Walton , Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, and Alika Williams. Each player has made a significant mark this year and won't break the bank while on the roster.

The bottom line for McNeil is that both sides have a valid argument. On the "keeping" side, you can factor in his veteran leadership and second-half production. But on the "letting him walk" side, the price may be too much to bear considering the team's current issues.

Should the Athletics Re-Sign Jonah Heim?

Jonah Heim was a solid backup catcher through the first half of the season, in which he batted .232 with a .745 OPS, along with 21 RBIs and eight home runs. Add in his switch-hitting ability, and all of a sudden you have a catcher who could be a very good asset in seasons beyond.

But once Shea Langeliers landed on the IL, we have not seen this version of Heim. Back then, there was optimism that Heim could fill the void Langeliers left. But that couldn't have been further from the truth. Heim has batted .176 with a .539 OPS, along with just 11 RBIs in 170 at-bats since July 24, the day Langeliers went down.

Like McNeil, there are clear-cut options in place to replace Heim. During the same stretch, Brian Serven hit .176 with a .610 OPS, along with five home runs and 14 RBIs. Keep in mind that Heim had 96 more at-bats than Serven. If you put their stats next to each other, it would be obvious who was the better hitter overall.

Concluding Thoughts

If it wasn't clear already, the Athletics don't really need Heim or McNeil next season. While they made a mark this year, the bottom line is that the Athletics must prioritize other position groups this offseason rather than keeping players who can be replaced easily and more cheaply.