Athletics' Stephen Piscotty: May serve as No. 3 hitter

Manager Bob Melvin has settled on Piscotty and Matt Olson as the primary candidates to hit third for the Athletics this season, Julian McWilliams of The Athletic reports. "It could be a hot hand, it could be somebody we stick with," Melvin said. "My understanding is that the old three [spot] is the new two and that's [Matt] Chapman, so there'll be consistency in that part. But [the third spot] will be based on who's swinging the bat well and who we're facing that day. I'm comfortable with both."

With Chapman and Khris Davis penciled in as the Nos. 2 and 4 hitters, respectively, the Athletics are looking for a new player to settle in between them after last season's primary No. 3 hitter, Jed Lowrie, departed in free agency. Piscotty offers a more contact-oriented approach than Olson, but the latter's superior power and left-handedness may make him a better overall fit. Assuming the Athletics use the lefty-hitting Robbie Grossman as their leadoff man, a Grossman-Chapman-Olson-Davis configuration would allow the team to alternate left and right-handed batters in the first four spots. Piscotty would still likely bat fifth in such a scenario and could replace Olson as the No. 3 hitter when the Athletics face left-handed pitching, so his value shouldn't be dramatically affected one way or the other.