OAKLAND ATHLETICS

The Athletics bottomed out with a 50-112 record in 2023 before improving to 69-93 in 2024, their final season in Oakland. The roster reset began in 2022 when the team traded Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Chris Bassitt, and Sean Manaea, shifting collector focus away from Oakland veterans. Brent Rooker emerged as the breakout story, earning All-Star nods in 2023 and 2025 and a Silver Slugger in 2024 before signing a $60 million extension, making his cards the hottest A's commodity. Lawrence Butler broke out in mid-2024 and secured a seven-year, $65 million extension, driving interest in his rookie cards. Young infielder Zack Gelof and first-base prospect Nick Kurtz represent the organization's next wave, though Gelof struggled with injuries in 2025.

Where they stand: The Athletics are 28-30 as of early June 2026, sitting 1.5 games behind Seattle in the AL West while playing their second season at Sacramento's Sutter Health Park. The team played six home games in Las Vegas in June as a preview of their planned 2028 relocation to a new Strip ballpark. Rooker suffered an oblique injury in April that has limited his production, while Butler dealt with spring training setbacks, creating uncertainty around the roster's two highest-profile players heading into the season's second half.