With Hot Oven (Thanksgiving) Behind Us, It’s Now Hot Stove Season

You had your fill of turkey, overate on the yams, and somehow made it through seeing your least favorite relatives alive. Which is to say you didn’t want to see them alive, but there they were. Now it’s time for the Hot Stove to heat up, as a few cast-off depth relievers aren’t cleansing the palate.

Here are some thoughts about where the A’s stand — or should stand — as the calendar turns to December…

Brendan Donovan

While he ticks a lot of key boxes, being a LH hitter with excellent on base skills and a solid defender at 2B, I am officially now on the “don’t pursue Donovan” train. Why? Simply a matter of supply and demand.

Reports indicate that Donovan is drawing a ton of interest from teams enamored of his versatility, track record, and affordable contract (arb-2 and arb-3). That means that far from getting off easy, most likely the winners in any Donovan sweepstakes will be caught in a bidding war of talent that the A’s should avoid.

Donovan is a solid every day player but he’s not “give up Gage Jump” good. The A’s can find a suitable infielder without compromising the farm unduly.

Sung-Mun Song/Jake Cronenworth

While Song might be a good get for the A’s, and is reportedly only looking at about a 3/$15M commitment, Korean publications indicate he might be bound for San Diego.

This opens up a possibility that I’m on board for and that is a trade for veteran 1B/2Bman Jake Cronenworth. An immediate caveat is that Cronenworth has logged some time at 1B and Luis Arraez hitting free agency there could be room on the right side of the infield for both Song and Cronenworth. And Song hasn’t signed yet.

But looking at the possibility that Song signs with the Padres and Cronenworth’s value is seen more as a trade chip than as a 1Bman whose career .406 SLG doesn’t scream “1B solution!” the A’s could conceivably jump in here to solve 2B…for a while.

Cronenworth is signed through 2030 on a very affordable deal ($11.43M/year) and even with the arrival of Leo DeVries there is room on the infield for Kurtz, Wilson, DeVries, and another solid every day regular. Cronenworth turns 32 in January so he is signed through his age 36 season. He should be anywhere from very good to “solid” over that time as he has some skills that age well, such as excellent plate discipline.

Cronenworth checks the boxes of being LH, he’s coming off his best OBP season (.367, 13.4% BB rate), and over his career he has been an average defender at 2B. He did have a poor fielding season in 2025, so for the A’s to want him they have to feel it was related to injury or random variance and not age/decline.

We know the Padres could use a boost to their farm, since they gave much of it to the A’s for Mason Miller. They are also looking to win now. Perhaps from the Colby Thomas (now), Tommy White (later) group, or if pitching is sought someone at the Mason Barnett, JT Ginn, Kade Morris level of prospecthood, would inspire San Diego to part with Cronenworth. I would personally sacrifice any one of those prospects for the cause.

Free Agent Pitchers

This is inherently a difficult path for the A’s owing to their ballpark situation that combines “AAA facility” with “launching pad”. And anyway, free agent SP tend to get way overpaid. The A’s aren’t going to land, nor would they be wise to overpay for, Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, now the two best SP on the market.

But there are some pitchers you can squint and see the A’s signing, so let’s call them my “holy grails,” pitchers I would be ok with the A’s stretching to lure.

One is Chris Bassitt, a familiar face from his 6 seasons in Oakland. Bassitt’s contract won’t break the bank (MLBTR predicts 2/$38M) and while he is not a #2 SP at this stage of his career he could arguably slot in well as a #3 SP with his seemingly endless assortment of pitches he can command and ability to pound the zone (his BB rate has been below 3.00 in 6 of his last 7 seasons).

Where the A’s might have a chance is if they offer one more year than other teams are willing to go. If Bassitt’s market is for a 2 year deal, as MLBTR thinks, the A’s could offer 3. Or if Bassitt is offered a 3 year deal the A’s could guarantee 4. Bassitt will open the 2026 season 37 years of age but his ability to thrive in the bullpen, seen in the post-season, makes him potentially a plus reliever at the end of his contract if he runs out of gas as a solid SP.

My other holy grail is Tyler Rogers, who turns 35 next month. I would also suggest offering Rogers one more year than any other team does, as his style ages especially well since he doesn’t rely at all on velocity and he has pinpoint command.

MLBTR also thinks Rogers will only get a 2 year deal (2/$18M). I would, without hesitation, offer Rogers 3/$27M, same AAV but with an extra year. I would even be open to a 4-year deal worth something in the low 30s. I think Rogers is going to be good for a long time, and as a cherry on top his submarine motion is considered to be the very least taxing on the arm by far. His injury risk is relatively low and that’s worth something too.

Land me Cronenworth, Bassitt, and Rogers for about a $30M bump in payroll and the loss of a mid-range prospect, with Gage Jump and Leo DeVries at AAA knocking on the door, and I’ll go toe to toe with the Seattle Mariners, or anybody else, in 2026.

So do all that or don’t……..but do something because the stove is hot and I’m hungry!