Locked On A's - Daily Podcast On The Athletics

Every good baseball team has stars, but great teams have answers. Not just talent, but roles. When the game tightens, the lights get brighter, and the season starts to lean on you, somebody has to grab the wheel. In this episode of Locked On A’s, we break down the most important question facing the A’s right now: who actually fills the roles that win games? Not who looks good on paper, not who sel...

Colby Thomas and Carlos Cortes aren’t just names on a depth chart—they represent two very different paths the A’s are trying to balance right now. Thomas brings patience, power, and a modern offensive profile that fits how the league actually works in 2026. Cortes brings contact, versatility, and a grinder’s edge that managers quietly love. The question isn’t if they belong—it’s how they’re used,...

Denzel Clarke didn’t just arrive in the majors — he exploded into the spotlight. Making his debut on May 23, 2025, the 25-year-old center fielder carved out highlight reels with jaw-dropping defensive plays that had fans and opponents alike double-taking. Clarke’s glove quickly became must-watch television, earning multiple Play of the Week honors and robo-calls from broadcasters every time he cli...

Jacob Lopez didn’t come into 2025 with hype, headlines, or prospect-list shine — and by the end of the season, none of that mattered. In this episode of Locked On A’s, we break down Lopez’s full 2025 campaign, why his numbers tell a better story than the radar gun, and how he quietly worked his way into being a legitimate rotation piece. From his ability to miss bats without elite velocity to the...

The A’s 2026 schedule isn’t just a list of games — it’s a stress test. Early road trips, tough opponents, and very little margin for error make one thing clear: this team cannot afford a slow start. In today’s show, we break down why April and May matter more than ever, how momentum shapes belief inside the clubhouse, and why starting strong changes everything from roster decisions to trade-deadli...

Third base has felt like the A’s biggest unfinished puzzle this winter — a carousel spinning without a clear winner. Coming out of 2025, the team left spring training with an open job at the hot corner that still hasn’t been firmly claimed, and it’s turning into one of those “weakness that didn’t get fixed” storylines. GM David Forst has publicly said he’s comfortable choosing from inside the club...

Lawrence Butler came into 2025 spring training with momentum, expectations, and a real chance to cement himself as part of the A’s long-term core. Instead, the year unraveled. This episode walks step by step through Butler’s season — from the optimism of spring, to early warning signs, to a regular season that never quite found its footing. The swings, the approach, the confidence — it all drifted...

The Tyler Soderstrom contract details are out — and once you actually read the fine print, everything changes. On today’s Locked On A’s, we break down why this extension isn’t just about locking up a cornerstone player, but about how the structure of the deal quietly reshapes the A’s entire offseason. This isn’t a reckless splash or a PR move. It’s a calculated contract that gives the A’s flexibil...

This episode of Locked On A’s cuts straight through the noise surrounding the A’s trademark situation and exposes how a routine legal process was twisted into a weaponized lie. What’s being pushed online isn’t confusion—it’s misinformation fueled by anger, pile-ons, and a mob that knows most people won’t push back. We break down why this story was never about fans “owning” a name, never about inco...

This episode looks back at one of the most misunderstood draft picks in modern A’s history: selecting Kyler Murray in the first round. We break down why the pick was never reckless, how the A’s fully understood the football risk, and why betting on elite athletic upside was the right process even if the outcome didn’t land on a baseball field. From the signing bonus to the Heisman Trophy, we walk...

The A’s just ran head-first into a wall most pro teams never even see. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has rejected “Las Vegas Athletics” and “Vegas Athletics”—twice—calling the name too descriptive to trademark. Translation: the government says it sounds more like directions on Google Maps than a brand. Today’s show breaks down why the refusal is technically correct, why it feels in...

This episode of Locked On A’s dives deep into two very different — but equally important — paths inside the A’s farm system. First, we break down the rise of Japanese two-way sensation Shotaro Morii , an 18-year-old who skipped NPB, signed directly with the A’s, and spent 2025 adjusting to American baseball in Arizona. From his advanced plate discipline and power flashes to the deliberate decision...

Three prospects. Three very different paths. One big question: which one changes the future of the A’s the most? This episode is a pure upside play, diving into a pitcher who already knows what October baseball feels like in Triple-A, a burner wreaking havoc on the bases in High-A, and a switch-hitting teenage catcher learning the hardest job in baseball. This isn’t about hype clips or box-score w...

This show puts the A’s offseason under a bright light and doesn’t flinch. The front office didn’t go shopping like a drunken sailor — it shopped like a poker player stacking chips quietly. We break down what the trade for Jeff McNeil actually means (flexibility, contact, edge), why Mark Leiter Jr. matters more than people think (bullpen stability isn’t sexy, it’s necessary), and why the Tyler Sode...

The A’s aren’t just talking about the future anymore — they’re acting like it. In this episode of Locked On A’s , Booney is joined by longtime Las Vegas sports anchor Ron Futrell to break down what the Tyler Soderstrom extension actually means. Not just for the roster, not just for payroll — but for the identity of the franchise. This is a team locking in young stars, guaranteeing real money years...

The A’s offseason is coming to a quiet but calculated close, and the final domino is Jacob Wilson. In this episode of Locked On A’s, the payroll math gets laid bare — not vibes, not hope, not fan fiction, actual numbers. By breaking down cash spending versus luxury tax math, the case becomes clear: a Jacob Wilson extension in the $10–11 million per year range neatly lands the A’s right on their ta...

The Tyler Soderstrom extension isn’t just a contract — it’s a statement. Seven years, $86 million tells you exactly where the A’s are headed, and this episode breaks down why this move flips the identity of the franchise on its head. The show dives into what Soderstrom means on the field, in the clubhouse, and to the fan base, why this deal feels historic compared to how the organization used to o...

This Year in Review episode of Locked On A’s rewinds one of the most emotional, polarizing, and defining years this franchise has ever experienced. From the A’s leaving Oakland and setting up shop in Sacramento, to openly charting a course toward Vegas, this was a year that lived in headlines and hearts at the same time. You’ll hear raw clips from throughout the season — the disbelief, the anger,...

The A’s didn’t take the holidays off — they dropped a franchise-altering move. Tyler Soderstrom is staying put on a seven-year, $86 million extension with a club option and escalators that can push the total way higher. Translation: this isn’t “nice story, kid,” this is face-of-the-future money. And the funniest part? People spent all year talking like he might be the expendable piece — the “maybe...

On this Christmas Day episode of Locked On A’s , we slow everything down to tell a story baseball already tried to forget. Gunnar Hoglund’s journey isn’t about hype or prospect rankings — it’s about survival. From his rise at Ole Miss and the gut punch of Tommy John surgery, to years of rehab and waiting, Hoglund finally reached the majors on May 2, 2025 in Miami. And when the moment came, he didn...

The Jeff McNeil trade didn’t just land — it detonated takes everywhere. So we’re going LIVE again to sort through the noise, the reactions, the overreactions, and the parts people are completely missing. This second Locked On A’s show is about context: why the Mets moved him, why the A’s pounced, and why a deal that looks “quiet” on paper can shake up a roster fast. This isn’t a highlight chase. I...

Aces aren’t born—they’re built in the fire of adversity. The A’s bold investment in Steven Echavarria comes under the spotlight, from his late-first-round signing bonus out of New Jersey to weathering a brutal pro debut with Stockton. Will Echavarria’s electric fastball and four-pitch arsenal translate to ace-level impact, or are growing pains a sign of risk ahead? Booney breaks down the A’s patie...

The A’s just did something they haven’t done enough of in recent years: they added a proven big leaguer who knows how to hit. Jeff McNeil is coming over from the Mets for a minor leaguer and cash, and that alone tells you how sharp this move is. McNeil isn’t flashy, but he’s a grinder — the kind of player who ruins pitchers’ nights by fouling off everything, spraying line drives, and making routin...

In this special holiday live edition of Locked On A’s, we dive deep into one of the most fascinating “quiet” trade possibilities on the board: could the A’s realistically explore a deal for Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth? This isn’t a rumor-chasing episode — it’s a full breakdown of why the fit makes sense, how Cronenworth would stabilize a young A’s infield, and why this front office values bo...

Locked On A’s opens with a vivid, future-set dream that drops listeners into 2030, where the Las Vegas A’s have become the standard of baseball excellence. The episode imagines a full-blown dynasty: a stacked lineup, dominant pitching, World Series banners hanging like neon lights, and a franchise that finally reached the mountaintop. It’s fun, cinematic, and intentional — painting a picture of wh...