The A’s are planning to open the season with a platoon arrangement at shortstop, manager Mark Kotsay said over the weekend (link via Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle). Aledmys Díaz will get the bulk of the reps, taking playing time against right-handed pitching. Nick Allen will work on the short side of the platoon, with the right-handed hitting Díaz moving to another infield position against southpaws.
Allen picked up 57 starts at shortstop and 35 games at second base last season. The defensive specialist rated highly with the glove at both positions. Longstanding questions about his offensive impact continued during his rookie season, however. The 24-year-old hit only .207/.256/.291 in his first 326 big league plate appearances. Allen made a decent amount of contact but rarely hit the ball with any kind of authority, at least against right-handed pitching. He mustered only a .179/.232/.226 line with one home run in 232 plate appearances without the platoon advantage. Allen connected on a trio of longballs with a .276/.315/.448 slash in 96 trips to the dish against southpaws.
Despite those glaring small-sample splits, it’s a little surprising a rebuilding Oakland club plans to limit Allen’s exposure against right-handed pitching. He’d need to take a significant step forward against northpaws if he’s to emerge as a potential bottom-of-the-lineup regular down the line. Nevertheless, the A’s are set to give the majority of the playing time to Díaz, who signed a two-year free agent deal over the winter. The seven-year MLB veteran has been a solid hitter against left and right-handed pitching alike in his career, though he’s never played particularly good defense at shortstop.
Díaz has rated as a solid gloveman at second and third base, where he figures to take some reps against left-handed pitching. Tony Kemp and Jace Peterson both hit from the left side and have struggled against southpaws in their careers. That’s also true of first base/corner outfield option Seth Brown.
Rule 5 draftee Ryan Noda also hits from the left side and will factor into the infield at first base. The club recently informed the former 15th-round pick he’s made the Opening Day roster, Kawahara tweets. Noda, who turns 27 on Thursday, will get an MLB crack after six seasons in the minors. He spent the 2022 campaign with the Dodgers’ top affiliate in Oklahoma City, hitting .259/.395/.474 with 25 home runs and a huge 16% walk rate over 574 trips to the plate. The Cincinnati product struck out in 25 of 52 at-bats this spring, but that wasn’t enough for the Oakland front office to look past his strong offensive track record against minor league pitching.
The A’s will have to carry Noda on the MLB roster or injured list for the entire season in order to permanently obtain his contractual rights. If Oakland decided to take him off the roster, they’d have to make him available on waivers and then offer him back to L.A. if he goes unclaimed.
Another question facing the coaching staff and front office this week is how to align the starting rotation. Paul Blackburn was already known to be headed to the injured list and Kotsay indicated over the weekend that Drew Rucinski would join him. The A’s have tabbed left-hander Kyle Muller as the Opening Day starter, with Ken Waldichuk, James Kaprielian and Shintaro Fujinami also in the rotation. The fifth spot is still up for grabs between Adam Oller and JP Sears, though Kotsay said tonight that both pitchers will be on the season-opening active roster (via Kawahara).
One of that duo will move to long relief, with Oller seeming the likelier bet. He’s come out of the bullpen for three of his six outings this spring, while Sears has started four of five appearances. Both pitchers made their big league debuts in 2022, with Sears having a better first crack. Oller surrendered a 6.30 ERA in 74 1/3 innings; Sears pitched to a 3.86 mark over 70 frames, albeit with a modest 17.7% strikeout percentage.
Wtf is going on in Oakland
As a Jays fan, I watched Diaz be had. So Oakland gives in 2 years.
Article says Diaz is good vs LH and RH. Hrs barely league average. Sucks on D at SS.
Other kid is 25, hits LHH at a good clip but you can’t platoon at SS as a RHH. Not many LH only SS.
Give the kid a chance to get his bearings. It’d only benefit the A’s
So dumb.
If you’re going to call something dumb maybe you should make sure you proofread your post and correct the spelling errors
There’s something to be said for letting him build confidence and practice against weaker RHP. Not sure what his exact breakdown is, but no need to run him out against say, Alex Manoah if he’s already completely overmatched by major league sliders… not a huge learning experience to get embarrassed by a pitcher than knows you can’t hit one of their pitches.
You’re right, my spelling errors pale in comparison to the A’s incompetence
My sincere apologies
Damn, for a team that has been a punching bag for the majority of the past 30 years that’s a rapid pivot to hating on the A’s.
Hate is a strong word.
Extremely disappointed, I was a pseudo As fan growing up. Remember the earthquake series, always was a Mcguire, Canseco, Henderson, Stewart, Eckersley fan.
Watching Alomar hit the HR of ECK was bitter sweet.
Watching Canseco hit a 5th deck HR in the dome.
Having Stewart and Henderson be a part of our own WS run and history
McGuire vs Sosa HR chase that reinvigorated MLB, steroids or not
I don’t like seeing the worst stadium in MLB be in Oakland, I don’t like constantly stealing 3B from Oakland, or them giving away their other talent.
It’s a shame for the real fans there, I lived through it watching HOF talent like Halliday and Delgado get wasted and traded for nothing. Inability to keep players like Shawn Green.
It’s not fun. I don’t wish it upon Yankees fans even
Hating on seemed like a milder version of the term. I was actually born in Toronto and the Blue Jays were always my second favorite team, hence my familiarity with the rough times since the early 90’s. Mostly watched Blue Jays games last year with my MLB package.
I’m with you on the disappointment. Cancelled my MLB package this season and at this point I don’t care much, either our ownership needs to go or Manfred can eat a $%@# and I’ll just be less into baseball. I’m used to a penny pinching ownership but having the team get sanctioned for embezzling revenue sharing funds and being the most exploitative organization towards minor leaguers during the pandemic… it’s just nothing I can support anymore.
The Rocket for David Wells, Bush, and Lloyd had to be painful. Wells was good at the time but not a perennial CYA candidate.
Wouldn’t mind seeing more waiver claims trying out in that 5th/5th spot. Oller and Martinez have had their chances and there’s gotta be some interesting candidates on win now teams with fewer roster openings.
Oh, where are you Todd Van Popple !?
@ nailz, I remember Van Poppel well, the A’s had 4 first round picks in 1990 and they drafted what was heralded as “the four aces”. Todd Van Poppel, Don Peters, David Zancanaro and Kirk Dressendorfer. …….it didn’t turn out well….
Being a Braves fan, so glad Van Poppel went west. That Jones kid turned out pretty well… Nevertheless, hate to see the dumpster fire MLB has allowed the A’s to become.
The A’s are just going in a vicious cycle. Draft well (only occasionally), then trade them away for prospects that they can rarely develop, while signing vets to play INSTEAD of the prospects. What does it hurt to play Allen over Diaz in 120+games. We’re probably losing 100+ anyway.
Oakland above .500. Watch this space
Adam Oller is absolute garbage. David Forst has really steered the organization into the abyss. The A’s can’t draft, develop or even trade for adequate resources. How does he still have a job?