After a rocky 2024 the Joe Boyle A’s experience is now officially a thing of the past
Joe Boyle was one of the talks of A’s Spring Training this past year dazzling left and right with a nasty repertoire of pitches. He’d get first dibs on solidifying a starter job out of the gate but Boyle’s regular season was far from his Spring Training as walks, injury stints and more plagued his 2024 campaign. As of December 14, Boyle is now no longer an Athletic after he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays amongst others for LHP Jeffrey Springs.
How was he acquired?
The A’s acquired Boyle in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on July 31, 2023, which sent LHP Sam Moll and cash back in return.
What were the expectations?
After making his big league debut in 2023 and impressing in Spring Training, Boyle entered 2024 as the A’s fifth starter over names like Kyle Muller and Mitch Spence who started out the year in the bullpen. These roles would be switched around rather quickly by mid-season as Boyle was optioned and eventually used in the bullpen while Spence, Joey Estes and others stole his starting innings.
2024 Results
Unfortunately for Boyle he struggled mightily out of the 2024 gate. His first seven starts through May 5th saw 23 total walks surrendered, 22 earned runs and a 7.16 ERA. Boyle would be placed on the Injured List May 6th then sent to Triple-A Las Vegas after to get back on track but walks were still an issue as he averaged 7.7 BB/9. Boyle would re-join the big league squad from August 13th until the end of the season where he made four more starts and three additional bullpen appearances.
The 25-year-old finished 2024 with a 3-6 record and 6.42 ERA across 13 appearances (10 starts). His BB/9 was a concerning 7.6 and he walked 17.7 percent of batters he faced overall but there’s still something to be unlocked with Boyle and his potential which is why the Rays took a chance exactly six days ago.
2025 Outlook
With a few minor league options remaining, Boyle will likely start out the year in Triple-A Durham barring any unforeseen circumstances but Tampa Bay could be the best situation for him. It’s an organization known for developing its pitchers and Boyle certainly gives them plenty to work with. Sitting 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, Boyle’s average fastball velocity this past season was 97.7 MPH which is in the 96th percentile amongst big leaguers. He backs it up with a slider that nearly caused for a 40% whiff rate amongst opponents this past season as well.
The biggest issue Boyle will need to solve is obviously his walks still. He’ll be an interesting project for the Rays and one that certainly has the potential to become a frontline starter but his continued development will dictate when and how often we’ll see Boyle back in the big leagues.
