Latest On Athletics’ Las Vegas Ballpark Plans
TODAY: The LVSA board approved the three agreements, Akers writes. With this hurdle jumped, the Athletics now meet with Clark County officials to hammer out “a separate ballpark development agreement” and other issues before construction can begin. “We’re at the early stages with Clark County, but we’ve had several meetings and those have been really constructive. Clark County has been really receptive to wanting to work with us and meet the timelines that are necessary for us to open in April of ’28,” Dean said.
DECEMBER 1: The Las Vegas Stadium Authority Board is set to meet on Thursday, and several important elements of the Athletics’ plans to build a new ballpark in Vegas for the 2028 season will be addressed at the sessions. Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (two links) has the details of the ballpark-related matters on the agenda, including letters regarding the financing of the project — the four letters are from the A’s themselves, owner John Fisher regarding his family’s investment, U.S. Bank regarding the Fisher family’s finances and ability to meet their agreements, plus a letter from both U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs in regards to their $300MM loan to the A’s to help fund construction of the new stadium.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that the price tag of the project is going up, from $1.5 billion to $1.75 billion. The increase wasn’t a surprise, and A’s executive Sandy Dean says the extra money is necessary “is due to combination of adding a variety of features to the ballpark along with general increases in construction costs.” The new features include upgrades to the suites and general admissions areas, an audio and visual system that can make the venue capable of hosting concerts, and the unique element of seat-cooling system.
The costing breakdown will see up to $380MM covered by Clark County and the state of Nevada, $300MM covered by the U.S. Bank/Goldman Sachs loan, and the rest (including the additional $250MM in new costs) will be paid for by the Fisher family and the Athletics. The Fishers’ stake could be reduced if minority owners are found, as those new partners would take on part of the construction costs in exchange for a small share in the franchise. Akers notes that the A’s will be responsible for any further increases in the project’s budget, and Dean said that the Athletics’ outline still accounts for spending only $350MM of the $380MM committed by civic officials.
Three key agreements will be decided at Thursday’s meeting, covering the matters of not just the ballpark’s construction, but also such elements as the length of the first lease (initially set for 30 years) and what would happen if the Athletics tried to leave down by those 30 years were up. These particular elements make this meeting “the most important to date” in the Athletics’ quest to get the project officially underway, Akers writes.
If all goes to plan, construction will officially begin this spring, with an eye towards the ballpark being ready for Opening Day 2028. In the interim, the A’s will be playing at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento for the 2025-27 seasons.
A’s Also Made Offer To Sean Manaea
The Athletics’ three-year, $67MM contract with Luis Severino stunned many baseball fans. As shown in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, the West Sacramento-bound club hadn’t spent more than $15MM on a free agent since signing Ryan Madson to a three-year, $22MM deal nearly a decade ago. The $67MM guarantee stands as the largest in franchise history, surpassing Eric Chavez‘s 20-year record by $1MM. The A’s had signaled that they might be willing to spend in free agency or via trade — MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald explored the possibilities at length last month — and there were multiple reports that the A’s were aiming for a $100MM payroll. Many still took an “I’ll believe it when I see it approach.”
We’ve now seen it — or at least the early stages of it. It might still feel unusual to say the A’s agreed to sign a player for $22MM+ annual value, but that’s the reality. There are also some indications that the on-the-move A’s could continue to spend. For instance, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the A’s also made a “big” offer to free agent southpaw Sean Manaea, who made his MLB debut with the Athletics after coming over from the Royals in the 2015 Ben Zobrist trade.
That offer came prior to their deal with Severino, Heyman notes. It’s not expressly clear that the A’s would be willing to put forth another competitive offer for an upper-tier free agent like Manaea, but the Severino deal and talk of a $100MM payroll target suggests it’s certainly possible. Even with Severino in the fold, RosterResource projects a modest $58MM payroll. There’s room for another weighty salary to be added to the mix, be it in the form of a free agent, a trade acquisition, or both.
One notable aspect of the reported offer to Manaea: the left-hander, like Severino, rejected a qualifying offer from the Mets at the beginning of the offseason. The A’s seem willing to spend at the expense of next year’s draft pool. Severino cost them their third-highest pick — the standard price paid by a revenue-sharing recipient — and now that they’ve forfeited that selection, the cost to sign an additional qualified free agent is reduced. The A’s surrendered their second-round pick to sign Severino — they pick in the first round and in Competitive Balance Round A, between the first and second rounds — and they’d now “only” need to punt their third rounder to bring in Manaea, Nick Pivetta, Christian Walker or another free agent who turned down the qualifying offer.
The A’s could use more stability in the rotation and have at least one corner outfield opening. They have young options at first base (Tyler Soderstrom), second base (Zack Gelof) and shortstop (Jacob Wilson) — all of them picked in the top two rounds of the draft and all of whom are/were highly touted prospects. There’s more of an opening at third base, where Darell Hernaiz and Max Schuemann likely lead the pack, although Gelof could potentially slide over to third base as well if the A’s want to pursue a second baseman. The bullpen, of course, could use some setup arms behind standout closer Mason Miller. There’s no shortage of areas at which to spend, and it seems the A’s are indeed intent on bolstering payroll ahead of the move to their temporary home at Sutter Home Park.
MLBTR Podcast: Yusei Kikuchi, The Aggressive Angels, And The Singer/India Trade
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Angels having an agreement in place with Yusei Kikuchi (2:00)
- The Royals trading Brady Singer to the Reds for Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer (10:30)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- For the Juan Soto sweepstakes, will agent Scott Boras just ask each club for its best offer? Or tell each club what others are offering to try to spur a bidding war? (20:45)
- The Athletics are reportedly trying to have a $100MM payroll in 2025. Please come up with a plan to help them spend that money. (25:05)
- It seems that third base is going to shape the destiny of the 2025 Mariners. How soon will they get over themselves and sign Alex Bregman or another top free agent? (29:40)
- What do you think of the Nationals‘ decision to non-tender Kyle Finnegan? (34:15)
- What do you make of the recent reports that the Tigers and Tarik Skubal discussed an extension but didn’t get close? (38:20)
Check out our past episodes!
- The Rays’ Stadium Plans, Diamond Sports, And Some Offseason Rumors – listen here
- Roki Sasaki, Gerrit Cole’s Non-Opt-Out, And Cardinals Rumors – listen here
- Breaking Down The Top 50 Free Agents List – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Rico Carty Passes Away
Former All-Star Rico Carty passed away yesterday, according to a report from Dominican newspaper Listin Diario. The 15-year MLB veteran was 85 years old.
Born in San Pedro de Macoris, Carty signed with the then-Milwaukee Braves prior to the 1960 season as a catcher. During his time in the minor leagues, he converted to the outfield and, after a brief cup of coffee in 1963, emerged as the Braves’ regular left fielder during the 1964 season. In 133 games, Carty slashed an excellent .330/.388/.554 with 22 homers and 28 doubles. That excellent season earned him a second place finish behind Phillies infielder Dick Allen in Rookie of the Year voting. Back issues limited Carty to just 83 games the following year, though he continued to hit well when healthy enough to take the field.
Following the Braves’ relocation to Atlanta in 1966, Carty remained a fixture of the club’s lineup. He hit well during the club’s first year in Atlanta but slumped somewhat the following year as he slashed a relatively tepid .255/.329/.401 that, while decent, fell well short of his typical standards as a hitter. Carty then proceeded to miss the 1968 season due to a tuberculosis diagnosis. The ailment wiped out his entire season, but the slugger managed to recovery in time to return to the Braves early in May of 1969. Upon his return, he enjoyed the best offensive season of his career to that point with an excellent .342/.401/.549 slash line in 104 games.
After impressing in his return from illness the previous year, the 1970 season saw Carty reach his peak in his first full season back after recovering from tuberculosis. Then in his age-30 season, the slugger slashed an incredible .366/.454/.584 as he slugged 25 homers and 23 doubles while leading the league in both batting average and on-base percentage across 136 games. The superlative season saw Carty named an All-Star for the first and only time in his career and led him to a tenth-place finish in NL MVP voting behind titans of the game such as Johnny Bench, Billy Williams, Bob Gibson, and Willie McCovey.
Before Carty could follow up on that excellent season, however, he suffered a disastrous knee injury while playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. He underwent surgery and tried to return to action in time for Spring Training 1971, but ultimately missed the entire season due to the injury. He returned to the lineup in 1972 but struggled to stay healthy once again and found himself limited to 86 games as he hit .277/.378/.408 with just six homers. That was Carty’s final season in a Braves uniform, as he was traded to the Rangers in October 1972.
The 1973 season was a tumultuous one for Carty. After suffering a fractured jaw while playing winter ball in the offseason, he began the season as the first regular DH in Rangers history but hit just .232/.311/.301 in 86 games with the club and bounced from the Cubs to the A’s throughout the remainder of the season after being placed on waivers. Those struggles seemed as though they may be the end of Carty’s career, but he caught fire after signing with the Mexican League’s Cafeteros de Cordoba. That excellent play in Mexico earned him another chance in the big leagues, as Cleveland brass decided to sign him to return to the big leagues.
It’s a gamble that wound up paying off, as Carty would spend four seasons in Ohio. From his signing in 1974 to his departure following the 1978 season, Carty slashed an excellent .303/.372/.455 with 47 homers and 81 doubles as the club’s regular DH. His best season in Cleveland came in 1976, when he slashed .310/.379/.442 and earned some down ballot consideration for the AL MVP award. Carty was traded to the Blue Jays (who had briefly selected him in the 1976 expansion draft before quickly trading him back to Cleveland that same offseason) prior to the 1978 season, and he continued to provide value as he slashed .282/.348/.502 with a career-best 31 homers at the age of 38 in a season split between Toronto and Oakland.
Carty’s big league career came to a close in 1979, when he hit .256/.322/.390 in 132 games for the Blue Jays. He later worked for Toronto as a scout in Latin America and was inducted to the Braves Hall of Fame in 2023. Overall, the 15-year veteran was a career .299/.369/.464 hitter in the big leagues and collected 1677 hits, including 204 home runs, during his time as a major leaguer. MLBTR joins the rest of the baseball world in extending our condolences to Carty’s family, friends, loved ones, and fans.
American League Non-Tenders: 11/22/24
The deadline to tender a contract to arbitration-eligible players is tonight at 7pm CT. Here’s a rundown of the players on American League teams that have been non-tendered today. This post will be updated as more decisions are revealed. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected salaries for all players eligible for arbitration last month. All players who are non-tendered before this evening’s deadline go directly into free agency, where they’re eligible to sign with any of MLB’s 30 clubs.
Onto the transactions…
- The Angels announced that they have non-tendered left-hander Patrick Sandoval, infielder Eric Wagaman, as well as outfielders Jordyn Adams and Bryce Teodosio. You can read more about those moves here.
- The Astros tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
- The Athletics announced that they did not tender a contract to right-hander Dany Jiménez, who was projected for a $1MM salary. He posted a 4.91 in 25 appearances for the A’s in 2024. He struck out 21.4% of opponents but gave out walks at a 16.2% clip.
- The Blue Jays are planning to non-tender righty Dillon Tate, per Ben Nicholson Smith and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet (X link). Tate was just claimed off waivers at the start of September and had a projected salary of $1.9MM. He’s a former fourth overall pick with some good numbers in his career but he missed most of 2023 due to injury and then posted a 4.66 ERA in 2024. The Jays are also non-tendering righty Jordan Romano, which you can read more about here.
- The Guardians have non-tendered outfielder George Valera and right-hander Connor Gillispie, per Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com (X link). Both players were designated for assignment earlier this week.
- The Mariners are going to non-tender outfielder Sam Haggerty, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (X link). He was limited to just eight games in 2024 due to a torn achilles. He was only projected for a salary of $900K but the M’s have decided to move on. They also non-tendered infielder Josh Rojas and righties Austin Voth and JT Chargois, moves that are covered with more depth here.
- The Orioles plan to non-tender right-hander Jacob Webb, per Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner (X link). Webb was projected for a salary of $1.7MM next year. The righty tossed 56 2/3 innings for the O’s in 2024 with a 3.02 ERA and 24.5% strikeout rate, but an 11.4% walk rate.
- The Rays announced they have non-tendered outfielder Dylan Carlson as well as left-handers Tyler Alexander, Colin Poche and Richard Lovelady. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times relayed the news (X link) prior to the official announcement. Carlson once seemed like a building block in St. Louis but his offense has declined for three straight years now and he was projected for a $2.7MM salary. Alexander was projected for $2.8MM and had a 5.10 ERA this year. Poche had a solid 3.86 ERA but was projected for $3.4MM. Lovelady was designated for assignment a few days ago.
- The Rangers tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
- The Red Sox announced that right-handers Bryan Mata and Isaiah Campbell were both non-tendered. Those two had been designated for assignment earlier this week.
- The Royals tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
- The Tigers announced that they have non-tendered infielder Eddys Leonard as well as right-handers Ricky Vanasco, Brendan White and Wilmer Flores. Three of those four were designated for assignment earlier this week. Flores, the lone exception, is the younger brother of the same-named Wilmer Flores of the Giants. The younger Flores was once a notable pitching prospect but was injured for most of 2024.
- The Twins tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class.
- The Yankees have non-tendered infielder Jon Berti, per Robert Murray of FanSided (X link). He was projected for a salary of $3.8MM. He was injured for much of the year and only got into 25 games. The Yankees also announced that they have non-tendered left-hander Tim Mayza, who was projected for a $4MM salary but had a 6.33 ERA in 2024.
- The White Sox will non-tender first baseman/outfielder Gavin Sheets, which MLBTR covered earlier today. The Sox later announced Sheets and also that they non-tendered right-hander Enyel De Los Santos as well. De Los Santos was projected for a salary of $1.7MM but posted a 5.20 ERA this year.
A’s Have Shown Interest In Walker Buehler
The Athletics entered the 2024-25 offseason without a single guaranteed contract on the books for 2025 and a tiny arbitration class, putting them in an odd position. On the one hand, that leaves considerable resources to add to the roster, even by their minimal payroll standards. On the other, persuading free agents to sign with a club that’s going to play the next several seasons in a Triple-A park will be a tall order. The A’s apparently have indeed been out there in the market, as manager Mark Kotsay acknowledged when speaking at this week’s Sports Business Administration Summit at USC that his club has been in contact with right-hander Walker Buehler (X link via Michael J. Duarte of NBC Los Angeles).
A match between the two parties doesn’t feel particularly likely. USC’s Kasey Kazliner adds that Kotsay suggested Buehler was not inclined to play in West Sacramento next season. That’s sure to be a common theme among free agents with any sort of strong market. The A’s will likely have to overpay to persuade free agents, as they did a few years back when handing out multi-year deals to utilitymen Aledmys Diaz and Jace Peterson (neither of which panned out well).
Even with a match unlikely, the Athletics’ interest in Buehler is of some note. It at least signals some intent to shop in a more expensive portion of the free agent pool than they did when signing players like Peterson, Diaz, Drew Rucinski and Shintaro Fujinami in recent offseasons. Buehler isn’t one of the top free agent arms on the market necessarily, but he’ll be a popular target in the second or third tier as clubs eye a potential rebound to the front-of-the-rotation form he showed earlier in his career, before missing the 2023 season while mending from his second Tommy John surgery.
Buehler’s regular season return in 2024 was decidedly sub-par. He pitched 75 1/3 innings with an ugly 5.38 ERA and career-worst strikeout and walk rates: 18.6% and 8.1%, respectively. His average four-seam fastball was 95 mph, about 1.4 mph down from its prior peak. His 8.2% swinging-strike rate ranked 190th among the 204 pitchers who pitched at least 70 innings in 2024 (starter or reliever).
Despite those struggles, injuries elsewhere on the staff thrust Buehler onto the postseason roster. His playoff run got out to a brutal start, as the Padres shelled him for six runs in five innings in his first appearance. It was smooth sailing from there. Buehler pitched 10 more shutout innings with a 13-to-4 K/BB ratio. That includes five shutout frames in Game 3 of the World Series. As fans surely remember, just 48 hours after that five-inning start in Game 3, Buehler came out of the ‘pen to set down Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells and Alex Verdugo in order, earning a save as he clinched the Dodgers’ World Series championship. It wasn’t the heart of the Yankees’ order, but a World Series-clinching save on 48 hours’ rest is still quite the way to finish out a season.
Buehler’s postseason heroics have left a lasting impression on many fans and pundits, though it’s unclear if big league clubs feel the same. Today’s front offices aren’t typically swayed by a small sample of big-game excellence. At season’s end, Buehler looked like a candidate for a modest one-year deal. That was true even through his first postseason start. Will scoreless starts of four and five innings, plus one gutty relief outing to close out the championship substantially increase his earning power? It seems unlikely. The Dodgers, who know Buehler best of all and are in need of pitching themselves, declined to make him a $21.05MM qualifying offer.
It’s possible that Buehler’s pre-surgery excellence and memorable postseason finish spark some interest on relatively modest multi-year deals. The likelier path to a big free agent payday, however, would be a deal that affords him the opportunity to return to the market next season. Perhaps he could follow the Sean Manaea/Ross Stripling/Andrew Heaney mold and land a two-year pact in the mid-$20MMs with an opt-out provision. Many clubs, however, will view Buehler similarly to Jack Flaherty last offseason and hope to land him on a one-year pact with a solid salary. (Flaherty signed for $14MM.) The Braves are among the teams reported to have interest.
As for the A’s themselves, they’ll presumably bring in rotation help one way or another. JP Sears currently sits atop the staff, but there’s not much certainty thereafter. Last year’s Rule 5 pick, Mitch Spence, tossed 151 innings with a 4.58 ERA, good command and below-average strikeout numbers. Right-hander Joey Estes totaled 127 2/3 frames with even better command but even lower strikeout numbers and a 5.01 ERA. Righty J.T. Ginn had similar rate stats to both and a 4.24 ERA in a smaller sample of 34 innings. Twenty-nine-year-old swingman Osvaldo Bido mopped up 63 1/3 innings with a 3.41 ERA, a strong 24.3% strikeout rate and an ugly 10% walk rate. Flamethrowing righty Joe Boyle sat 98 mph with his heater but posted a 6.42 ERA while walking 17.7% of his opponents in 47 2/3 innings (10 starts). Lefties Hogan Harris and Brady Basso both made a handful of starts in 2024, but both are already 27 and posted more concerning numbers in the minors. The A’s will need some form of rotation help — it’s just a matter of whether they can sway some veteran starters to sign on in West Sacramento or whether they’ll need to pursue more help via trade.
Athletics, Seth Brown Avoid Arbitration
The Athletics and first baseman/outfielder Seth Brown have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract for the 2025 season, per a club announcement. While the team didn’t announce financial components of the deal, The Associated Press reports that Brown will make a $2.7MM salary.
Brown, 32, looked as though he was no longer in the A’s plans midseason when he was passed through waivers unclaimed. He accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, so as not to forfeit the remainder of last year’s $2.6MM salary, but Brown caught fire in the minors and hit his way back up to the big leagues in short order.
At the time of his removal from the 40-man roster, Brown was hitting just .189/.251/.306 through 195 plate appearances. He erupted with a .403/.416/.736 slash and seven homers in 77 Triple-A plate appearances, however, and found himself back on the big league roster less than a month later. From the time he returned to the majors through season’s end, Brown hit .271/.312/.448 in a sample of 205 plate appearances that was nearly identical to his early-season struggles.
That proved enough to keep Brown in the team’s plans for at least another year, it seems. The lefty-swinging slugger figures to again split his time between first base and the outfield corners, while Brent Rooker takes the majority of plate appearances at designated hitter. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a $3.8MM salary for Brown in free agency, though deals hammered out prior to the non-tender deadline (known as “pre-tender” deals) often come with salaries south of projections. Teams have more leverage prior to the non-tender deadline and thus will frequently present offers in what’s effectively “take it or leave it” fashion, with the “leave it” option representing a non-tender.
Brown has now had consecutive disappointing seasons at the plate, but he popped 45 homers in 261 games with the A’s from 2021-22. He’s a .225/.289/.426 hitter (102 wRC+) in 1640 plate appearances dating back to the 2021 season.
Athletics Sign Matt Krook To Minor League Deal
The Athletics signed left-handed pitcher Matt Krook to a minor league contract late last week, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. The 30-year-old elected free agency earlier this month.
Eleven years ago, the Marlins selected Krook out of high school in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2013 draft. While he planned to sign a contract, the team discovered a left shoulder injury during his physical, and the two sides were unable to come to terms on a signing bonus. Things continued to go downhill for Krook when an elbow injury cut his freshman season at the University of Oregon short; he would undergo Tommy John surgery that spring.
The Giants took Krook in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, and this time he signed a deal and entered the organization. After parts of two seasons in San Francisco’s farm system, he was included in the trade that brought Evan Longoria from the Rays to the Giants. Three years later, the Yankees selected Krook away from the Rays in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, and another two years after that, they added him to the 40-man roster to prevent him from electing minor league agency.
The Yankees made Krook a full-time reliever in 2023, and he kicked off his major league career that same season. Tossing four innings across four separate stints with the big league club, he gave up 11 earned runs, walking six and striking out just three. It was no surprise that control issues were his downfall; he came into his MLB debut with a career 14.3% walk rate in the minors. Despite his ever-present control problems, his minor league numbers were excellent that year (1.32 ERA, 2.81 FIP in 34 IP), but even so, they weren’t enough to stop New York from designating him for assignment over the offseason.
The Orioles put in a claim and sent the Yankees cash to acquire the lefty. Although he looked solid over 43 2/3 frames with Triple-A Norfolk (3.92 ERA, 4.49 FIP), Krook only got the chance to pitch one inning with the O’s in 2024. He allowed three runs (two earned) on a three-run shot off the bat of Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford. While he technically lowered his career ERA from 24.75 to 23.40, it wasn’t the image-rehabilitating showing he was surely hoping for. Baltimore DFA’d Krook at the trade deadline and outrighted him to Triple-A a few days later.
Krook will look to get another crack at the majors in 2025, this time with the A’s. Outside of star closer Mason Miller, the Athletics don’t have much in the way of top-end talent or depth in the bullpen, so Krook should have a clear path to playing time if he pitches well. His minor league deal presumably includes an invitation to spring training, where he’ll have his first chance to make a good impression on his new club.
A’s To Select Gunnar Hoglund, Ryan Cusick
1:15pm: The A’s are also adding outfielder Denzel Clarke to the 40-man, per McDaniel. A fourth-round pick of the A’s in 2021, he has since gone on to hit .261/.359/.467 over multiple levels while stealing 78 bases in 93 tries.
11:36am: The A’s have selected the contract of right-hander Gunnar Hoglund, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. They’ve also selected the contract of righty Ryan Cusick, per Ari Alexander of KPRC-2. Both are now on the 40-man roster and thus ineligible to be selected in next month’s Rule 5 Draft. The Athletics’ 40-man roster is up to 36 players, so there’s room for more additions throughout the day.
Adding Hoglund doesn’t register as much of a surprise. The 2021 first-rounder (No. 19 overall by the Blue Jays) was the centerpiece prospect in the trade sending Matt Chapman from Oakland to Toronto. He’s had a slow road back after Tommy John surgery but pitched 130 2/3 innings this past season, splitting the year between Double-A (104 2/3 innings, 2.84 ERA) and Triple-A (26 innings, 5.88 ERA). Hoglund punched out 22.7% of his opponents against a 7% walk rate during that time. MLB.com’s Jim Callis notes that Hoglund’s velocity hasn’t come all the way back since that elbow reconstruction; he sat at 92 mph in 2024 — a ways shy of his college days when he sat a couple ticks higher and topped out around 96-97 mph.
Hoglund, 25 next month, is still regarded as a strike-thrower with strong command who has the potential to start. Given the state of the A’s rotation and the fact that he’s now on the 40-man roster, his first opportunity to do so in the majors could come as soon as the 2025 season.
The A’s have JP Sears locked into a rotation spot but little certainty thereafter. Last year’s Rule 5 pick, Mitch Spence, tossed 151 innings with a 4.58 ERA, good command and below-average strikeout numbers. Right-hander Joey Estes totaled 127 2/3 frames with even better command but even lower strikeout numbers and a 5.01 ERA. Righty J.T. Ginn had similar rate stats to both and a 4.24 ERA in a smaller sample of 34 innings. Twenty-nine-year-old swingman Osvaldo Bido mopped up 63 1/3 innings with a 3.41 ERA, a strong 24.3% strikeout rate and an ugly 10% walk rate. Flamethrowing righty Joe Boyle sat 98 mph with his heater but posted a 6.42 ERA while walking 17.7% of his opponents in 47 2/3 innings (10 starts). Lefties Hogan Harris and Brady Basso both made a handful of starts in 2024, but both are already 27 and posted more concerning numbers in the minors.
Cusick is also 25 and also came to the A’s in a major trade — the one sending first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta. The right-hander was actually drafted by the Braves just five picks after the Jays took Hoglund in 2021. He moved from the rotation to a bullpen role in 2024, and the switch clearly paid off. Cusick began the year with an dismal 6.69 ERA in 37 2/3 starts working primarily as starter through July 12. He shifted to the ‘pen full time after the break and rattled off 26 innings of 1.73 ERA ball with a 28.2% strikeout rate. His 11.8% walk rate in that time was still too high, but those rate stats are lightyears better than the ones he logged working as a starter early on (19.7 K%, 15.2 BB%).
Given the success in a move to a relief role, it seems Cusick will likely be ticketed for a bullpen audition this spring. He’ll have to further rein in his command, but the uptick in strikeouts and the gains he’s already made in terms of limiting free passes in the ‘pen are encouraging.
A’s Sign Jason Alexander To Minor League Contract
The Athletics have signed right-hander Jason Alexander to a minors deal, according to Alexander’s MLB.com profile page. The contract presumably includes an invitation to the Athletics’ big league Spring Training camp. Alexander returned to minor league free agency at season’s end after spending the 2024 campaign pitching with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate.
Alexander went undrafted in 2017 but signed with the Angels as a free agent, and the A’s now represent the fifth different organization the righty has played with during his seven pro seasons. The resume includes one season in the majors, as Alexander posted a 5.40 ERA over 71 2/3 innings with the Brewers in 2022, working as both a swingman and reliever in his 18 appearances.
While not a standout performance, Alexander’s ability to generate grounders and work as a swingman made him a candidate for Milwaukee’s roster heading into 2023 Spring Training, but a shoulder injury kept him out of action until a minor league rehab assignment that June. The Brewers outrighted him off their 40-man roster a month later and then moved on entirely after the season, leading to Alexander landing a deal last winter with the Red Sox.
Over 328 1/3 career innings at Triple-A, Alexander has a 5.04 ERA, 7.04% walk rate, and 18.85% strikeout rate. Alexander is a grounder specialist who has regularly posted groundball rates north of 55%, though his lack of real strikeout power has limited his ceiling.
Still, the 31-year-old can eat innings and work in a variety of roles, giving him value as a depth arm for the A’s to evaluate at Triple-A, or perhaps consider for a look on the big league roster. If he does make the team, it’ll be something of a homecoming for Alexander, whose hometown of Windsor, California is within a few hours’ drive from the Athletics’ temporary new home of Sacramento.