Bright and early on Monday morning, the Athletics named Taylor Smith their new president of baseball operations. The former senior vice president and assistant general manager for the Red Sox takes over for interim GM Dan Feinstein, who was put in that role after the club fired David Forst in August. Feinstein was never mentioned as being in consideration for the full-time position.

"It's an honor to build on that legacy as we work to create the next great A's team, build on our foundation for sustained success, and prepare for our new home in Las Vegas," Smith said in a press release. 

With Monday's announcement, the question now becomes how the team plans to achieve its goal of returning to contention in the near term. Will Smith keep manager Mark Kotsay around, or will he install his own manager on the bench? Is Shea Langeliers an extension candidate or a trade piece? 

This offseason is going to be a challenge. 

Following the World Series, teams will have about a month to start adjusting their rosters, signing free agents, and making trades before the expected lockout begins on December 1 with the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. That month-long period begins in less than two weeks.

Making sweeping changes or handing out big free-agent deals immediately may not be in the cards for Smith as he adjusts to his new role and his new front office. 

Once the lockout ends, every team will have a mad dash to complete its offseason plans and build up its roster before the start of the regular season. Overall, an offseason that would take months may be condensed into about 10 split-up weeks, with six weeks of spring training after the lockout. 

The break in between will allow Smith time to formulate his plans and familiarize himself with the role. From there, it's a mad dash to see what magic he concocts. 

How will Smith assess the team's pitching? What will he put in place to help make the current pitchers on the roster better? What traits will he be targeting in outside additions? 

Mark Kotsay mentioned a blueprint for the type of pitcher the A's would be targeting after figuring out some of the tricks of pitching at Sutter Health Park. Will Smith follow that same plan with confidence, or does he have his own ideas?

The club has plenty of offensive talent to build a contender upon, but even owner John Fisher failed to mention a single pitcher when listing off players that are part of the team's core group.

"We have a strong core of returning players, including Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker, Shea Langeliers, Lawrence Butler, Tyler Soderstrom, Jacob Wilson, and Henry Bolte, as well as a lot of great talent in our farm system," Fisher said in the team's press release. 

J.T. Ginn had a breakout season in 2026, posting a 3.71 ERA (4.38 FIP) despite the A's playing half their games in an extremely hitter-friendly minor-league ballpark. 

Gage Jump is another young pitcher on the roster with plenty of upside. He flashed some of his potential throughout the course of his rookie campaign, but he ultimately finished with a 5.47 ERA, though he also held a 4.01 FIP. Unlocking Jump's performance should be a major focal point for Smith and his group. 

The adjustments the A's make to the pitching staff will determine how they fare in 2027, and perhaps beyond. We know that the A's will be looking to win by 2028, their expected first season in Las Vegas. With Smith captaining the ship, the path towards that goal of contention runs straight through rebuilding the pitching staff.