The Oakland Athletics have been among the most active teams leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.
That continued Saturday afternoon with the acquisition of relief pitcher Jake Diekman from the Kansas City Royals.
According to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, Billy Beane and Co. don’t figure to stop there. Rosenthal notes that the A’s are in the market for an upgrade in the starting rotation, specifically mentioning New York Mets starter Zack Wheeler and Tanner Roark of the Cincinnati Reds.
We previously mentioned the necessity for Oakland to add to its rotation in order to be considered legitimate World Series threats.
Both would do that. Though, Wheeler has to be seen as the headliner here. He just recently returned from a stint on the injured list and is among the most highly-coveted trade options in MLB.
Wheeler, 29, has pitched to a 7-6 record with a 4.71 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 2019. That came after a 2018 campaign that saw him post a 12-7 record with a 3.31/1.22 split.
The A’s starting rotation remains a question market, especially following the suspension ace Frankie Montas received. Look for a move to upgrade this area in the next few days.