Former Yankees and Mets pitcher Luis Severino made history for the Athletics signing the biggest deal ever for the franchise. Severino signed a 3-year $67 million contract for the small-market “Moneyball” Athletics. Oakland is coming off a 69-93 record which was a bottom-five record in Major League Baseball. Severino will be expected to be the ace of the young Athletics pitching staff and may be the face of the team when they finalize the move to Las Vegas. What impact will Severino have on the team? What will the pitching rotation look like? Will this franchise turn into a “big market” team with the move to Vegas?
Athletics Add Severino To Rotation
Luis Severino is one of the first dominos to fall in free agency in MLB this offseason. The veteran right-handed pitcher signed a historic deal with the future former Oakland Athletics. The Athletics will be playing ball in Sacramento, California in Sutter Health Park as they prepare to move to their new home in Las Vegas. Severino has spent nine years in New York playing eight seasons with the Yankees and this past season with the Mets. He had a bounce back year with the Mets with an 11-7 record and a 3.91 ERA.
The newly acquired pitcher will most likely anchor the pitching staff as their ace joining a rotation of JP Sears, Mitch Spence, Joey Estes, and Osvaldo Bido. The Athletics had 13 different pitchers start a game in the 2024 season, so they hope Severino can bring more stability to the rotation. It is also a long way away from New York and the media pressure that comes with playing in the “Big Apple.” The A’s add the pitcher with a career record of 65-44 and a career 3.81 ERA.
Final Thoughts
This is a great signing for the Athletics. With the move to Las Vegas in the future, the team can’t simply operate like they’ve always done. Vegas is a bigger market than Oakland and an intriguing destination for athletes. Sevy could be the first of some bigger, out of character signings by the team. The team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020 and hasn’t been competitive since.
It should be interesting to see if the Athletics organization is turning over a new leaf with their move to Las Vegas or if they be the same old cheap “Moneyball” team. There is nothing small about Vegas and fans may not accept a “small ball” franchise. This could be a new day for the franchise and the lights may be brighter than Freemont Street for the Athletics.
