The Oakland Athletics finished the 2015 season at last place in the American League and fourth-worst in the entire MLB with an abysmal 68-94 record. The Athletics will surely rebuild their roster, and infielders Brett Lawrie and Danny Valencia are the candidates to be traded this offseason, per the San Francisco Chronicle.

Oakland reacquired infielder Jed Lowrie from the Houston Astros last Wednesday, sending minor-league relief pitcher Brendan McCurry. The Athletics traded for Lowrie once before, acquiring him from the same Houston team for Chris Carter before the start of the 2013 season.

Lowrie signed with the Astros last season for a three-year, $23 million deal, but the emergence of AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa made him tradable. "I respect manager Bob Melvin and I enjoyed playing for him a lot, and at least I'm going to a place that I know well and know what to expect," Lowrie said.

The return of the 31-year-old suggests that Oakland is looking to part ways with either Lawrie or Valencia. The San Francisco Chronicle adds that both players are drawing a lot of interests from several AL teams. Lawrie is reportedly the most likely candidate to be traded because he can play both second and third base and still possesses a bit of upside.

He will only turn 26 in January and the Athletics would want a few prospects for him in return. Lawrie and three other prospects were traded from the Toronto Blue Jays last offseason for 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson, per MLB.com.

According to Baseball Reference, Lawrie hit a career-best of 16 home runs for Oakland this season while driving in 60 runs with a .260 batting average. He also made 600 plate appearances for the first time in his career.

Valencia also hit a career-best with 18 home runs this season for the Blue Jays and Athletics. He claimed off waivers by Oakland in August and had a breakout stint with them, hitting .284, crushing 11 home runs and driving in 37 runs in 47 games, per Baseball Reference.

San Francisco Chronicle also notes that Lowrie will likely begin the 2016 season as the starting second baseman with Marcus Semien at shortstop, forcing the Athletics to choose between Lawrie and Valencia at third. Aside from the two infielders, right-handed ace Sonny Gray and outfielder Josh Reddick are also rumored earlier in the month as trade candidates.

However, Oakland team president Billy Beane told Gammons Daily that they will not deal Gray and Reddick this offseason. "Trading Gray is not something I think we could do. We have to put a representative product on the field and continue to dream we get a ballpark. I just cannot see us trading Gray or Josh Reddick," Beane said.