MLB Rumors: A's 'Faced Pressure' to Spend in FA; Severino Contract Seen as 'Overpay'
January 16, 2025
The Athletics made a suprising early splash in free agency after they "faced some pressure" to do so, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo.
Per Castillo, the free-agent acquisition of starting pitcher Luis Severino was "widely viewed as a significant overpay" around the majors.
The Athletics signed Severino to a three-year, $67 million contract on Dec. 5. The deal given to the right-hander contained the largest guarantee in the franchise's history.
The agreement also includes an opt-out following the 2026 season.
Severino is coming off a resurgent year with the New York Mets, finishing with a record of 11-7 to go along with a 3.91 ERA and 1.242 WHIP. He recorded 161 strikeouts and 60 walks in 182 innings of work.
Still, he admitted that he was surprised by the Athletics' offer.
"Neither I nor my agent were expecting them to offer a contract of that magnitude," Severino said, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "It was impressive."
The $22.3 million average annual value of his deal ranks No. 17 among all starters for the 2025 season, via Spotrac.
A's general manager David Forst also recognized the hefty contract offer after the deal was signed.
"We wanted to make something of a statement coming into a new city and coming into a new ballpark," Forst said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "But more than that, to improve on what we have."
After playing in Oakland from 1968 through the 2024 season, the Athletics will be calling Sutter Health Park in Sacramento home from the start of their 2025 season until the end of their 2027 campaign before moving to Las Vegas.
The A's have remained active during the offseason, giving a new five-year, $60 million contract to slugger Brent Rooker on Jan. 7.
As the Athletics attempt to improve upon a 69-93 record in 2024, they're spending much more compared to past years. All of their offseason moves haven't been met with unanimous approval, though.
