Elephant Rumblings: A’s Order Rotation For First Series

TORONTO, ON - MAY 30: Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on May 30, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images Morning everyone and happy Tuesday!

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Morning everyone and happy Tuesday!

We knew since Friday that Luis Severino would be taking the ball on Opening Day. It wasn’t a shock and was well-deserved considering how he’s been pitching over the past few weeks across both Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic. Sevy gets Game 1 but now we know how the rest of the first series will go.

It’s no shock to see left-hander Jeffrey Springs getting the nod for Game 2 on Saturday. The lefty was one of the team’s best pitchers for a majority of the season

last year. Outside of a disastrous first month of the season Springs was the anchor in the middle of the rotation that the A’s thought they were getting when they acquired him from the Rays last offseason. We’ll all be hoping that Springs can avoid that rough start this year, though he’ll have a tough task in the Blue Jays. In 12 career appearances against Toronto (5 starts), Springs has a 4.46 ERA, including two starts last year. Springs will be opposed by right-hander Dylan Cease, the high-priced free agent signee who will be making his team debut when he gets the ball. A tough matchup to be sure but if we get mid-season Springs we should be okay.

Surprisingly the A’s will go with right-hander Luis Morales for Game 3 on Sunday. The 23-year-old is one of the prized pitching prospects in the organization and looked good in his big league debut at the end of last year, pitching to a 3.14 ERA in his first 10 games. Things have not been smooth for him this spring however as he’s struggled in most of his appearances. It’s important to remember it’s just spring but still, it’s been a growing concern for A’s fans and he didn’t do anything to assuage those anxieties in yesterday’s spring finale. Hopefully these worries are all for not, but the A’s will be asking a lot of Morales considering he’s so young, has little big league experience and reached his career-high in innings pitched last year at just 89. Morales may have a few short starts throughout the year, if he can keep his spot in the rotation. He’ll be opposed on Sunday in the series finale by left-hander Eric Lauer.

That sets up left-hander Jacob Lopez and right-hander Aaron Civale to take the first two games in the second series of the year when the A’s travel to take on the Atlanta Braves. We don’t know the order but it’d be fair to assume Civale gets Game 4 on account of his veteran status. Lopez was one of the better pitchers the A’s had last year but had an elbow injury hanging over his head all offseason. It seems he’s gotten through camp without any setbacks and so hopefully Lopez is a full-go. If it was based on last year’s results then Lopez would get Game 4 but we’ll have to wait and see how manager Mark Kotsay wants to order the rotation.

It’s getting closer! Enjoy the next few days without baseball guys because once games get going it’s six long months until the end of the season. Marathon, not a race.

Have a good one A’s fans.