A's Have a Rotation Battle on Their Hands

Just one week ago the Oakland A's had some nice options in their projected starting rotation, but now, with the additions of Alex Wood and Ross Stripling, they have two new veterans and fewer spots for the younger guys to slot in. 

As things stand right now, the A's projected rotation consists of Wodd, Stripling, Paul Blackburn, and JP Sears. Those four, if healthy, have a pretty good shot at being in the Opening Day starting five. Ideally we'll see the Brentwood native, Blackburn, pitching the opening game in what could be the team's final season at the Coliseum. From there, the rest of the rotation will fill in. Likely with either Wood or Sears, the left-handers, followed by Stripling, and then the second lefty. 

Past those four, the A's have a roster battle on their hands. 

First up, there's Luis Medina. The 24-year-old right-hander showed flashes last season, but ended up with a 5.42 ERA (4.76 FIP) and walked 11.5% of the batters he faced. He's still a work in progress, but he has the tools to be a part of the future of the club, but he'll need to be more consistent to lock down a spot moving forward. 

He's also out of options heading into the 2024 season, which could give him an inside track to a roster spot. Or, like we saw last year with Cristian Pache, he could be traded right before the season begins. Maybe a pitching factory like the Milwaukee Brewers will throw a prospect or two to land him and turn him into a Cy Young candidate as they're known to do. 

Kyle Muller is also out of options, but he showed fewer flashes last season, ending up with a 7.60 ERA (6.14 FIP). The team will have the same question to answer when it comes to the big lefty, but they could also start him (or Medina) in the bullpen. It may not be consistent work, but it would be against big-leaguers and would give either pitcher more time to figure things out. 

Mitch Spence, the A's Rule 5 draftee from the New York Yankees, needs to remain on the A's 26-man roster or be offered back to the Bombers. Like Muller, he's likely to start the season in the bullpen. 

The two players hurt the most by the additions of Wood and Stripling have been Joe Boyle and Osvaldo Bido. Boyle dazzled in his 16 innings late last season, holding a 1.69 ERA (3.13 FIP), but he also has three options remaining, so keeping him in the minors for a little extra seasoning is the likely outcome. That said, the A's front office will make room for Boyle if he starts the season hot and pushes the issue like they did for Mason Miller a year ago. 

Bido, 28, signed with the A's back in November after getting his first taste of the big leagues in 2023. He tossed 50 ^2/3 innings, making 16 appearances (nine starts) and holding a 5.86 ERA (4.10 FIP). He's projected to be right around league average, and on a rebuilding club, that's not a bad option to have. 

Those are the main contenders for a spot in the rotation to open the year, but there are another four players that will serve as depth options that'll be ready to perform when their names are called. Those four are Joey Estes (Olson trade), Freddy Tarnok (Murphy trade), Adrián Martínez (Manaea trade), and Hogan Harris (2018 draft). 

All four pitchers took the mound for the A's in 2023. One thing we can tell about what the A's are targeting for members of their rotation heading into 2024 is better command of the baseball. Manager Mark Kotsay said on a few occasions during the season last year that they wanted guys that can throw strikes. Alex Wood has a career walk rate of 6.9%, while Stripling has walked just 5.5%. Even Sears walked 7.3% of his batters last season, so the addition of these two veterans should provide some stability to the rotation in the early going. Paul Blackburn has a career walk rate of 7.2% himself, giving the team four projected starters with solid command of the baseball. 

Only four A's pitchers, in any amount of innings, walked fewer than seven percent of the batters they faced last season. Three of them are no longer with the organization in Domingo Acevedo, Austin Pruitt, and Tayler Scott. The other was Joey Estes at 4.3% in his ten innings of work. 

The 22-year-old posted a 7.20 ERA, giving up eight runs on 12 hits, but he walked just two. He also gave up four home runs in that brief stretch. If he can limit the long ball, he could be a dark horse candidate for a spot in the rotation sooner rather than later.