The A’s will be one to watch in 2026

The Sacramento Athletics (Oakland) have shown flashes of brilliance in the last two years, but it hasn't been enough, with a lack of depth and consistency hurting on more than one occasion.

And now, after looking to improve in the infield since the start of the offseason, the A's have finally gotten their hands on Jeff McNeil and nearly six million dollars in return for a young pitcher.

The cleaning up of Francisco Lindor's “friends” continues. https://t.co/r25j03x5Ic

– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) December 22, 2025

McNeil is a perfect fit for Sacramento, second base being the least productive position last season. Sure, the 33-year-old is expected to play the majority of his games at second, but if Zack Gelof finds his bat and Leo De Vries progresses quickly through the system, the A's will have versatility with McNeil.

Not to mention the fact that he hits from the left, which the A's needed. The only left-handers on the roster for next season are Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, and Lawrence Butler. Carlos Cortes has a good chance of breaking into the lineup early in the season, but he's not guaranteed a spot like the other three. Having McNeil in their ranks gives the A's the fourth left-handed bat they needed.

With McNeil and Jacob Wilson in the offensive role, the Athletics have two contact hitters in their lineup, and manager Mark Kotsay will be able to deploy them depending on the opponent in front of them. Like Wilson, McNeil can hit at the top of the lineup and try to reach base, or he can go down and try to produce runs.

The A's finished with the tenth-best offense in Major League Baseball in 2025, and they've just improved on their weakest offensive position from last year. What's more, let's not overlook the fact that the presence of a veteran in this young locker room won't do any harm for years to come. Sacramento will be one to watch.

This content was created with the help of AI.