Free agency has begun, and with a lockout expected to begin in less than a month, the next four weeks are expected to be a blur of action. The Athletics are expected to be on the hunt for pitching, whether through free agency or trade, given the team's 29th-ranked 5.53 team ERA in 2026. 

Over at MLB Trade Rumors, they put together a list of the top 50 free agents, projected the contract each player would sign for, and had three members of their team each predict where each free agent would sign. 

In a somewhat surprising twist, the A's were mentioned much earlier than the random reliever coming back stateside from Korea in the last couple of ranked players this year. In fact, the A's were listed as the landing spot for four total free agents.

Obviously the A's won't end up with all four, but here is a quick synopsis of each player and how they'd fit. Comment below which one you'd like the team to pursue the most. 

Sato won the Triple Crown in the NPB this past season, and after being posted on Sunday, will have to sign with a team before the lockout begins. If he doesn't, then he will have to settle for a minor-league contract or return to Japan. 

He's a lefty bat who has combined to hit 79 home runs the past two seasons, and he has been a somewhat similar hitter to Munetaka Murakami in Japan, though with slightly fewer strikeouts. Given Murakami's lackluster free-agent market last winter, Sato could struggle to find a home immediately, with teams looking to wait until the very last moments before the lockout in order to get the best deal possible.

MLBTR projects a five-year, $80 million contract for the 27-year-old, which isn't unreasonable. The question is whether the A's want to move Zack Gelof off of third base (or trade him) in order to take this flier. 

Signing Sato would open up some interesting possibilities, but it's tough to see the team spending money on bats when it hasn't locked up in-house options like Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, or Henry Bolte. 

Griffin has also spent time in the NPB, but returned to MLB in 2026, signing with the Washington Nationals before being traded to the Cleveland Guardians. He finished with a 3.60 ERA (3.96 FIP) across 172 ⅔ innings, which would be a huge boost to the A's staff on both fronts. 

In addition, his walk rate sat at just 6.2% while his ground-ball rate sat at 44.7%. Those skills will come in handy for all A's pitchers in Sacramento and, in 2028, Las Vegas.

MLBTR projects the lefty for a three-year, $39 million deal, which would be a great value for the type of production the 31-year-old could provide. 

On paper, Dustin May makes a lot of sense as a fit for the A's, given his injury struggles in his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the ability that he has, but he also finished with a 4.70 ERA (3.63 FIP) and is coming off winning a World Series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Going from the mountaintop to a minor-league ballpark the following season could be a tough sell. 

The bright side with May is that he has pitched at least 130 innings in back-to-back seasons, and his fastball velocity was up this past season, sitting at 97 mph. His walk rate was roughly league average at 8.1% and his ground-ball rate was roughly average as well, sitting at 41.8%.

MLBTR projects him for a two-year, $30 million deal. Again, that's the right type of deal for the A's to be going after, but between the two, Griffin's walk and ground-ball rates give him the edge. 

Itoh's big calling card (for the A's at least) would have to be that he has pitched at least 150 innings in each of his six seasons and has a career 2.92 ERA in NPB. That consistency would be a welcome addition from the 29-year-old right-hander.

His command is terrific, with a walk rate under 5% each of the past two seasons, but he throws in the low 90s and doesn't have a true plus pitch. His game is hitting his spots and keeping hitters off balance, which can work in a number of parks, but Sutter Health Park is less forgiving. The ballpark in Las Vegas is more of an unknown.

MLBTR projects him as more of a back-of-the-rotation starter, hence a two-year, $20 million deal. The A's could use the innings and the command, and another depth option that eats innings wouldn't be the worst thing. The only concern would be him taking those starts away from internal options with higher upside, but that will ultimately be determined by the front office.