Kuzul

The Toronto Blue Jays have the best offense in MLB by almost any measure, yet they’re stuck in fourth place in the American League East. It doesn’t take a brilliant baseball mind to deduce the problem is pitching, or a lack thereof.

Here, let’s just lay out the numbers: The Jays have scored 447 runs to date, making them the only team in either league to eclipse 400. They also lead the field in slugging percentage and are among the top five clubs in virtually every significant offensive category.

At the same time, Toronto pitchers rank 25th in ERA overall and second-to-last in the AL, ahead of only the cellar-dwelling Boston Red Sox.

So that’s the windup. Here’s the pitch: On Thursday, CBS Sports‘ Jon Heyman posited a trade that would send Chicago White Sox‘s right-hander Jeff Samardzija north of the border.

Heyman suggested the Jays could ship catching prospect Max Pentecost, whom Toronto took with the 11th overall pick in 2014, to Chicago. 

It’s just a rumor at this point, bordering on pure speculation, but it makes too much sense for the Blue Jays to ignore.

Samardzija, of course, was moved in a trade last season, when the Oakland A’s acquired him from the Chicago Cubs. He pitched well for Oakland and finished the season with a 2.99 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 219.2 innings.

The A’s, however, were dropped in the wild card playoff by the Kansas City Royals before Samardzija could pitch in a postseason game, and Oakland traded him to the White Sox in December.

This time around, his stock isn’t so high. Whereas last season he had a year remaining on his contract, now he’d be a pure rental.

More than that, though, Samardzija’s numbers are down. Way down.

Through 16 starts, he sports an unsightly 4.56 ERA, and he’s coughed up an MLB-leading 123 hits.

Yet, according to Heyman, “scouts still mostly love him, and he should be quite popular,” as the trade deadline creeps closer.

He’s not the only pitcher on the block. Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels’ name keeps popping up, and the last-place A’s may dangle an arm, most likely Scott Kazmir (Heyman has Kazmir going to the Cubs, in a reversal of last year’s Chicago-Oakland, buy-sell scenario).

Because of his pedestrian performance, however, Samardzija could be the best, cheapest option in terms of assets surrendered. 

And he might well benefit from a change of scenery.

True, the AL East features four of the top ten hitters’ yards, according to ESPN’s Park Factors statistic. But there’s something to be said for relocating to a winning clubhouse.

The White Sox, after their much-touted offseason overhaul, have vacillated between bad and dreadful. The Jays, meanwhile, despite their struggles on the hill, are fluttering two games over .500 and within striking distance in baseball’s most wide-open division.

“We still need to make upgrades in the rotation and the bullpen, that goes without saying,” Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos told Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker on Sportsnet 590 The FAN Monday. “I’d love to land both. What we come away with or don’t come away with I have no idea. Clearly we’re looking to be active.”

On Wednesday, Samardzija addressed the possibility of being dealt. 

“We’ve talked previously about what deserves a lunch,” Samardzija said, referring to conversations with his agent, per Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.

“If there ever is a situation when we need to get together to discuss something he has heard, we’ll do that, but at this point that hasn’t happened. I’m just going to continue playing baseball and let him handle that.”

That’s not even close to a trade demand. But it certainly sounds like he’s open to the possibility.

As they search for much-needed pitching help, the Blue Jays should be, too.

All statistics current as of July 3 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

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Baseball offseasons are made for hope and optimism.

Those five months between the end of the World Series and Opening Day help dissolve any ugly memories and bad tastes that exist from the previous season. And when that fall and winter are filled with a team making blockbuster moves to improve for the following season, the hype and expectations soar.

That was the case for the Chicago White Sox, a team that used the trade and free-agent markets to bolster its roster during the offseason. They added big names at key positions to the point that they were expected to contend for an American League Wild Card berth at the very least.

After getting off to a disappointing 8-14 start, the White Sox are finally living up to their billing. They have won six consecutive games—a 10^th-inning walk-off against the Cleveland Indians on Monday was the latest triumph—to creep above the .500 mark for the first time this season. The stretch has also made them relevant again in the AL Central, where they trail the Kansas City Royals by 4.5 games.

#WhiteSox last won six straight late in 2013. This streak comes at a little more important of a time.

— Dan Hayes (@CSNHayes) May 19, 2015

The franchise lost 99 games in 2013, their worst year since a 106-loss season in 1970. It saw a 10-game improvement last season, and much more was expected in 2015 after the team traded for Jeff Samardzija to strengthen the rotation, signed elite free-agent reliever David Robertson as well as Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera to lengthen their lineup over the offseason.

“Once you get players like that, the excitement is there,” manager Robin Ventura told CSN Chicago in January. “For me, it doesn’t feel any different. I think everybody acts like it’s going to be a different thing, but in the end it just means there’s higher expectations, which are great.”

The start to the season certainly was not.

Through the first 22 games, the offense was abysmal. It batted .242/.296/.341 and scored 70 runs (3.2 runs per game).

The pitching was just as bad in that time frame. The staff racked up a brutal 4.56 ERA, and the rotation was worse at 5.50.

Those numbers culminated with a 13-3 loss in Minnesota and a five-game losing streak that dropped the White Sox seven games out of first place and six games below .500. That led general manager Rick Hahn to hold a pregame dugout press conference two days later.

“We’re all accountable for where we sit right now,” Hahn told reporters. “That starts with the players, it goes to the coaches and Robin and myself and the front office.

Hahn continued: “This team is far, far better than what we’ve seen the last few days. … We need to be better than that. Based on the rotation we put together, based upon this lineup, we feel there are far, far better days ahead.”

That Q&A session looks like a premonition looking back. Starting that day, the White Sox have been on an impressive run of 10 wins in 13 games with the first five wins of their six-game streak coming on the road. The offense is scoring 4.9 runs a game and the pitching staff has a more respectable 3.85 ERA.

The run has pushed their record to 18-17 as the offseason makeover is finally paying off. LaRoche has 13 walks, seven RBIs, a .463 OBP and .878 OPS in May. Cabrera has 16 hits, eight RBIs and seven walks in the month. In that time, Samardzija, while still struggling to find a consistent groove, is 2-0 and Robertson has a 1.93 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 9.1 innings.

Just as important is ace Chris Sale’s last two starts. After compiling a 5.93 ERA in his first five, Sale has thrown 16 innings and allowed three runs in his last two outings, including an eight-inning, one-run gem Monday to outduel Cleveland ace Corey Kluber.

“I wouldn’t even say it’s a turnaround, you know?” Adam Eaton told CSN Chicago’s postgame coverage after Monday’s sixth straight win. “It takes a while for teams to jell together, especially with a lot of the new faces we have here. It takes a while, and it’s a learning process. We want to play good baseball [through] June, July, August and into October.

“We’re coming along as a team and learning each other. Hopefully we’ll have more of this going forward.”

While the White Sox might not be as prolific as this recent winning streak, they certainly did not appear to be as bad as their start based on player track records. But runs have a way of correcting themselves, which we’ve seen this month.

Now the White Sox have to sustain the success and become a loud voice in the AL Central through the summer, just like the offseason hype billed them to be.

All quotes, unless otherwise specified, have been acquired first-hand by Anthony Witrado. Follow Anthony on Twitter @awitrado and talk baseball here.

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Batman and Robin, Han and Chewie, Butch and Sundance and…Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija. Do those last two names belong?

The Chicago White Sox certainly hope so.

When the White Sox acquired Samardzija from the Oakland A’s for a package of players on Dec. 9, they weren’t just getting one of the top available right-handed starters; they were getting one half of an awesome twosome. Or so the plan goes.

Sale is arguably the best left-hander in baseball not named Clayton Kershaw (though Madison Bumgarner might have something to say about that), and the Sox’s next-best starter, Jose Quintana, is also a southpaw.

So the Chicago White Sox, which is engaged in a full-blown reload after limping to a fourth-place finish last season, went searching for balance.

They found it in Samardzija, who posted a 2.99 ERA and 1.065 WHIP with 202 strikeouts in 219.2 innings for the A’s and Chicago Cubs last season and made his first All-Star team.

Put those numbers next to Sale’s 2014 line—2.17 ERA, 0.966 WHIP, 208 SO, 174 IP—and you’ve got the makings of a dominant one-two punch.

Here’s what Samardzija had to say after his move back to the Windy City became official, per ESPN.com:

I think we’re going to be the most competitive rotation in the league, and I mean that internally. The best starting rotations are made when there’s three or four guys that want to be the best and they want to go out there and clinch that three-game series or win that Sunday sweep game.

In addition to landing Samardzija, the White Sox inked former New York Yankees closer David Robertson to a four-year, $46 million deal.

And they’ve signed first baseman/DH Adam LaRoche (two years, $25 million) and outfielder Melky Cabrera (three years, $42 million), giving Cuban slugger and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu needed protection.

“The only message we want to send at the end of the day is when our roster is complete, that people can dream again,” executive vice president Kenny Williams told CSNChicago.com‘s Dan Hayes.

If the dream is a return to the top of the AL Central—which ESPN Insider‘s Buster Olney (subscription required) thinks may be “baseball’s best”—much of the burden will fall on the talented shoulders of Sale and Samardzija.

That’s simply the reality in this pitching-rich age; the team with the most aces usually takes the pot.

After throwing out of the bullpen in 2010 and 2011, Sale slid into a starting role in 2012 and never looked back. Since joining the rotation, the 25-year-old has made three straight All-Star teams and watched his strikeouts per nine innings rise from 9 to 9.5 to an AL-leading 10.8.

Samardzija, who turns 30 in January, also began his big league career in the pen before cracking the Cubs’ rotation in 2012. He eclipsed the 200-inning mark for the first time in 2013 and truly broke out last year when he put up career bests in virtually every statistical category.

There are more similarities between the two. Both are tall (Samardzija is listed at 6’5″, Sale at 6’6″), and both feature fastballs that top out in the high 90s complemented by an array of secondary pitches, including plus sliders. 

Whether all that ability translates into a winning season on the South Side is an open question. Here’s another one: Will Samardzija stick around?

Unless Chicago locks him up, the right-hander will become a free-agent next winter, joining another ridiculously rich pitching class. 

General manager Rick Hahn acknowledged the possibility that Samardzija could be a one-year rental shortly after the trade, telling The New York Times‘ Tyler Kepner, “It might be a little bit of a gamble, but we are optimistic we might be able to extend his stay.”

For now, weary White Sox fans who haven’t tasted the postseason since 2008 are simply hoping Samardzija and Sale can deliver in 2015—and join the ranks of history’s dynamic duos.

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

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After being acquired by the Oakland Athletics last July, Jeff Samardzija is once again on the move. Oakland has reportedly dealt the right-hander to the Chicago White Sox. The Athletics announced the move on Tuesday:

Samardzija talked about making his return to Chicago, according to the White Sox’s official Twitter feed:

The Samardzija acquisition comes on the heels of the White Sox signing free-agent closer David Robertson, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle was the first to report a potential deal involving Samardzija, though the particulars weren’t known at the time:

The A’s acquired Samardzija from the Chicago Cubs in the hopes he would push them over the hump in October. However, the team—specifically, the offense—fell apart in the second half due to natural regression and some injuries, preventing the right-hander from getting a playoff start.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane discussed the importance of the acquisitions of Samardzija and Jason Hammel, the latter also part of the Chicago deal, after the Kansas City Royals defeated Oakland in the Wild Card Game, via ESPN.com:

When we traded for Samardzija and Hammel, I think one of the first questions was, ‘Why would you trade for two pitchers, you’re first in the league in ERA?’ We weren’t going to stay there. We knew it. Our job is to try and correct things before they become a problem, and some of the problems that we had we could see coming.

Despite Oakland falling short of its ultimate goal, Samardzija was terrific after the trade. He made 16 starts and posted a 3.14 ERA with 99 strikeouts, 92 hits allowed, 12 walks and a 0.931 WHIP in 111.2 innings. 

The 29-year-old is entering his final year of arbitration after making $5.3 million last season. According to MLBTradeRumors.com arbitration projections, Samardzija figures to be looking at a salary in the $9.5 million range next year before hitting free agency in the winter.

Since transitioning to a starting role in 2012, Samardzija has evolved into one of the best pitchers in baseball. He’s averaged at least 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings over the last three years and has made 94 starts during that span.

Even with one year of control left, Samardzija has true impact potential at the top of the White Sox’s rotation and will cost less in salary than any of the notable free agents available this winter. He can be a Game 1 playoff starter for most teams in the league, which is virtually impossible to find at his salary in 2015.

The White Sox had a rough season in 2014, due in large part to their rotation. Samardzija immediately pairs with ace Chris Sale to give them a formidable 1-2 punch at the front of the rotation, which will give them more stability than they had last season. Along with the newly signed Robertson, it’s clear Chicago wants to win now and isn’t afraid to acquire the talent required to get the job done.

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The calendar has turned to December, bringing about unbearably cold climates and a flaming MLB hot stove.

As baseball fans found out last week, anything can happen during the offseason. In a stunning twist of events, the Oakland Athletics dealt third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays for Brett Lawrie, 18-year-old shortstop Franklin Barreto and two pitching prospects. 

Wow, who saw that coming? Donaldson’s name never frequented the rumor mill, and for good reason. Not only was he the Oakland Athletics’ best player over the past two years, but only Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen have netted a higher WAR since 2013.

After that blockbuster unfolded, let’s not steer away from marquee names who could change scenery by Opening Day. Two of the three following players play on a team that already made a seismic move, and the other plays for an aging squad that really ought to shake things up.

Justin Upton “Marked Man” on Trade Market

Five years from now, anybody who foreboded Justin Upton getting shopped at age 27 would have been declared insane. He hasn’t exactly lived up to the Ken Griffey Jr. comparison, but he remains a tremendous power bat after decking 29 homers in 2014.

The Atlanta Braves already sent Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller, but that hasn’t locked down Upton’s spot in Atlanta’s outfield next season. According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, several teams are clamoring for Upton, whom the Braves remain willing to sell.

With about 12 teams looking for an outfielder, and at least that many seeking that rarest of commodities, right-handed power, Upton is a marked man these days.

Word is, the Braves have been hit hard with Upton trade interest, and he could wind up with one of about a dozen other teams, assuming he is dealt (and that appears to be a likelihood now).

Heyman cited the Seattle Mariners as a top threat, as they could dangle Taijuan Walker or James Paxton. He believes Seattle is more likely to deal Walker but added that the team is reluctant to move either valuable young pitcher.

Whiffs remain a problem for Upton, who brandished a career-high 26.7 strikeout percentage in 2014. That excessive number of punchouts has contributed to a career .274 batting average, yet he’s managed to post a prolific .830 OPS. He has his limitations, and anyone about to give the moon for him should have pursued the younger, more defensively potent Heyward instead.

Yet power comes at a premium these days, and the righty‘s 133 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) rated 11th among all qualified outfielders. Suitors must beware valuing him as the superstar he was once expected to become and instead treat him as the three- to four-win asset he is.

Jeff Samardzija May Be Next Oakland Star on Move

Brad Pitt better get ready for Moneyball 2, where a scorned Billy Beane decides to watch Oakland burn after one disappointing postseason too many. After trading Donaldson, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that the A’s general manager is not done.

“The Athletics, according to a major-league source, have at least one more significant trade brewing,” Rosenthal wrote. “The source went on to say, ‘This is Billy re-working the club.'”

It certainly looks like Jeff Samardzija is the next big name out. Heyman pinpointed the 29-year-old righty at the center of trade discussions.

A’s star right-hander Jeff Samardzija is in the middle of trade talk, rivals executives confirm. And his “hometown” Chicago White Sox are one of the teams talking to the A’s about Samardzija.

It’s no surprise considering Samardzija‘s available since Oakland nine possesses no less than nine viable starters following the big trade late Friday night, and Samardzija is due to become a free agent after the season, with no hope of the A’s re-signing him.

Without Donaldson and Yoenis Cespedes, the Athletics are in need of some serious offensive reinforcements. Even though they won’t retain Jon Lester, their rotation remains deep with Sonny Gray, Scott Kazmir, Drew Pomeranz, Jesse Chavez, Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin, the last two returning from Tommy John surgery.

“Hey, what about Upton?” you ask. John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group shut that pairing down:

Plenty of teams would love to acquire a rebranded Samardzija, who registered a 2.99 ERA last season behind a career-low 1.76 walks per nine innings. Although the White Sox won 73 games last year, they remain committed to fielding a winner, having already given Adam LaRoche and Zach Duke sizable free-agent deals.

Trading significant pieces for a pitcher under contract for one year, however, makes little sense for a team more than one player away from a title push. The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo linked Samardzija to the Boston Red Sox, a much more logical fit given their surplus of position players and deep farm system.

Now that Beane is retooling, expect him to return the pitcher he rented in July.

Phillies Underwhelmed in Talks for Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels might exist as the anti-Donaldson, the star constantly mentioned in trade rumors who never gets moved anyway. According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, little is cooking on the Hamels front:

One of MLB’s most reliable aces, Hamels weaved a 2.46 ERA through 204.2 innings last season. Since 2010, only five starters have pitched more frames. Among those guys, only Clayton Kershaw and Felix Hernandez hold lower ERAs over that stretch.

The Philadelphia Phillies are understandably setting the bar high on Hamels, who turns 31 later this month. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has apparently expressed unwavering stubbornness to deal any of Philadelphia’s veterans. Stark also said the New York Yankees balked on shortstop Jimmy Rollins when finding out the general manager’s asking price.

If this sounds familiar, the Phillies reportedly wanted top prospect Aaron Judge from the Yankees in exchange for 37-year-old Marlon Byrd this past summer. One would think a last-place team saddled with overpriced players past their peak would eagerly desire a youth movement.

So far, Amaro remains content to wait out these tumultuous years. If he stands pat much longer, Hamels will become the only bargaining chip with any remaining trade value.

Note: All statistics courtesy of FanGraphs.

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The Oakland Athletics might not be done selling off their most prized assets, as according to Jim Benson of The Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois, the A’s could be on the verge of sending starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija to the Chicago White Sox.

Saturday, Nov. 29

Oakland Targeting Alexei Ramirez, Tim Anderson

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has the latest on Samardzija:

As I reported yesterday, the White Sox are among the teams with interest in Oakland starter Jeff Samardzija, and while many outlets today are reporting that shortstop Alexei Ramirez is the A’s target, I’m hearing that minor-league shortstop Tim Anderson is also a player Oakland likes a lot.

Anderson, a first-round pick in 2013, played 10 games at Double-A last year, so he’s not quite big-league ready, but he’s a name to keep in mind. He’s ranked the White Sox’s No. 2 overall prospect, though, so he’d be a tough get. Would the White Sox move him for one year of Samardzija? Maybe, if they had some assurance Samardzija would sign a contract extension.

Samardzija on the Trading Block

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier in the night that Oakland was considering trading Samardzija:

The White Sox were among the teams Slusser mentioned as a possibility:

The A’s already sent Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays for Brett Lawrie and prospects:

Trading both Donaldson and Samardzija would further signal that Oakland’s beginning to rebuild.

The 29-year-old made 16 starts for Oakland last year after moving midseason from the Chicago Cubs. He went 5-6 with a 3.14 earned run average in 111.2 innings pitched.

Since the right-hander has only one more year left on his deal, whatever the A’s could get in return is unlikely to match what they received in the Donaldson deal.

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The 2014 MLB postseason was the epitome of the mantra “pitching wins championships.”

Teams lacking pitching will look to upgrade their staffs in the coming weeks. Luckily for the high number of teams in pursuit of arms, there appears to be plenty to go around. More than a handful of ace-like hurlers can be had via free agency or trades, meaning the balance of power in both the American League and National League could shift with one acquisition.

Is your favorite team in the market for a shiny new ace to feature at the top of its rotation? If so, it might want to check in on the following arms.

Cole Hamels

The Philadelphia Phillies have a number of assets who would fetch the organization a nice return, but the willingness to deal said parts has always been unknown.

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that not only is Cole Hamels available, but also that the Chicago Cubs are showing early interest:

The Cubs, already connected heavily in speculative reports about top free-agent pitchers Jon Lester and Max Scherzer, are also interested in Cole Hamels, according to sources, and are expecting to talk to the Phillies about him.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs will look into Hamels, who’s comparable to the top two free-agent pitchers, and also available.

A pitcher of Hamels’ caliber would certainly reshape a rotation. He’ll be 31 in December, but he still turned in arguably the best campaign of his career in 2014. Despite a 9-9 record, Hamels posted a 2.46 ERA (3.07 FIP) to go along with a WHIP of 1.148 and 198 strikeouts in 204.2 innings.

He’s under contract at least through the 2018 season, though his team could lock him up for the following year by activating a $20 million team option. Without the option, he’s still owed $90 million.

The Cubs have money to spend and figure to be active this offseason. They already brought aboard Joe Maddon to bring the team into a new era of legitimacy. Maddon will help infuse the young talent in the organization into a roster that will hopefully (for the team) be filled with successful veterans.

Hamels would instantly slot in as the ace of the rotation, though he might not be the only top arm Chicago brings in. Heyman also noted that the team could look to Jon Lester.

Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija

Nothing has ever stopped the Oakland Athletics from dealing top talent before, and Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that this offseason could be no different. The latest on the potential chopping block? Pitchers Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija.

“The A’s would listen if teams inquired on pitchers such as right-hander Jeff Samardzija and lefty Scott Kazmir,” reported Rosenthal.

Kazmir and Samardzija were two of the better pitchers in baseball in 2014. Take a look at the numbers below:

It’s strange to think of the Athletics possibly clearing house following their largely successful season. Yes, they collapsed miserably at the end of the season, but a few offensive upgrades would make this team better.

There’s a real chance the A’s lose Lester, Jason Hammel, Kazmir and Samardzija this offseason. They have Sonny Gray, A.J. Griffin and Jarrod Parker to lean on, but wouldn’t it be nice to keep a few extra arms who can mow down lineups?

The market for both Kazmir and Samardzija should be strong, and the A’s could capitalize on their solid seasons.

Max Scherzer and Jon Lester

The New York Yankees have question marks galore in their starting rotation. CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Ivan Nova are injury risks. Michael Pineda and Shane Greene bring questions of consistency with them to spring training. Hiroki Kuroda is a free agent who could either retire or return to Japan.

Logically, one would have to think that the team would at least look into signing Lester or Max Scherzer. Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News report otherwise:

“According to a source, the Yankees have no plans to pursue either Scherzer or Lester, the top two free agents on the market this winter. [James] Shields, the third-best free-agent starter, is also off the Bombers’ radar…”

Lester and Scherzer are impact arms capable of changing the outlook of a team’s season. Both are perennial Cy Young candidates, and to hear that the Yankees apparently aren’t interested in bringing one of them aboard is strange considering the team has now failed to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

That’s good news for other high bidders, though, because it means there is less competition. The Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are typically a few of the high bidders, so they are teams to look out for in the chase for both aces.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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After taking two of three against the Baltimore Orioles to open up the second half of the season, the Oakland Athletics host a three-game set against the Houston Astros, starting Tuesday. Houston visits the American League West leaders a mere 20.5 games back—however, the Astros proudly only sport the league’s second-worst record (41-58).

The A’s deserve some much-needed face time against the bottom-feeders, particularly after three consecutive series against teams (the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles) that would be headed to the playoffs, were the season to end today. Oakland has not played a team with a non-winning record since June 29, when the A’s faced the Miami Marlins. In fact, the Athletics have faced the fewest sub-.500 opponents in all of the American League and sport a 25-12 record against teams with losing records. Oakland is thirsting for a few gimmes.

It would appear that the two-time division champs will be welcoming an easy go of it against the Astros. After all, Oakland thoroughly dominated Houston last season, going 15-4 versus their new division rivals, winning each of the first 10 matchups. Will the Athletics have an easy go of it against the perennially moribund Astros?

This season, the Astros are seemingly over-performing, already winning two out of seven games they have played against the A’s so far.

Surely, Houston has proved that it has improved—even just a little bit. The Astros roster is a smidge different than it was earlier this season. By adding a couple upcoming youngsters, the Astros seem to be at least watchable, if only somewhat.

Here are five things to look for in the Athletics’ upcoming series versus Houston.

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When handicapping baseball, most bettors start the process with starting pitching.

A great starting pitcher can completely take over a game and leave opposing offenses stymied. While a pitcher can do his part on the mound to hold back the opposing team’s offense, there isn’t much that he can do to get his own team’s offense going.

For this reason, bettors must factor run support into their decision-making process. There are plenty of great pitchers who don’t make great bets because they consistently fail to get much run support.

In many cases, these pitchers play for teams that don’t produce much offense for any of their pitchers. In other cases, it is just a case of bad luck.

Jeff Samardzija was the poster boy of good pitchers who made for losing trips to the sportsbook window when playing for the Chicago Cubs earlier this season. Samardzija pitched like an ace through 17 starts with the Cubs, accumulating a 2.83 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP while striking out 103 batters in 108 innings.

But due to a dismal 2.41 runs per game on offense in Samardzija‘s starts, the Cubs were 3-14 on the MLB moneyline. Since being traded to the A’s, Samardzija‘s run support is up to 3.67 runs per game and his record on the moneyline is 2-1.

The San Diego Padres own the worst offense in baseball by a considerable margin, scoring only 2.98 runs per game. As a result, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that two of their best pitchers see many of their strong efforts wasted due to poor run support.

Ian Kennedy has 137 strikeouts in 129.1 innings pitched with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, but the Padres score only 2.86 runs per game in his starts and are 9-12 on the moneyline. Tyson Ross has been even better with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, but the Padres have a 9-12 record in his 21 starts as well.

Atlanta’s Alex Wood has a tidy 3.07 ERA in his 11 games as a starter this season, but with only 2.45 runs per game of support, the Braves are 4-7 on the moneyline in those 11 starts. For Julio Teheran, the Braves score 3.5 runs per game, and that extra run of support has translated to a 13-7 record on the moneyline.

Kansas City‘s Danny Duffy may be one of the league’s unluckiest pitchers. Duffy is enjoying a career year with a sparkling 2.66 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. But despite playing for a team that averages 4.04 runs per game, Duffy has received only 2.86 runs per game in his 14 starts, resulting in a 5-9 moneyline record over that stretch.

Don’t be too quick to get money down on aces Andrew Cashner (2.36 ERA) and Michael Wacha (2.79 ERA) when they return from the disabled list. San Diego is 6-6 in Cashner‘s 12 starts, giving him a meager 2.17 runs per game of support. St. Louis scores only 3.0 runs per game for Wacha and is 6-9 in games he started.

Check out updated MLB probable pitchers and run support pages, courtesy of Odds Shark.

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Four days ago, the Oakland A’s threw all their chips into a 2014 World Series title run when they acquired Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs. The A’s paid a hefty price to reel in two of the most prized free-agent arms. Shortstop Addison Russell—the A’s top prospect and the No. 12 overall prospect in the MLB—and outfielder Billy McKinney—the A’s No. 2 prospect—were sent to the Cubs farm system, which is now overflowing with talent.

In the wake of this latest move by the A’s, it seems a bit anticlimactic to utter the word “future” when talking about this ballclub. After all, giving up prized minor-league talent for quick-fixes shows that 2014 is the team’s focus. With the best record in the majors at 56-33, who could blame them?

But with the onset of the 16th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and Stockton Ports (the A’s Single-A affiliate) third baseman Renato Nunez earning a second consecutive selection, it is important to understand that all is not lost for the A’s minor league system.

The 20-year-old Nunez was scorching hot right before he was selected to the World All-Star team and then proceeded to justify his selection by continuing to obliterate Single-A pitching.

Over the past three weeks (a span of 20 games), Nunez has launched 11 home runs and gapped five doubles, culminating in an absurd .408/.489/.908 triple slash line. Nearly every Rotoworld update on him simply states that he had another multi-homerun game or another pedestrian four-hit game. Just past the midway point in his second full season, Nunez has 20 home runs, 57 RBI and a .287 batting average.

Nunez was signed out of Venezuela in 2010 and is currently in the Class A-Advanced California League. With the departure of Russell, Nunez has jumped to the No. 4 prospect in the A’s organization, and if he continues to swing a white-hot bat, he will likely be promoted to the Double-A Texas League in the near future.  

The A’s project Nunez to reach the big leagues by 2016, according to their official scouting report. Though his arm is above average (rated a 55 on a scale of 80), Nunez will likely be converted into a first baseman, since his footwork and hands will eventually become a liability at the hot corner.

Judge for yourself after watching this video.

The A’s organization once worried about Nunez’s patience at the plate, as the 6’1″, 185-pound right-handed hitter has a track record of striking out because of an overly aggressive approach. However, in the span of a year, Nunez has decreased his strikeout rate from 25.0 percent in 2013 to 19.8 percent in 2014 and has increased his walk rate from 5.1 percent in 2013 to 7.4 percent in 2014.

Players from all full-season minor leagues were eligible for an All-Star selection. Nunez was the lone member from the A’s organization who was chosen.

But to reiterate a point, Nunez is the A’s No. 4 prospect.

This means that the organization rates three players better and more advanced than a two-time minor league All-Star, who ranks second in the California League in home runs, ninth in RBI and ninth in slugging percentage.

So when second-guessing the A’s decision to part with their two top prospects in Russell and McKinney in order to maximize their chances at a title run this year, just remember that Renato Nunez and company are blazing a hot trail to O.co Coliseum.

Here is a video of Nunez hitting some bombs in last year’s minor league home run derby to help with that.

Follow Jacob Garcia on Twitter @Jake_M_Garcia or connect with him on LinkedIn.

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