The A’s have a hole at third base the size of the Strip, and Booney says the solution isn’t in free agency—it’s in Cincinnati. In this episode, Booney makes the full-throated case for why the A’s should steal Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Reds before anyone notices his true value. Hayes, a Gold Glove defender with elite metrics across the board, would instantly transform the A’s infield and give the team its best glove at the hot corner since Matt Chapman. Booney breaks down why Hayes’s contract is a front-office dream—locked up through 2029 at a fraction of the cost of Alex Bregman—and why his glove alone makes him worth the deal.

Then Booney goes deeper: the reality of the 2026 free-agent market, why the A’s can’t pay $15–20 million for mediocrity, and why trades—not signings—are the way to build the Desert Dynasty. From Brett Harris and Max Muncy's defensive struggles to the premiums the A's have to pay for free agents to come to Sacramento. Booney explains why Hayes checks every box the A’s need to fill: young, cost-controlled, elite defensively, and undervalued. This is classic Locked On A’s—no sugarcoating, no nonsense, just smart roster-building talk from a franchise fighting to rise again.

A's trade rumors, Ke’Bryan Hayes trade, Athletics hot corner, A's third base upgrade, A's offseason moves, A's rebuild strategy, Ke'Bryan Hayes highlights, A's vs Reds trade, A's Desert Dynasty, A's 2026 roster, A's podcast, Locked On A's Booney, A's defense 2026, Matt Chapman comparison, A's Vegas rebuild, MLB offseason 2025, A's third baseman targets, A's free agents 2026, A's YouTube podcast, A's baseball analysis

For your next listen, check out the Locked On MLB podcast. Get Sully’s take on MLB! He has it all covered every single day. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

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This episode of Locked On A’s is a full-blown offseason experiment — part front office meeting, part math class, and part therapy session. Booney rolls up his sleeves, grabs the calculator, and gets to work solving the impossible equation: how can the A’s build a contender while still living under baseball’s smallest payroll ceiling? From potential free-agent signings to arbitration raises and non-tender decisions, every dollar counts, every move matters, and every mistake could be the difference between a playoff run and another rebuild.

By the end of the episode, the numbers add up — literally. Booney takes you inside the spreadsheet, crunching contracts, roster slots, and projections until he cracks the final formula for a 2026 contender. Who’s getting paid, who’s walking, and where the A’s can actually spend to win — it’s all here. This is the offseason blueprint for the “Desert Dynasty” in real time, and tonight, the math finally makes sense.

A’s offseason, A’s payroll, Athletics free agents, A’s trade rumors, David Forst, John Fisher, MLB offseason 2025, Athletics rebuild, A’s 2026 roster, A’s salary breakdown, A’s contracts, Moneyball 2.0, Las Vegas A’s, A’s in Sacramento, A’s future plans, MLB budget teams, Booney Locked On A’s, A’s prospects, A’s pitching targets, A’s lineup needs

For your next listen, check out the Locked On MLB podcast. Get Sully’s take on MLB! He has it all covered every single day. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

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FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) #ATHLETICS #LASVEGASATHLETICS #MLB

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The Locked On A’s 2025 Report Card Series keeps rolling, and this time it’s chaos in the classroom. Aaron Cameron graded. Salty Tom ranted. And now A’s Day host Joe Grotto joins Booney to challenge the GPA and stir the pot. Together they dive deep into Booney’s midseason grades, with spirited debates over Brett Rooker’s consistency, Hogan Harris’s future as a late-inning weapon, and Brett Harris’s defense. The duo also break down young arms like Jack Perkins and J.T. Ginn, exploring how this next wave of A’s pitchers fits into a suddenly crowded rotation puzzle.

But things heat up when the conversation shifts from report cards to trade rumors. Grotto lays out an intriguing (and controversial) trade scenario for Reds ace Hunter Greene, while Booney counters with why the A’s could but likely won’t pull the trigger. They also discuss Pablo López as a more realistic rotation upgrade and how aggressive the front office needs to be if they want to compete by 2026. It’s a lively mix of analysis, banter, and honest frustration—everything you expect when Booney and Joe Grotto get behind the mic.

A’s 2025 report card, Locked On A’s podcast, Booney Locked On A’s, Joe Grotto A’s Day podcast, Brett Rooker grades, Hogan Harris closer, Brett Harris defense, Jack Perkins scouting report, J.T. Ginn rotation battle, Colby Thomas future, A’s trade rumors, Hunter Greene A’s trade, Pablo Lopez A’s trade, Cincinnati Reds rumors, Minnesota Twins trade targets, 2026 A’s outlook, A’s offseason preview, A’s pitching depth, A’s bullpen analysis, A’s prospects 2026, A’s rebuild plan, Desert Dynasty 2028, Vegas A’s future, A’s YouTube podcast, MLB offseason trades, MLB podcast 2025

Check Out Joe Gratto and A's Day Podcast on X @AsDayBaseball.

Check out A's Day Podcast on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/as-day/id1780045878 or wherever you get your podcasts.

For your next listen, check out the Locked On MLB podcast. Get Sully’s take on MLB! He has it all covered every single day. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

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PrizePicks Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONMLB to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.PrizePicks — Run Your Game.Click Link Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LO...

Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) #ATHLETICS #LASVEGASATHLETICS #MLB

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