Whether it comes with chagrin, delusional optimism, or both, the Oakland Athletics may be playing their last season in the city of Oakland before moving… somewhere before maybe finally finding their home in Las Vegas. But for now, they're in Mesa, Arizona, the site of their Spring Training facilities and Hohokam Stadium.
At this point, Hohokam Stadium could be where the A's will be playing next season for all anyone knows. It might be in better shape than the Oakland Coliseum, and maybe at least they'll still be welcomed there. Although playing in the Arizona heat from May to August could be a little toasty. But for the A's and their fans, it wouldn't be unlike anything else they've dealt with over the last several seasons, which has been a hot-tempered, miserable experience.
With tons of uncertainty that flows from the front office to the roster and even the future of the team's relocation site, the A's are, for lack of a better term, the bottom dwellers and laughingstock of the entire league. And that's their own fault, starting with owner John Fisher, who has essentially pulled his best impression of Rachel Phelps from the movie Major League.
What can be expected of this team? What do we know about this team? Most of us may be sitting there like those construction workers in Major League and asking, “Who are these (bleeping) guys?” Nonetheless, a team will, in fact, be fielded, with Spring Training setting up for the regular season. So, here are some Oakland A's bold predictions for the 2024 season.
Brent Rooker will be traded by the trade deadline
As we know, the A's just can't have nice things. Every piece of profitable talent that has come through the organization the last several seasons, and really, beyond, has been traded away, either in the offseason or during the season. Rooker and his 30 home runs made it through the 2023 season still in an A's uniform, but if he continues putting up that kind of production in 2024, then he likely won't be with Oakland much longer.
His current projections for the 2024 season are 22 home runs, 19 doubles, one triple, 41 walks, while batting .238, according to Baseball-Reference.
Esteury Ruiz steals at least 60 bags, improves at the plate
Like a lot of speedsters last year, Esteury Ruiz enjoyed the implementing of larger bases and limited pitcher pick-off attempts. Ruiz fell just behind the Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. in total stolen bases last season with 67. Look for the 25-year-old to be lethal on the basepaths again, stealing at least 60 bases. But also looking for him to improve overall at the plate, bumping up from his .254 average from last season and becoming one of the better leadoff guys in the league.
Athletics won't lose 100 games in 2024
For two straight seasons, the A's have lost 100-plus games, with last year, losing a dismal 112, the worst in the MLB. Will they make it three straight? That would certainly be one way to go out in what may be their last season in Oakland and oddly fitting, so to speak. If they were to lose 100 games in 2024, they would be the first team since the Houston Astros from 2011-2013 to do so in three consecutive seasons.
But there could at least be some room for optimism, although not too much as this will still be a last-place team in the AL West, where losses could come in droves thanks to facing their division opponents in the Astros and last year's World Series champions, the Texas Rangers, and even the Seattle Mariners.
Currently, the A's are not predicted to finish as the worst in the league, according to Baseball Prospectus. They are projected for a record of 63.7-98.3, just shy of 100 losses. The Washington Nationals are slated for the worst record in baseball in 2024, with a 58.6-103.4 record.
The Athletics sweep four series in 2024
If you're one of the worst teams in the league, you typically aren't sweeping many teams — you're the one getting swept. Somehow, the A's pulled off three series sweeps last season last season, including one over the Braves at home, who had 13 last season, which was the best in baseball, according to MLBSweeps.com.
The A's weren't the worst last year; that belonged to the Colorado Rockies, who swept just one team last season. They were, however, swept the most at 19 times. We're going to go one better in 2024 and predict the A's sweep four teams…. and just not think about how many times they could be swept.
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