Happy Wednesday A’s fans!
While spring training games rarely serve as predictors for how a team will play in the regular season, they can indicate certain things about every team’s roster. Through 18 spring training games, the general consensus around the Athletics is that the team’s offense will once again drive its success, due to a largely inexperienced and inconsistent pitching staff.
A’s pitchers have gotten off to a rough start in the Cactus League as the team’s 6.09 ERA is 24th out of all 30
MLB teams. Yet, the fact that the Mariners’ ERA of 6.91 is the worst out of all American League teams illustrates the meaningless nature of spring training games as they often feature a parade of minor league pitchers who will not come close to sniffing an MLB mound this year. Unlike the A’s, the Mariners have little reason to be worried as their pitching staff, especially their starting rotation, is one of the best in the league.
For the A’s to make a legit playoff push, their multiple young starting pitchers and relievers must step up and pitch better once the real games begin. Only Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs and Aaron Civale have pitched full seasons as starting pitchers. Civale, the A’s lone starting pitching import this offseason, pitched so horribly last season that he found himself on the move three times, spending time with the Milwaukee Brewers and both Chicago teams. In the past, pitchers like Scott Kazmir reinvented themselves with the A’s, taking advantage of the pitchers park that was the Oakland Coliseum. Sutter Health Park is the opposite, meaning the onus will be on Civale to prove the A’s were right to invest some of their limited financial resources on him.
The A’s have won their past four spring games, all high-scoring affairs. Yesterday’s 11-7 victory against the Chicago White Sox could prove to be a microcosm of many A’s games this season in which their starting pitcher struggles, but the team’s high-powered offense scores enough runs to erase an early deficit and win the game.
This spring, everyone on offense has been contributing for the A’s from projected starters to top prospects. With the team’s lineup pretty much set for the next few years thanks to multiple young players agreeing to contract extensions, that will leave some hitters on the outside looking in.
Tommy White, who has significantly boosted his stock this spring, and Colby Thomas seem like two obvious trade candidates who may not have a path to everyday playing time with the A’s unless White locks down third base.
Given how hard it is for the A’s to attract free-agent pitchers, should they put some of these talented young hitters on the trade block to lure needed pitching help? If so, which pitchers from other teams do you want the A’s to target?
A’s Coverage:
- A’s Steal a win from the White Sox
- What Have We Learned So Far In Spring Training?
- Jacob Wilson Has a Message For A’s Fans in the Bay Area
- Athletics Community Prospect List: Yunior Tur
- Darell Hernaiz’s walk-off HR lifts Puerto Rico to WBC win
- Still Need To Put The “Fun” In Fundamentals
- A’s prospect Jump gets off to hot start in first Vegas appearance
- Young, talented Athletics need veterans to show the way
- Athletics coaching staff enthusiastic about Bolte’s pathway to Majors
- Medina eager to get back on track after nearly 2-year absence
- Could 2026 be the final year of A’s baseball in Sacramento?
- A’s Home Opener in Sacramento Not Sold Out
- Price to Watch A’s Baseball in Las Vegas this year revealed
- Where Does Tommy White Fit in the A’s Mix at Third Base?
- Only a little polish needed before Jump could be ready for The Show
- Butler ramps up recovery efforts, eyes mid-Spring Training return
- A’s Unveil New High-End Las Vegas Club Renderings
- Circa Las Vegas bringing in A’s legend for baseball opening day festitivies
- A’s spending on $2B Vegas stadium passes $300m mark, is Fisher’s folly really happening?
- Bob Melvin opens up: A Giants firing, an A’s hiring, and what comes next
MLB News and Interest:
- Elimination scenarios for the World Baseball Classic
- Aaron Judge, Roman Anthony lead Team USA over Mexico at WBC
- With no room in deep outfield, Yanks send spring star Jones to Triple-A
- The Tarik Skubal drama shows the World Baseball Classic finally matters
- Raleigh responds to scrutiny over rejected handshake: ‘There’s no beef. I love Randy’
- Nats sign right-hander Littell, who just wants ‘to eat innings’
- Who’ll win awards in ‘26? Here are the top contenders in each division
- What’s next for Braves after Jurickson Profar suspension
- From Aldegheri to Zhuang, the World Baseball Classic’s top performing prospects
- Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena breaks finger, out for WBC; Opening Day in jeopardy
- Reds’ Hunter Greene to have surgery, expected out until July
- Luzardo cites stable rotation as reason to stay with Phillies
- Ex-Pirate Andrew McCutchen joins Texas Rangers on minor league deal
- There’s a new #1 in farm system rankings
- Lauren Shehadi joining Netflix as in-game reporter for MLB Opening Night
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
Yesterday, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz hit his first of what will likely be many home runs this year.
Right-hander Joey Estes made his spring debut yesterday. Given his delayed start, he may begin the season in Triple-A, but could factor into the A’s pitching plans at some point.
Outfield prospect Henry Bolte is making a big impression in A’s camp. While he is likely to start the year at Triple-A Las Vegas, his power-speed combination could earn the Bay Area native his MLB debut sometime this summer.









