A's gave Gelof an opportunity, and he's running with it

Zack Gelof was at a crossroads with the Athletics.

His breakout 2023 rookie campaign felt so far in the rearview mirror, looking more like an outlier after the subpar ‘24 and injury-riddled ‘25 that followed. Once viewed as a potential franchise cornerstone at second base, Gelof fell down the organizational outlook, with his situation only becoming murkier after the A’s traded for veteran second baseman Jeff McNeil this offseason.

For Gelof to contribute to the A’s in 2026, there was really only one way for him to make that happen, and manager Mark Kotsay outlined that scenario in Spring Training.

“There could be a role that exists on this club where Zack is on the roster,” Kotsay said in February. “Based on matchups, you could do various things with position players to maximize the impact in the lineup and defense. We’ve seen Zack be a plus defender. I do think Zack can play the outfield, and there’s a role on this roster for that.”

Essentially, Gelof needed to expand his versatility if he was going to have a real shot to be part of this team. The 26-year-old has done that, and he’s now enjoying a career resurgence.

Gelof entered Monday batting .304 with a .938 OPS over his last 14 games. Over that stretch, he’s started games at center field, second base and third base.

“The biggest bonus for us with Zack right now is being able to play different positions,” Kotsay said last week. “Overall, he’s been swinging the bat pretty well. He’s been pretty consistent and we like the at-bats, so he’s going to get a chance to go out there and be a part of that lineup.”

Gelof is evolving into a valuable super-utility player before our eyes, and it’s all been about seizing his opportunities.

Off to a hot start at Triple-A Las Vegas, Gelof was first called back up to the Majors on April 10 after Brent Rooker was placed on the injured list, mostly providing bench depth as a late-inning defensive replacement/pinch-run option. When Denzel Clarke landed on the IL on April 22, Gelof was given first crack at everyday duties in center field and ran with it.

Now, with Max Muncy on the IL and the A’s seeking a consistent option at third base, Gelof has been receiving regular playing time at third -- a position he hadn’t played since 2022 in the Minors -- and has looked as good of a defender at the hot corner as the A’s have had in years.

"The play he made on the [Leody] Taveras bunt barehand to throw him out by a step, that's a play that we haven't seen a lot of since a guy named Matt Chapman was here,” Kotsay said after Saturday’s win over the Orioles. “The diving play to get [Pete] Alonso's ball shows his range as well. He's settling in right now, and he looks really comfortable over there."

Glovework has never been a question mark. For Gelof, the increase in playing time is largely a result of rediscovering his swing. Through struggles and injuries over the previous two seasons, Gelof’s swing mechanics had gotten out of whack. This offseason, he worked on “leveling out” his swing, and the result has been a noticeable decrease in whiffs and increased ability to put the ball in play.

“Some mechanical flaws were kind of [preventing] him from performing at the level that he needed to at the plate,” Kotsay said. “The swing-and-miss seems to be down. If we can get Zack to make contact and put the ball in play, with his speed and athleticism, we feel good about where he can end up.”

Perhaps the biggest adjustment for Gelof, though, has come on the mental side. It was an admittedly difficult time dealing with the struggles he went through over the past two years as he desperately searched for that ‘23 form to no avail.

This year, Gelof is clearly more at peace. He’s not worried about replicating numbers from three years ago. It’s all about helping the A’s win by performing whatever role they need him in.

“That was definitely something in the offseason I changed for the better,” Gelof said. “I’m more relaxed. More free, I guess. … Results are going to happen. End of the day, when I walk off the field, I just want to feel good about how I’ve focused, how I attacked the day and try to separate days.

“It’s a long season. Anything I can do to bring positive vibes, that’s what I’m going to do.”