Today's episode hits at the heart of one of the most important days of the baseball calendar: Forty-Man Judgment Day. The A’s stood at a crossroads and finally acted like a franchise that understands the stakes, protecting Junior Pérez, Braden Nett, and Daniel Susac instead of gambling their future away. We break down why this trio represents power, pitching, and cornerstone talent the A’s can’t afford to lose, and how their protection signals a shift toward building an actual long-term core. No more duct-tape rosters, no more hoping nobody notices your best prospects—this is the first real sign of a team choosing direction over chaos. 

From there, we take you into the Rule 5 Draft in plain English, explaining how it works, why teams poach unprotected talent, and how close the A’s came to watching another club scoop up players who should be part of their next era. We close by spotlighting Pérez’s thunder, Nett’s strikeout arsenal, and Susac’s franchise-level upside, showing how this “big three” defines the next five years. If today is any indication, the A’s aren’t hiding from their future—they’re staking their claim. And with the offseason chaos just beginning, this special live show sets the tone for what’s coming next. 

Join our LOCKED ON A'S INSIDERS texting community and chat with host Booney any time by clicking this link: https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonas. Booney provides one-on-ones, breaking news, show previews, A's breakdowns, and offseason updates. Try it FREE for 14 days! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonas 

A’s 40-man roster deadline, A’s Rule 5 Draft, Junior Pérez, Braden Nett, Daniel Susac, A’s prospects, A’s offseason, A’s rebuild, A’s roster moves, A’s analysis, A’s news, A’s podcast, Las Vegas A’s, Sacramento A’s, MLB Rule 5 Draft, MLB roster deadline, A’s protection list, A’s young core, A’s future, Locked On A’s Live 

For your next listen, check out the Locked On MLB podcast. Get Sully’s take on MLB! He has it all covered every single day. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day. 

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 

PrizePicks Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONMLB to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.PrizePicks — Run Your Game. Click Link Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LO... 

Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. 

FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. 

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) #Athletics #LasVegasAthletics #MLB 
 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.