5 trade targets that can help Oakland make the playoffs

The Oakland Athletics are closing in on the second Wild Card spot, here are some trades the A’s can do to give them a push into the playoffs.

2014 was the last time the Oakland Athletics made the playoffs. Unfortunately for the A’s, it wasn’t a very long stint in the postseason. They lost in extra innings to the future AL Champion Kansas Cty Royals.

In fact, Oakland hasn’t been on a run since 2006 when they went to the ALCS before getting swept by the Tigers. Seven of the last eight times they’ve made the playoffs they’ve gotten bounced in the ALDS or Wild Card game.

So if the Athletics are going to be a rare buyer at the deadline, and I use the term buyer loosely, they are going to have to look for expiring contracts or guys with arbitration years left. They have the second smallest payroll this year.

Billy Beane and company operate in a very small market on a limited budget so some of the moves are with that mindset. Others expect Oakland to take a more aggressive approach with players without taking on a contract of a player that’s owed a lot of money in the long-term.

Today we’ll look at five players that the A’s can acquire that’ll help them out for a run at the second Wild Card spot.