Meet the A’s pitchers: Can they complement talented sluggers to reach playoffs?
There are questions facing the Athletics pitching staff as the team enters 2025 and its first season in West Sacramento.
Namely, can they supplement a promising group of young sluggers and help the team get back to playoff contention for the first time since 2020?
A’s hurlers last season combined for a 4.37 ERA, good for sixth-worst in Major League Baseball. Their starting rotation ranked fourth worst in quality start percentage at just 28% — well below the league average of 36%. Which explains why the front office addressed the top of the rotation with the additions of Luis Severino in free agency and Jeffrey Springs, added via trade.
On the back end, the A’s have one of baseball’s best closers in Mason Miller. The electric right-hander had 28 saves while striking out 104 batters in just 65 innings. He finished his first full season in the Majors ranked fifth in the American League in win probability added at 3.6. Miller threw 15 of the hardest 18 pitches in baseball last season, CBS Sports reported.
Here’s a look at the A’s staff on the 40-man roster ahead of their first season at Sutter Health Park.
A’s starting rotation
Luis Severino, RHP
The A’s made the rare free-agent splash when they signed Severino to a three-year, $67 million contract in early December. It was the first move during the club’s uncharacteristic spending spree that also saw them dole out contracts to Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler. While the moves would make it appear the organization is content on trying to build momentum heading into their planned move to Las Vegas in 2028, the team’s unprecedented spending was required after being put back on MLB’s revenue sharing plan to avoid a grievance from the player’s union.
Severino went 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 31 starts last year with the New York Mets. His best season’s came in 2017 and 2018 with the New York Yankees before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020.
In the A’s season opener Thursday in Seattle, Severino pitched six shutout innings, striking out six with four walks and allowing three hits, as the Mariners defeated the Athletics, 4-2.
Jeffrey Springs, LHP
The 32-year-old left-hander was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Joe Boyle, two minor leaguers and a draft pick. Springs has made just 10 starts over the last two seasons after also having Tommy John in 2023. Prior, he made 25 starts over 33 appearances for Tampa and posted a 3.04 ERA while allowing just 114 hits in 135.1 innings. The A’s are hoping Springs regains that form to help solidify the top of the rotation.
Springs turned in an even more impressive A’s debut than Severino. Facing the Mariners on Friday, he got the win after hurling six shutout innings, striking out nine while scattering three hits and a walk. The A’s won 7-0 for their first victory of 2025.
JP Sears, LHP
Sears made 32 starts for the A’s in each of the past three seasons. Oddly, he was a much better pitcher away from the pitcher-friendly Oakland Coliseum, registering a 3.67 ERA on the road versus a 5.29 ERA at home. Sears finished spring training with a 3.38 ERA in eight innings.
Osvaldo Bido, RHP
Bido, a 29-year-old from the Domincan, made 16 appearances with the A’s last year in his second Major League season. He got his debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023 before signing with Oakland as a free agent. Bido showed promise, allowing just 43 hits with a 3.41 ERA in 63.1 innings. He worked as a starter and reliever. This would be his first full season in a rotation.
Joey Estes, RHP
The A’s acquired Estes and three others in the trade 2022 that sent star first basemen Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves. Unlike Sears, Estes was significantly worse on the road (6.90 ERA) than at home (3.26). Hitters away from Oakland slashed .305/.359/.543 against him, which will have to come down if the 23-year-old is going to solidify himself in the rotation.
A’s bullpen
Mason Miller, RHP, closer
Miller is expected to be one the A’s stars after his breakout rookie campaign. And he’ll likely be one of the hottest names on the trade market should the team fall out of contention during the first half of the season.
However, the A’s are making it clear they plan on competing for a playoff spot during their first season in West Sacramento, and would love to keep their young stars to help build a contender before going to Las Vegas. How they handle Miller will typify the team’s long-term thinking during their three or four years in West Sacramento.
Tyler Ferguson, RHP
Ferguson spent eight seasons in the minor leagues before making his Big League debut with the A’s last year. The right-hander appeared in 48 games out of the bullpen, posting a 3.68 ERA with 48 hits allowed over 51.1 innings after beginning the season in Triple-A Las Vegas. Ferguson for an encore figures to have a significant role, perhaps as a key set-up arm against right-handed hitters who slashed just .112/.131/.319 against him last season.
T.J. McFarland, LHP
The A’s during their busy offseason re-signed McFarland, 35, after he led baseball making 79 appearances. He returned to the team after one year despite potentially having a robust market given the value of durable and reliable left-handed relievers. He’s a ground-ball pitcher which should help given the move to the more hitter-friendly of Sutter Health Park.
José Leclerc, RHP
Leclerc signed with the A’s in January after making 160 appearances over the last three seasons out of the Texas Rangers bullpen. He allowed just 126 hits in 171.1 innings. He signed for $10 million, making him a substantial investment to fortify the late innings. Leclerc underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020, ending his fifth season with Texas and causing him to miss all of 2021.
Justin Sterner, RHP
Sterner will get a crack in the bullpen with Michel Otañez beginning the season on the Injured List with a shoulder injury and Grant Holman getting sent to Triple-A Las Vegas. Sterner was claimed by the team in early November following his first Big League stint in 2024 with Tampa Bay, appearing in just two games. He previously pitched in 138 minor league games posting a 4.01 ERA over four seasons in the Rays’ system.
Michel Otañez, RHP
Otañez was diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement that landed him on the injured list earlier this month. It’s unclear when he’ll return. When he does, he’ll have a chance to become a key contributor thanks to his knack for striking out hitters. Otañez struck out 55 in just 34.0 innings during his first stint with the A’s last year. However, the strikeouts also came with a high walk rate of 5.29 per nine innings. That number was up to 10.13 during six spring training appearances before going down with the injury.
Noah Murdock, RHP
The A’s added Murdock through the Rule 5 draft in early December from the Kansas City Royals. Standing 6-foot-8, he features a hard sinker. However, he’s never appeared in the Major Leagues. He threw in nine spring training games, allowing five hits, five earned runs and had 10 strikeouts in 11.2 innings.
Mitch Spence, RHP
The 26-year-old could be in for a role in long relief or at the back end of the rotation. He made his Major League debut last season making 24 starts while making 11 relief appearances. He posted a 4.58 ERA. He’s another ground ball pitcher who could help the team in its new hitter-friendly ballpark.
Hogan Harris, LHP
The A’s third-round draft pick in 2018 had a strong second season in the Majors in 2024, making 21 appearances and posting a 2.86 ERA in 72.1 innings, trimming down his 7.14 ERA from his rookie campaign in 2023. Harris has worked both as a starter and reliever, giving the A’s a depth option for either role.
Brady Basso, LHP
Basso finds himself in a similar position to Harris. He worked with the A’s in relief and was given late-season starts last September. He went 11.1 innings as a starter before allowing an earned run before allowing 8 over 7.2 innings combined in his final two starts. He could begin the season getting work in the minors after facing just 14 hitters during spring training. Basso as of Thursday was on the A’s injured list.
This story was originally published March 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
