The A's came limping into the 2021 All-Star Break riding a 3-game losing streak that dropped them to an even 45-45 on the season. With just one All-Star -- shortstop Carlos Correa -- there was hardly much to get excited about in Oakland.
The team had battled injuries to Chris Sale, Francisco Lindor, and Kam Minsu, but the time for making excuses had passed. It was time to make a move, either upward in the standings, or to cut their losses for the season. General Manager Amit Patel seriously considered a swap with the Angels that would have sent Korean first baseman Kam Minsu to Los Angeles for a package of minor leaguers, but instead decided to focus on potential solutions within his own organization.
Oakland considered making this trade to acquire Angels first round pick Tony Peppe and three other minor leaguers, but ultimately stood pat at the All-Star Break
The first step was sending the struggling Akil Baddoo down to Triple-A. The 22 year-old was batting south of the Mendoza Line at .190, and seemed to only be getting more confused at the plate. In his place came the top-rated player in the A's farm system, Alex Aristy. Rated as the #14 prospect in MiLB, Aristy was hitting .259 in his first season in Nashville. Patel hoped a change of scenery could help provide a jolt to both players. The same could also be said at the catcher position, as Elih Marrero finally got his first cup of coffee with a call-up from AA Midland, swapping out with Sean Murphy.
Other than that, the A's would have to play whatever cards they had been dealt. The lineup still included Correa (.293, 17 HR, 59 RBI), Minsu (.290, 14 HR, 45 RBI), and a finally healthy Francisco Lindor (.310, 8 HR, 27 RBI). Couple that with a much-improved defense -- ranked second in the AL in efficiency -- and strong bullpen, and the A's roster didn't look half-bad. It was just a matter of putting it all together before it was too late.
