Don't Rush Leo De Vries—Here's Why

The A's season has officially entered a new phase, and Sam explains why fans need to shift their expectations. Instead of chasing meaningless wins, the organization should embrace player development, evaluate young talent, and begin preparing for an aggressive offseason built around acquiring controllable starting pitching. Sam breaks down why trading from organizational depth—even if it means moving popular young hitters—may be the only realistic path toward building a playoff-caliber rotation. The episode also dives deep into why Jack Perkins deserves far more patience than he's receiving, comparing his development to Gio Gonzalez's early struggles while explaining why the underlying numbers and scouting observations point toward a breakout. Sam also shares his thoughts on Leo DeVries' timeline, Hogan Harris' growing trade value, why the A's should resist rushing their top prospect, and how difficult roster decisions today could finally position the franchise to become buyers instead of sellers next summer.