The Athletics have had a disappointing first season in West Sacramento, entering Friday's action 63-72. They have solid young talent on their roster with Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson, paired with power bats Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler. But the pitching staff has let them down tremendously this year. The Athletics need to shake up their rotation this offseason with a trade of Luis Severino.
The Athletics were going to be left out of the revenue-sharing program if they did not spend money last offseason. They signed Severino to a three-year, $67 million deal after a stellar season with the New York Mets. His presence was supposed to help lead a young rotation for a trendy playoff pick. What has happened since has been nothing short of a disaster.
Severino has a 4.82 ERA in 24 starts this year, among the worst season-long totals of his career. The only one worse is his disastrous 2023 season that ended his New York Yankees tenure. Part of the problem is Sutter Health Park, the minor-league stadium the A's are calling home this year.
Baseball Savant's Park Factor stat shows which stadiums are better for hitters as opposed to pitchers. Only Coors Field in Colorado has been better for hitters this year than Sutter Health Park. The entire Athletics pitching staff has been hurt by that, including Severino. He has a 6.34 ERA in 13 starts at home and a 3.17 ERA in 11 starts on the road.
The Athletics need better pitching, which they could get through free agency again. Severino has not been the answer, and publicly said he doesn't like pitching in Sacramento. They could trade Severino, find a new veteran pitcher to pay less than $22 million for next year, and pick up a prospect in the deal.
The Athletics have a murky future ahead of them, and it should not include Luis Severino.
The Athletics made a trade already that could set up a Luis Severino deal
At the MLB trade deadline, the Athletics were selling once again. They traded closer Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres for an incredible haul of prospects. Infielder Leo De Vries was the highlight, but the Padres also included three pitching prospects in the deal. Braden Nett and Henry Baez are now in the Athletics' top ten prospects, while Eduarniel Núñez is ranked 17th in the system.
Those players are unlikely to deliver key innings for the Athletics in 2026. Severino is way more likely to bounce back and have a decent season than one of these prospects becoming a Rookie of the Year candidate. But the reality of the Athletics is that they are not trying to make a postseason run while they are in Sacramento.
The blueprint for the Athletics is to be competitive by the time they reach Las Vegas in 2028. Severino has a played option for 2027 and will be an unrestricted free agent by 2028. He does not fit their timeline and was only signed to meet the spending requirements. With a disastrous return on investment, it is time to move on.
There will be plenty of teams searching for a pitcher like Severino in the offseason. A small-market team looking to make the jump, like the Miami Marlins, would be an intriguing fit. However, the more likely path for a Severino trade is a championship contender seeking to bolster its rotation.
The Mets would be a fascinating fit, as their rotation has been disastrous this season. But Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong could make their pitching need moot if they dominate this September. The Chicago Cubs could also need a new starting pitcher, especially if they lose out on Kyle Tucker and have money to spend.
