A's set 2024 Opening Day roster

The A’s announced their Opening Day roster ahead of their first game of the season on Thursday against the Guardians.

Third base was settled following the signing of veteran J.D. Davis to a one-year deal, but Abraham Toro, also made the roster. On the pitching side, Joe Boyle won the final spot in Oakland’s rotation, with Mitch Spence and Kyle Muller in the the bullpen.

Here’s the A’s 26-man roster:

Catcher (2): Shea Langeliers, Kyle McCann
Displaying strong durability by appearing in 123 games behind the plate last season as he took over as the A’s full-time catcher, Langeliers is set to continue that role in 2024. The big decision here was the backup spot. Tyler Soderstrom, who debuted in ‘23 as Oakland’s top overall prospect, has made strides behind the plate after defensive struggles earlier in his career, but the club decided to go with McCann.

First base (1): Ryan Noda
Joining the A’s last offseason as a Rule 5 Draft pick, Noda seized the everyday job at first and ended up establishing himself as a regular near the top of the lineup.

Second base (1): Zack Gelof
Gelof was the best development in what was a difficult season for the A’s last year. He won AL Rookie of the Month honors for August and finished as one of just five rookies in club history with at least 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases in a season.

Third base (1): J.D. Davis
Davis figures to get the majority of playing time at third to begin the season. Aledmys Díaz, another player who was in the mix, will not be ready in time for Opening Day as he recovers from a right calf strain.

Shortstop (1): Nick Allen
Allen worked out at Driveline Baseball over the offseason in search of adjustments that would help get his offense on par with his stellar defense.

Outfield (4): Seth Brown, Lawrence Butler, Esteury Ruiz, JJ Bleday
How the A’s deploy their outfield depth will likely be matchup-based, so all four, in addition to Brent Rooker, should see plenty of time out there.

Designated hitter (1): Brent Rooker
Rooker emerged as a middle-of-the-order threat in 2023, when he earned his first career All-Star selection. He belted 30 home runs -- becoming the first A’s player to reach 30 homers since Matt Olson in 2021 -- and posted an .817 OPS in 137 games.

Utility (2): Darell Hernaiz, Abraham Toro
Hernaiz, Oakland's No. 5 prospect in the MLB Pipeline rankings, made the Opening Day roster and will back up Allen at shortstop and Davis at third base. Toro, whom the A’s acquired from the Brewers this offseason, showed off his versatility by logging time at first, second and third base during Cactus League games.

Starting pitchers (5): Paul Blackburn, JP Sears, Alex Wood, Ross Stripling, Joe Boyle
Boyle earned the final spot in the rotation, though Spence and Muller will still likely make their share of starts throughout the season, as will Ken Waldichuk, who begins the season on the 60-day injured list. Joey Estes, who was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas, is also expected to return to the big leagues at some point during the season.

Relievers (8): Mitch Spence, Kyle Muller, Michael Kelly, Lucas Erceg, Dany Jiménez, Mason Miller, T.J. McFarland, Austin Adams
Recent injuries to Scott Alexander (stress reaction in left rib) and Trevor Gott (Tommy John surgery) opened two bullpen slots, and the A's went with McFarland and Adams to fill those spots. Miller, Oakland’s top pitching prospect, likely begins the season as the A’s closer, with Erceg and Jiménez the top two setup options, though their usage will be based on high-leverage situations.