Fansided

MLB 2017: One X-factor for each team

By Brad Berreman

September 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) runs after he hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sport
September 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) runs after he hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sport /
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Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Oakland Athletics: SP Sonny Gray

With a 69-93 record in 2016 and a last-place finish in the AL West, Gray was hardly the only or biggest problem for the Oakland Athletics. But shoulder and forearm issues each put him on the disabled list at different times, and Gray’s overall results (5.69 ERA over 22 starts, 3.2 BB/9) point to him possibly pitching hurt all season.

Gray was the subject of trade rumors off and on during the offseason, as better teams sought starting pitching, but he’s not at the peak of his value after a down season and it’s not surprising that a deal never got done. A good, and more importantly fully healthy, start to this season would surely reignite trade interest in Gray.

Gray showed he can be a staff ace in 2014 and 2015 (30-plus starts in both seasons, 2.91 combined ERA), and if Oakland makes a surprising push toward contention this year he is sure to lead that charge. But he’s just as likely to be a highly tradeable asset if he rebounds back to form, assuming Billy Beane’s history of making every effort to extract value from the roster with a limited financial budget is instructive to that.

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