The Oakland Athletics made it into the Playoffs in 2019, making it two years in a row having not made it since 2014. However, for the second year in a row, their Playoffs journey ended in the Wild Card Round.
The As have not made it past the Divisional Series since 2006, and haven’t made the World Series since 1990. Sharing a division with the Houston Astros doesn’t do them any favors as they work to even win the AL West.
2019 brought the same record as 2018 – 97-65 – thanks to a good core of players, but can they take the next step?
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More importantly, how will they be rated in
MLB The Show 20 so you can guide them to an elusive World Series crown
yourself?
Matt Chapman, 3B
YOUNG STAR: Chapman is the face of the franchise
2019
launch rating: 89
2020
prediction: 90
Chapman has spent just two full season in the Majors, but he has made quite the impact and is the As star player. In 2019 he was a star again, hitting 36 homers with 91 RBI, earned an All-Star appearance, came sixth in MVP voting and won a Gold Glove.
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He improved in MLB The Show 19 as the
season went on, and he’ll start among the best in MLB The Show 20, reaching the
90-Club to start the year.
Liam Hendriks, CP
CLOSER: Hendriks was shutdown in 2019 as a closer
2019
launch rating: 83
2020
prediction: 88
2019 was really Hendriks’ breakout year. It
was his ninth in the Majors, but it was his first as a truly reliable
difference maker. He did a bit of everything, pitching in 75 games, starting
two, but earning 25 saves – all with a 1.80 ERA and 124 strikeouts having pitched
just 85 innings.
He made his first All-Star game and will
enter 2020 as the team’s top closer. Given his performance in 2019 and new
status on the team in 2020, expect his launch rating to improve dramatically.
Matt Olson, 1B
SAFE: The Gold Glove winner is right behind Chapman as the face of the franchise
2019
launch rating: 84
2020
prediction: 87
Olson may not have had the same attention as Chapman, nor does he get it still, but he had a better 2019 and is as big a part of this team. He had 36 homers, too, with 91 RBI, but with a higher average at .267. He didn’t get an All-Star spot but did earn a Gold Glove.
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All of this, considering the rating Chapman will likely get, should bump Olson up too. Look for him to close the gap with Chapman as he approaches the upper echelon at his position.
Marcus Semien, SS
MVP: Semien was behind only Trout and Bregman in AL MVP voting
2019
launch rating: 74
2020
prediction: 85
Of all non-pitchers on the As roster, Semien was their best performer. The SS came from nowhere to shine as a fielder and as a hitter. He hit .285 with 33 homers, 43 doubles, seven triples and had 92 RBI. All of this meant he came third in MVP voting, behind only Mike Trout and Alex Bregman.
Considering how lowly rated he was and his
career stats prior to 2019, expect a big jump in OVR but not for him to
automatically become the best player on the team.
Yusmeiro Petit, RP
RELIEVER: Petit was 'grande' for the As in 2019
2019
launch rating: 79
2020
prediction: 81
Petit’s impact in 2019 was huge. The righty was a valuable member of the As bullpen in his second year with the team. He led the AL with 80 appearances and had a 2.71 ERA and 0.807 WHIP.
Those numbers deserve some love from the
ratings czars of MLB The Show, and should be enough to see him jump into the
80s OVR.
Oakland Athletics MLB The Show 20 ratings
predictions
Player | Position | 2019 launch
rating | 2020
prediction |
|---|---|---|---|
Khris Davis | LF | 81 | 80 |
Ryan Buchter | RP | 80 | 80 |
Sean Manaea | SP | 75 | 78 |
Ramon Laureano | CF | 73 | 78 |
Joakim Soria | RP | 79 | 78 |
Lou Trivino | RP | 79 | 78 |
Jurickson Profar | 2B | 75 | 76 |
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