Since being hired to helm the club’s baseball operations last winter, Astros GM Dana Brown has not been shy about the club’s interest in extending its core players. So far, that has yielded extensions for both right-hander Cristian Javier and second baseman Jose Altuve, with third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder Kyle Tucker seemingly the club’s next priorities to negotiate with. With that being said, Brown recently indicated to reporters (including The Athletic’s Chandler Rome) that the club would have interest in looking into extensions for players with less service time, as has become commonplace in Atlanta, where Brown served as scouting director prior to joining the Astros.
Per Rome, that interest has not yet materialized in extension negotiations, at least when it comes to shortstop Jeremy Pena and right-hander Bryan Abreu. Pena finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting during the 2022 season and earned a Gold Glove for his work at shortstop, but took a step back last season as he slashed .263/.324/.381 with just 10 home runs in 634 trips to the plate. Abreu, meanwhile, just turned in his second consecutive campaign with a sub-2.00 ERA out of the Astros bullpen, pitching to a 1.75 ERA in 72 innings of work while striking out a whopping 34.8% of batters faced. Pena remains under control through the end of the 2027 season, while Abreu can be controlled through at least 2026.
That the Astros have yet to engage either player in extension talks hardly precludes them from doing so in the future. While Rome relays that Pena recently declined to comment about his contract status, Abreu indicated that he’s open to offers from the team. Rome highlights sophomore catcher Yainer Diaz as another early-career extension candidate in Houston, with right-hander Hunter Brown and outfielder Chas McCormick among other speculative candidate who could make sense as potential extension targets for the club at some point.
More from around the AL West…
- Prior to signing a minor league deal with the Angels this past winter, veteran slugger Miguel Sano spent the 2023 season hard at work at improving his health after being unable to secure even a non-roster deal with a club last winter on the heels of a 2022 season that saw him slash a ghastly .083/.211/.133 while being limited to just 20 games by knee injuries. During his season away from affiliated ball, The Athletic’s Sam Blum writes that Sano not only focused on keeping his knee healthy after undergoing surgery on it the year prior but also completely overhauled his diet and exercise regime. The results speak for themselves, as Sano entered the Halos’ camp this spring having shed 58 pounds since he last took the field in the big leagues. If Sano can work his way back onto the big league roster, he could be a source of right-handed power in Anaheim after hitting 162 homers in just 694 games during his eight years with the Twins.
- In recent mailbag, Scott Ostler and John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle relayed that earlier in the Athletics’ search for an interim home between the end of their lease at the Coliseum this fall and the construction of their new stadium in Las Vegas, which is expected to be complete in time for Opening Day 2028, the club considered a multi-city plan that would have seen the club play either 41 or 60 games at the Giants’ home stadium of Oracle Park while splitting the rest of the club’s games between Sacramento and Anaheim. This plan would have kept the A’s in compliance with their TV contract, which stipulates that the club must play at least 41 games in the Bay Area. Ostler and Shea go on to add that San Francisco wasn’t willing to offer the A’s more than 20 games at Oracle, however, and that a split schedule between multiple host cities is no longer under consideration as the club has since turned its attention towards negotiating a lease extension at the Coliseum.
Jacksson13
So after losing 58 pounds, Sano is now under 400?
thebudlightknight
It has him listed at 272 lbs but I’m not sure if that’s before or after loosing the 58 lbs
Unclemike1526
I can’t think of a scarier situation than to go into a season with Rendon and Sano as your 3B. Like Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man.
Rob Schumann
Between the 2 of em they should have about 30 games covered. If Taylor Ward can avoid the high fast ones this year he should be ok to cover the other 132.
unpaidobserver
Why why oh why is A’s ownership so pathetic?
mlb fan
“Why why oh why is A”s”…The hyperbole is pretty strong on this one bro. All rebuilding teams lose a lot of games and they are hardly the first sports team(Warriors, Raiders)that concluded playing somewhere other than Oakland is better for their future. The A’s won 86 gms in 2021 and are only 4+ yrs removed from back to back 97 win seasons in ’18 & ’19. The real measure of Oakland’s rebuild will be a couple years from now. People often forget that Houston & the Cubs went thru a similar rebuild period and won World titles and in Houston’s case multiple World titles.
letsgooakland123
I think what you don’t understand is that ownership doesn’t have anything to do with the on-field success of the team, only the off-field success.
Aside from setting the payroll budget, which, I think you can agree, hasn’t benefited the on-field success of the team.
Irbias
First you say ownership has nothing to do with a team’s success on the field. But if you strangle the payroll budget it doesn’t benefit the onfield success? I’d say that has everything to do with ownership. If you only sign cast-offs and AAAA type players, you’re never going to win. #SMH
SportsFan0000
Complete BS
.
Great Ownership can make or break a team in so many ways.
Bad, Incompetent Ownership has a tendency to sink teams.
Fisher has destroyed A’s with his intentional tanking, fire sales, failure to spend money, no clue as to how to own and run and baseball team.
And, MLB Commissioner’s Office also shares a huge % of the blame for SABOTAGING THE A’s and hurting their economic viability in the SF Bay Area.
The A’s situation in Oakland and the SF Bay Area was DELIBERATE SABOTAGE BY 2 MLB COMMISSIONERS, BY INCOMPETENT, UNFIT OWNER FISHER (COLLEGE FRATERNITY BROS INSTEAD OF QUALIFIED OWNERSHIP) AND MUCH MORE,.
BleedGreen
It was actually Lew Wolff who was Frat Bros with Selig.
case
I don’t recall the Raiders and Warriors being homeless, or trading away a large number of all stars from a playoff competitive team while getting virtually nothing back, or mismanaging the interim plans so badly they’re at risk of losing 70 million dollars.
There’s a reason Fisher’s business failed and he had to come crawling back to daddy for a job managing his investments.
mlb fan
“back to daddy”…Sounds like you have several horses in the race and have a personal issue with Mr. Fisher. Myself, I’m just giving you my baseball opinions. I have no particular horse or bias in this race. Go ahead and ignore that all the other major sports teams left Oakland too, because that doesn’t support your point.
case
Sounds like you have a personal issue with basic facts.
SportsFan0000
Reads that either you have no critical thinking skills and are unable to analyze complicated concepts
OR you are an intern for MLB and/or discredited A’s Owner Fisher who couldn’t manage a lemonade stand without direct subsidies from other sellers of lemonade in other markets
or the Chief Lemonade Honcho in NYC.
Rob Schumann
I don’t know if pathetic is the right word to describe them. The Coliseum is a pile of shyte and has been for quite awhile. Moving to Vegas will give them more than their revenue sharing check to spend on talent. The pathetic part of that club seems to be their scouting department. They used to always have the ability to replace their stars from within until about 10 years ago. Then it fell off a cliff. Now they trade their stars for prospects that never pan out and seem to love taking Yankees prospects that dream about the day they will hit the MLB injured list. You can point to the exact trade where the wheels fell off that club. When Beane traded for Samardzija.
SportsFan0000
Actually, the Coliseum is an above average venue that is structurally solid/
The Oakland Coliseum is newer than:
Wrigley, Fenway, Lambeau.
Fisher needs to keep his corporate work area and offices clean and operable and not be the biggest slob in MLB.
This is a FAILURE OF SUPERVISION FROM THE COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE IN NYC.
Any other comparable sports league has higher standards
than MLB, Selig and Manfred.
case
I always liked the Coliseum, though Mt. Davis definitely made it worse. Mostly I just cared that it was close to public transportation, had reasonably priced concessions, and was spacious enough that I didn’t feel like I was in a cattle pen (though our attendance had something to do with that).
letsgooakland123
How about this for the A’s?
– 57 games in Sacramento, including Opening Day
– one weekend and one weekday series in each of SF, South Jordan, Summerlin and Mexico City
– Sacramento and SF games televised on NBC Sports California, free MLB.TV livestreams in the other three cities
Each is branded as the “2024 Salt Lake Series”, “2024 Las Vegas Series”, “2024 Mexico City Series” etc.
The team themselves are called the Sacramento Athletics, and they wear the white home jersey that says “Athletics” or a modified Kelly Green during the non-Sac games, along with a special sleeve patch commemorating the series.
Scoreboard graphics call the team the “Athletics” in the non-Sac ballparks.
These series are added on to road trips, once per month in April (SF), June (SLC), July (MEX), September (LV).
One series playing normal road games, one week at the alternate venue, back home for one series.
If any of these cities back out in 2026, 2027, maybe 2028? then they can be replaced by Reno, Anaheim (apparently willing to host), Albuquerque, Smith’s Ballpark, whatever.
Please debate, I’d love to hear some ideas on how to solve this temporary home problem.
mgomrjsurf
Other cities not in California.
ohyeadam
Mexico City is an interesting idea
letsgooakland123
Only problems I could think of are travel and altitude. Giants vs Padres games there were ridiculous with all the home runs.
case
Worst team in the league with a notoriously sketchy and cheap owner, no plans to get better, and plans to move away in 3 years? Let the bidding war commence! Sacramento opens with a 100 dollar voucher for chips at Cache Creek.
elmedius
If MLB makes players pay to change their number once a cutoff date has been passed and jerseys/merchandise have been made in order to avoid lost revenue. (see the Carlos Santana/Joe Ryan article) There is no way that MLB will approve a team name change this close to the season unless fisher agrees to purchase all MLB merch that says Oakland… and you know that isn’t going to happen.
letsgooakland123
Sorry… I meant that this plan would be in effect starting 2025. 2024 would stay in Oakland. I see now that I suggested calling them the “2024 XXX Series”, my fault.
its_happening
Find a permanent home not in Oakland. Then a new owner that you feel is suitable can start an expansion team in Oakland. Call them the Seals.
Rob Schumann
Heck I would play at a little league stadium in Modesto before resigning to play at the Coliseum for 3 more years.
CCCTL
Sacramento does not count towards being ‘bay area’ under the A’s current TV deal.
Fitzy
Seriously just sell the team Fisher. It’s sad seeing the A’s team get gutted and now trying to find a spot in the Bay just to keep the TV revenue.
SportsFan0000
This is on Bud Selig, Manfred, MLB and incompetent A’s Owner Fisher.
Joe Lacob (Warriors Owner) has a “STANDING OFFER’ FOR 10 YEARS TO BY THE A’S AND BUILD A NEW STADIUM IN THE SF BAY AREA.
Reggie Jackson had an very generous offer to pay more and top any offer
to purchase the A’s and build a New Stadium in Oakland and/or SF Bay Area(partnered with multiple billioaire).
THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS MLB’S FAULT.
THEY INTENTINONALLY OR NEGLIGENTLY SABOTAGED THE A’S ECONOMIC VIABILITY IN THE SF BAY AREA.
talking baseball
John Fisher, for having a lot of money, isn’t the smartest owner.
Oh I forgot it’s Daddy’s & Mommy’s money. Even the dumbest people can be rich.
YankeesBleacherCreature
I’ve never seen a team owner this dispassionate about their franchise in any sport. When was the last time he even personally addressed the press or public?
CCCTL
Fisher is worth $2.2B
$1.7B is the A’s and Earthquakes, the rest is GAP stock which is worth a tenth (at most) of what it was 10 years ago.
He has a lot of money … _on paper_. He’s beyond ‘leveraged’ and now digging through old suit pockets for change.
mpwr2
It’s funny watching the A’s realize the mess they’ve gotten themselves into.
Oakland needs to charge them an amount equal to their television revenue to let them stay in Oakland.
case
Better get it up front, during the pandemic minor leaguers had to sue him to get their pay checks.
PutPeteinthehall
A’s will get an extension for as long as they need at the albatross of a park they now lease in Oakland. Also will pay much more than the token 1.2m in rent they pay now so the city can claim a victory.
SportsFan0000
This whole fiasco of the A’s situation exposes the flawed MLB business model for franchises.
MLB should force Fisher to sell the A’s to a local SF Bay Area buyer who will keep the A’s in the SF Bay Area and build a New stadium there with private funds.
Reggie Jackson’s offer to buy the A’s and build a New A’s stadium with private funds in the SF Bay Area should be revisited.
Joe Lacob’s 10 year “standing offer” to buy the A’s and build a New A’s stadium in the SF Bay Area with private funds needs another look. (Warriors Owner).
California IS NOT THE PROBLEM.
The problem is MLB trying to force taxpayers to pay for luxurious new private facilities and offices for a for profit business. The problem is complete lack of flexibility by MLB in these deals. The problem is some Owners never should have passed muster to buy an MLB team since they did not have the cash, credit and business know how to operate a major league baseball team profitably.
Meanwhile California is booming with many new stadiums and sports arena facilities in NBA, NHL and NFL New Stadium News:
1) Rams built a privately financed NEW stadium in Inglewood, CA (LA) for the Rams and Chargers. (SOFI STADIUM).
(Inglewood is an industrial and working class area of LA)
2) Warriors built a privately financed New Arena in downtown SF
(Chase Center).
3) Clippers are just finishing another privately financed basketball arena
in Inglewood (Industrial working class area of LA).
It is a 2B privately funded Arena by Clippers Owner Steve Balmer(Microsoft).
4) New San Diego Sports Arena (basketball/hockey entertainment Arena) is ready to start construction in San Diego.
Stan Kroenke (Rams/Sofi builder and Wife is Walmart Heir) was so impressed with the project that he signed on as a major investor.
Other relatively New Stadiums in California include Levis Field in Santa Clara private and public funds for 49ers( Raiders had open invite to shar it with 49ers like Rams & Chargers in LA or Jets and Giants in New Jersey). AND Petco Park in San Diego private and public partnership.
So MLB and Commissioner Manfred, stop lying to us about the A’s Stadium situation “not tenable” in the SF Bay Area.!
There are plenty of billionaires and there is plenty of money in California to buy the A’s and set up a New State of the Art baseball stadium in the Oakland and/or the SF Bay Area.
My bullsheet detector is going off loudly every time I see a wealthy team owner crying about a new stadium and panhandling taxpayers to pick up the tab for him.
Serious sports team owners don’t wait around for handouts and corporate welfare. They put together New Stadium deals themselves with their own cash and credit.
SportsFan0000
sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2023-12-18…
google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=you+…
youtube.com/watch?v=u-5P70Ig0Ow
SportsFan0000
cbs8.com/article/news/local/billionaire-stan-kroen…
its_happening
Oakland has a stadium. Go and support the team.
SportsFan0000
Have you been vacationing on Pluto for a few decades?!
A’s Owner John Fisher and Lew Wolfe (College Fraternity Brothers of ex MLB Commissioner Bud Selig) were given a “sweetheart insider deal” to buy the A’s when they did not have the business sense, cash and credit to Own and run a MLB franchise in the SF Bay Area
that has a annual GDP of over 550Billion dollars…larger than most countries and US States).
Former Owner Walter Haas Jr (Levis)
was the last A’s Owner with the cash, credit, business skills to own the A’s.
Haas actually ran the A’s in a successful manner for himself, for MLB, for the SF Bay Area, for the team and community.
Haas paid for and put winning, competitive teams on the the field in Oakland.
Haas did not fire sale his young stars every 3-4 years.
A’s broke MLB playoffs attendance record of over 53,000 fans @ the Oakland Coliseum that so many people not knowledgeable about the A’s situation in the SF Bay Area criticize.
A’s also drew over 50,000 fans at multiple pennant race games under Haas’s leadership of the A’s.
Haas spend money on players and marketing as most successful sports business owners do.
its_happening
Go to the park, support your team. Otherwise stop complaining.
SportsFan0000
Memo To MLB Commissioner Manfred and MLB Owners:
Force Fisher to Sell the A’s to SF Bay Area well funded Ownership Group.
Multiple New A’s in SF Bay Area Ownership Groups are Interested in Buying the A’s, keeping the A’s in the SF Bay Area and Building a New A’s Stadium in the SF Bay Area with PRIVATE FUNDS AND FINANCING.
DO IT NOW!
AWARD AN EXPANSION TEAM FOR LAS VEGAS!
“WIN/WIN” SITUATION FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED!
phillyoakman
The Oakland A’s saga is like watching a Jerry Springer show. JERRY JERRY!
User 2161944466
Share the Aviators stadium. Capacity of 8-10,000 and they always lead in attendance.
Americanentropy
The fact Sano is in Anaheim’s camp speaks volumes about this organization.
ohyeadam
He’s still young and certainly has talent. If he’s ready to finally put the work in, could be a really good signing
MLBTR needs to hire editors
“Meanwhile” has to START the sentence. It can’t come in the middle, set off by commas.
LOL good one !!!!
Just play all the games on the road –