4 roster battles to watch as A's open Cactus League play

MESA, Ariz. -- After a couple of weeks to prepare in camp, the Athletics will play their first Cactus League game on Saturday at 12:05 p.m. PT against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch. The game will stream live on the iHeartRadio app.

With games getting underway, roster battles will come to the forefront over the next four weeks, with several competitors vying for only a few open spots. Here is a closer look at those battles:

1. Third base
Contenders: Max Muncy, Darell Hernaiz, Brett Harris, Andy Ibañez

The A’s lineup for Saturday’s Cactus League opener includes Muncy at third, Hernaiz at shortstop and Harris at first base. Expect to see that trio in a lot more lineups together over the next week as the A’s search for every opportunity to get as many looks in games as they can at each candidate until Hernaiz leaves camp to join Team Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic on March 1.

Ibañez should also not be overlooked. Though he’s been deployed as a utility player who can play all four infield spots and even some outfield, Ibañez has impressed the coaching staff early on in camp with his defense at the hot corner. His track record of success in the Majors, particularly his strong offensive numbers against left-handed pitching, is also something to take into consideration.

All four contenders are versatile, but only two or three might end up making the Opening Day roster depending on how the A’s plan to structure it.

“There’s definitely options,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “That’s a position we look at as one that we definitely are looking for an individual to take over.”

2. Final bullpen member
Contenders: Jack Perkins, Luis Medina, Nick Anderson, Wander Suero, J.T. Ginn, Eduarniel Núñez, Ben Bowden, Joel Kuhnel, Yunior Tur, Gustavo Rodriguez

This is without question the deepest competition in camp. Hogan Harris, Justin Sterner, Tyler Ferguson, Michael Kelly and Elvis Alvarado should be bullpen locks, as are newcomers Mark Leiter Jr. and Scott Barlow. That leaves a group that is about 10-deep vying for potentially only one spot.

“It’s definitely our biggest competition in camp,” Kotsay said. “The guys that have been here and performed the last two months [of last season], they have a head start. But I thought we targeted some really good [non-roster] free agents that can have impact as well.”

There are a lot of moving parts here. Perkins, who drew the start for Saturday’s game, has been a starter for most of his professional career. But the former A’s top prospect shined in a limited stint as a reliever last year upon making his Major League debut, and his injury history could lead to a move to the bullpen, where he certainly has the ingredients to become a closer and make a similar transition to what Mason Miller went through with the A’s a couple of years ago.

Medina is a former starter who is being looked at as a reliever this spring as he returns from Tommy John surgery. He is also out of Minor League options, which could impact roster decision-making. Ginn, who is also competing for a rotation spot, has had success pitching in relief. Anderson and Suero are non-roster invitees with a track record of Major League success, while Tur and Rodriguez both pitched well at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2025 and were on the verge of being called up near the end of the season.

3. Final bench spot
Contenders: Carlos Cortes, Colby Thomas, Junior Perez, Harris, Hernaiz, Ibañez, Muncy

This ties in with the third base situation, depending on how the A’s decide to handle that position. The A’s will also have to decide how many outfielders they want to carry into the season. Tyler Soderstrom, Denzel Clarke and Lawrence Butler are locks. Designated hitter Brent Rooker could also see time in the corner spots. This could lead to a battle for the final outfield spot between Cortes -- who performed well last year as a rookie and is a valuable left-handed hitting option for a right-handed heavy outfield -- and Thomas, who also debuted in the Majors last season and flashed his impressive tools.

4. Back end of the rotation
Contenders: Luis Morales, Jacob Lopez, Ginn, Perkins, Gunnar Hoglund, Mason Barnett

Kotsay declared the final two rotation spots as “open” at the start of camp, but Morales and Lopez are likely the leaders in the clubhouse for those jobs at this point based on their strong showings last season.