Oakland A's Pending Free Agents

Jason Burke | Sep 19, 2024

Jul 25, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ross Stripling (36) pitches during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

With the season nearly through, there will be a few players on the Oakland Athletics roster that will be hitting free agency in a little over a week, and the team will have to decide whether or not to bring them back for the 2025 campaign.

The first of those players is right-hander Ross Stripling, who has expressed over the course of the season that he would be open to returning to play for the A's in Sacramento, though we did not discuss his salary demands or what role he'd prefer on the club. This season with Oakland, Stripling has accrued a 2-11 record and a 6.08 ERA, with both the losses and the ERA being career worsts. On the flip side, his FIP is actually pretty solid at 3.87. The A's will likely need a veteran arm or two on the roster next season as well, and it could be difficult to lure other veterans to Sacramento, so taking a chance on Stripling could be in the cards.

Alex Wood was another veteran the A's brought in this season, and he was decent in his nine starts with the club, posting a 5.26 ERA with a 5.31 FIP. The 33-year-old landed on the IL in mid-May with left rotator cuff tendonitis.

Wood and Stripling combined to make $21 million this season, and with GM David Forst saying that the team will have more money to spend in 2025, they could have some funds available. The question will be: How will the A's add on this winter?

Left-handed reliever Scott Alexander has been great for the A's, posting a 2.55 ERA out of the 'pen and has been able to take the ball in a number of key situations, from facing a tough lefty to working a full inning. He made $2.25 million this season.

Another lefty, T.J. McFarland, will be hitting free agency this offseason after a good 2024 campaign with Oakland. He held a 3.69 ERA (3.86 FIP) and provided a veteran presence for the bullpen guys throughout the course of the season. He also has a soft spot for fellow Rule 5 draftee Mitch Spence, who has made a name for himself in the A's rotation after starting the year as a long man out of the bullpen. McFarland been great for team chemistry and team morale this season. He made $850k.

The final free agent to be is righty Trevor Gott, who didn't pitch for the A's this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early April. He is making $1.5 million.

Bullpen arms are tricky, because they're so volatile. A relief pitcher could be great one year and then just not the same guy the following season, and finding the right pitchers on the free agent market can be difficult. The A's will also be dealing with playing in a new ballpark in Sacramento, which comes with different park factors, so they may be looking for a different style of pitcher for 2025 as well.