OAKLAND -- The A’s have had a successful past two seasons, winning 97 games in each and reaching the postseason. But each season has also ended in the same heartbreak, getting bounced out of the postseason in the American League Wild Card Game before making any real noise. It’s reaching the point where they can no longer be satisfied with the same result. They must find a way to get over the hump.

“The format is the format,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of the one-game Wild Card playoff. “If we want to get out of that format, we have to win some more games. We have a tough division and probably the best team in baseball in our division. But the focus next year will be to win more games and win our division. If we have to play in that Wild Card Game again, we’re going to have to put the other ones in the rearview mirror and expect to win.”

As the A’s begin their offseason, here are some questions to consider their roster:

Who are the A’s free agents?

Tanner Roark, Jake Diekman, Homer Bailey, Brett Anderson, Brian Schlitter, Dustin Garneau and Beau Taylor are all on the free-agent market.

• Here are every team's free agents this winter

Will any free agents get a qualifying offer?

The A’s do not have any players eligible to get a qualifying offer, with most of their young top players yet to even hit arbitration.

Which players have contract options for 2020?

Yusmeiro Petit had his $5.5 million club option picked up, while Diekman’s $5.75 club option was bought out for $500,000. Those were the only two players with contract options for the upcoming season.

When must teams decide on qualifying offers and options?

Teams have until five days after the conclusion of the World Series. The A’s have already taken care of their situations on both ends.

Where does the A’s 2020 payroll currently stand?

After the options decided on Petit and Diekman, the A’s payroll stands at $113.80 million, a number that will likely increase as they add pieces throughout free agency to address bullpen needs. That number falls in line with executive vice president Billy Beane’s plan to incrementally increase the payroll in the coming years as they hope to get a new stadium built.

Who will be eligible for arbitration?

The A’s arbitration class this winter will feature Blake Treinen ($6.4 million in 2019), Marcus Semien ($5.9 million), Jurickson Profar ($3.6 million), Sean Manaea ($3.15 million), Liam Hendriks ($2.15 million), Mark Canha ($2.05 million), Ryan Buchter ($1.4 million), Josh Phegley ($1.08 million), Chris Bassitt (first season arbitration eligible), Chad Pinder (first season) and Jharel Cotton (first season).

Are there any non-tender candidates? When is that decision made?

Treinen is a candidate to be non-tendered after a rough year that saw him lose the closer job to Hendriks. Profar’s defensive struggles at second could lead to the A’s looking elsewhere to fill the everyday job there, but the door is open for him to return as a utility player. Buchter poster a sub-3.00 ERA in 45 1/3 innings pitched, but his role was downgraded after he struggled to shut down opposing lefties in left-on-left matchups and the A’s could look for another left-hander in free agency to replace him.

Teams must decide by Dec. 2 whether to tender a contract to any unsigned players on the 40-man roster. Arbitration-eligible players still in the fold will then exchange proposed salary figures with the team by Jan. 10. If necessary, arbitration hearings typically take place in late January or early February.

When are the GM Meetings and Winter Meetings this year?

The GM Meetings will take place from Nov. 11-14 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Winter Meetings will be held from Dec. 9-12 in San Diego.

When is the Rule 5 Draft, and are there any prospects of note in need of protection?

The big name that needs to be added in order to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft is right-hander Daulton Jefferies, who was named Oakland’s top pitching prospect of the year by MLB Pipeline (and is ranked No. 12 in the club’s Top 30 prospects list). Jefferies should be a no-brainer, but after that, you start to get into tougher decisions like catcher Jonah Heim (No. 21) and hard-throwing right-hander Wandisson Charles. Richie Martin drew a lot of interest after going unprotected by the A’s last year, ultimately selected first overall in the Rule 5 Draft by the Orioles. There could be some interest in Charles this year if he is not added to the 40-man, given his 100 mph fastball and overall good numbers across three Minor League levels this past season – he posted a 2.89 ERA over 62 1/3 innings, ending the year at Double-A Midland.

Teams must turn in 40-man rosters by Nov. 20 in preparation of the Rule 5 process.

What will the A’s priorities be this offseason in terms of acquisitions?

The A’s bullpen is in line to get the biggest makeover after leading the Majors with 30 blown saves. They could also look to add an experienced second baseman, though there are plenty of young in-house options hungry for an opportunity. A back-up catcher is another possibility to pair with rookie Sean Murphy, who is expected to take over behind the dish full-time in 2020.

How will Oakland go about addressing their needs?

As has become the norm over the past decade, the A’s will lurk around the free-agent market looking to pounce on a bargain. They did it last year with Robbie Grossman, who played himself into Gold Glove Award consideration, and Brett Anderson, who returned on a cheap deal and provided great value with one of the best seasons of his career. They also are in a position to deal some of their strengths to address their bullpen needs via trade.