Athletics 2020 Season Preview
Ready to check out our 2020 Oakland Athletics predictions? After back-to-back second-place finishes to Houston in the American League West, Oakland will break through in 2020.
MLB Athletics Predictions & Handicapping Insight
Oakland has been very good in each of the last two seasons but it has come just short of breaking through against the big boys in the AL.
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It may be more of the same in 2020 but at +3500 to win the World Series, Oakland has my attention in the MLB futures market.
2020 MLB Team Previews – Oakland Athletics
- Oakland Athletics 2020 American League West Odds: +300
- Oakland Athletics 2020 American League Odds: +1400
- Oakland Athletics 2020 World Series Odds: +3500
Key Additions:
- Tony Kemp
- Burch Smith
The A’s didn’t bring much in during the offseason. Tony Kemp will replace Jurickson Profar in the middle infield and Smith is a relief pitcher who has little positive track record in the big leagues but gives me the sort of feeling the A’s may know something the rest of us don’t.
Key Losses:
- Brett Anderson
- Marco Estrada
- Tanner Roark
- Homer Bailey
- Blake Treinen
- Josh Phegley
- Jurickson Profar
The list may look long but Oakland has a terrific track record of knowing when to cut an aging veteran free and that’s what most of this list is.
Treinen was dominant in 2018 but he struggled in 2019 and has moved on to get a second chance with the Dodgers. Anderson signed with Milwaukee and Roark with Toronto.
Homer Bailey was the biggest winner of all, though. He turned his stellar performance with the A’s into a $7 million deal with Minnesota this offseason.
2020 Oakland Athletics Predictions: Projected Lineup:
- Marcus Semien SS
- Ramon Laureano OF
- Matt Chapman 3B
- Matt Olson 1B
- Mark Canha OF
- Khris Davis DH
- Robbie Grossman OF
- Sean Murphy C
- Tony Kemp 2B
Those first four aren’t the sexiest names in the game but they play offense and defense as well as any first four in the league. They’re also all young and still getting into the primes of their careers. Semien finished third in the AL MVP last season, Chapman finished sixth and Olson 21st, despite missing 35 games.
Then Canha isn’t too shabby either hitting in the middle of the lineup. He broke out for a 145 OPS+ in just under 500 plate appearances in 2019.
Oakland likes Murphy, whom it selected in the third round of the 2016 draft. He made his big league debut last season but this will be his first full season and as the projected starter no less.
2020 Oakland Athletics Predictions: Projected Rotation:
- Mike Fiers
- Frankie Montas
- Sean Manaea
- Jesus Luzardo
- Chris Bassitt
- AJ Puk
How will Oakland replace all of the starters it lost to free-agency? Mostly from within.
The A’s didn’t have to replace them all because they had such an excess last season. Fiers stays on as a veteran among a youth movement.
Manaea came back to throw excellent in his return from Tommy John in 2019, which should give Oakland excellent confidence in him being a rock again in 2020.
Montas will return from his 80-game suspension for the start of the season after testing positive for a banned substance last season. Both he and Manaea are +3300 longshots to win the AL Cy Young.
Jesus Luzardo was Oakland’s secret weapon out of the bullpen in the home stretch last season. He completed 12 innings, gave up five hits, two runs and struck out 16. He threw three innings of 1-hit baseball out of the ‘pen in the Wild Card game against Tampa Bay, too.
This season, he’ll be a starter and is +600 to win the AL’s Rookie of the Year.
2020 Oakland Athletics Predictions: Projected Closer:
- Liam Hendriks
Hendriks has gone from opener to set-up man to closer. He took some save opportunities last season with Treinen struggling and injured and looks like he should handle the job just fine.
2020 Oakland Athletics Predictions: 93 wins and 1st in the AL West (Bet Now at any of our reviewed MLB Sportsbooks!)
Even a decrease in wins from the last two seasons will be enough for Oakland to win the AL West this time around.
The lineup is full of smart, quality players who typically manage to stay healthy and play defense, too, which I love.
The rotation has the sort of upside that makes you want to bet on it now, before the breakout. Manaea offers excellent value in the Cy Young market at +3300 and keep an eye on AJ Puk, along with Luzardo. They both have the chance to be excellent starting pitchers as early as this season, if they stay healthy in their first full big league seasons.
What do you think of our 2020 Oakland Athletics predictions? Comments are welcome below.
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