MLB news roundup
Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!
2025 is nigh upon us. The A’s will play at a new ballpark in a new city next year, and old trickster Dave Kaval is out of shell games to stage for John Fisher.
The A’s and Yankees have been active trading parters, and two ex-New Yorkers recently became A’s via free agency and not directly from the Bronx Bombers. As Jason Burke at SI.com noted, former Yankees will figure prominently in the A’s inaugural season at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento.
Most prominent among these ex-Yanks is Luis Severino, the A’s most expensive free agent signing to date. The 30-year-old righty will likely be the Opening Day starting pitcher, and he flashed some of his considerable upside last year with the Mets. Still, he’ll be a big overpay at $67 million if his three contract seasons with the A’s equal his last three campaigns, which yielded 69 starts and 3.1 total fWAR.
JP Sears didn’t see much time in New York before coming to Oakland in the Frankie Montas trade, but he did make his MLB debut in pinstripes. Sears, who led the A’s in innings pitched in 2023 and 2024, is projected to be the A’s No. 3 starter behind Severino and Jeffrey Springs.
A third former Yankee product might be in the A’s starting rotation. Mitch Spence is a candidate to occupy the No. 5 spot when the season begins. Spence made his MLB debut with the A’s last year after five seasons in the Yankees system, and based on his 2024 performance, he’s worthy of the back-of-rotation slot.
Miguel Andujar was a longtime Yankee, and is currently projected to platoon with Seth Brown in left field, similar to his role with the A’s last season. Andujar is a decent hitter and a mediocre defender, someone we might like to see forced out by a rising prospect unless he breaks out with a performance akin to his 2019 season, in which Andujar posted a 132 wRC+ and 3.1 WAR.
According to Burke, Andujar may have helped attract former teammates Severino and Gio Urshela to the A’s this offseason. The A’s had a big hole to fill at third base and ultimately went with Urshela, a serviceable everyday big leaguer, to hold down the hot corner while promising youngsters like Max Muncy continue to develop in the minors.
Two other pitchers that came over in the Montas trade are still with the A’s: Luis Medina and Ken Waldichuk are expected to remain on the Injured List beyond Opening Day, but may be back at some point in 2025.
That’s a lot of Damn Yankees. But they’re A’s now, which makes them cool. Best of luck to all of these new and returning former Yankees in 2025.
Butler makes the top flips list.
A three-homer day topped off by a legendary bat flip
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 28, 2024
Lawrence Butler makes our Top Bat Flips of 2024 countdown at #9.
MLB Network + @SportClips pic.twitter.com/VTuzhbOn1C
