NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland — Upon packing his bags here, A’s general manager David Forst noted that the end of the Winter Meetings does not mean the end of the offseason.
So the A’s general manager will march on in search of a meaningful move after having nothing to report from the great swap meet of the hotel lobby.
“There are plenty of things we talked this week that have legs, and those conversations will continue over the next few weeks,” Forst said.
“We’ve got two months until pitchers and catchers report. Four months until the season. We’re not the only ones leaving here without actually consummating something.”
As Forst and Billy Beane said several times over the course of the week, center field remains a priority. They have been linked to Jarrod Dyson of the Kansas City Royals in trade talks, but the team remains in no rush.
“I wouldn’t consider it pressing,” Forst said. “We’ve said upfront the last couple of weeks that center field is something we need. Otherwise we’ll continue to look and see where we can make additions.”
Amid the mini-swirl of deals involving Chris Sale and Aroldis Chapman and Mark Melancon, the only A’s transaction of note was a subtraction: They lost right-handed pitcher Dylan Covey to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 draft Thursday morning.
Covey, 25, had a 1.84 ERA over six starts (29 1/3 innings) last season for Double-A Midland.
“Good for him,” Forst said. “We’ll see what happens. He’s certainly as deserving as anyone being protected. We just ran out of spots. Good for him he’ll get this opportunity.”
— Forst was less expansive on former A’s outfielder Matt Holliday. He signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees with a no-trade clause that ruled out only one team — the A’s.
Forst declined to comment.
