If the A’s indeed trade a pitcher for offensive help, it makes sense they would try to land an outfielder. That’s a glaring area of need. But don’t entirely disregard the free agent market as a way for the A’s to improve the outfield. General manager Billy Beane told me recently that the A’s will likely wait out the free agent market (no surprise, considering the stadium uncertainty) but that they might eventually shop for an outfielder. “It’s not going to be high-priced guys,” Beane said. “It’s going to have to be on a shorter-term situation, but that’s definitely an area we’re gonna have to fill for the short term.”

For now, it’s all about which A’s players might get traded, and what those players might bring in return …