2025-26 MLB Offseason Recap: Athletics

The Athletics’ success during the 2025 season can be largely tied to the young rising stars on the team. Aside from extending some of those players to pre-arbitration extensions, much of the focus this winter for the A’s was to add complementary veteran talent. Former All-Star Jeff McNeil and pitcher Aaron Civale were among the new players added to the Athletics for 2026.

Additions

• RP Scott Barlow
• SP Aaron Civale
• INF Andy Ibanez
• RP Mark Leiter Jr.
• INF Jeff McNeil

Pitching was on the menu for the Athletics this winter, not shocking given that the core of the team’s lineup is set for years to come.

The A’s brought in numerous pitchers on short-term deals, including starting pitcher Aaron Civale. Civale signed with the Athletics on a one-year, $6MM deal just before camp started on February 11.

Formerly with the Guardians, Rays, and Brewers, among other teams, Civale has largely been an effective innings-eater throughout his MLB career. The 2024 campaign was a shaky one at first but Civale evened things out once he was dealt to the White Sox in the summer.

The 30-year-old isn’t a high-groundball pitcher despite the sinker, curveball, and cutter. However, he isn’t easy to hit. The cutter doesn’t get squared up often, as that pitch gets swings-and-misses, as well as a lot of foul balls. He can also mix speeds and looks with the sinker, four-seamer, and curveball.

Relievers were also a priority for the Athletics. Veterans Scott Barlow and Mark Leiter Jr., both of whom are different pitchers, came over via free agency. Barlow does have some closing experience, and also generated jam shots and weak contact.

However, arguably the most notable addition was Jeff McNeil. McNeil was acquired in a cash dump trade with the Mets over the winter.

A former National League batting champion, McNeil was one of MLB’s most valuable contact hitters before the shift ban. Since then, the former All-Star has turned into more of a fly-ball hitter, even though he still makes plenty of contact.

Second base was a question mark heading into the winter. Now, the A’s have a more viable replacement to play second for 2026.

Losses

• SP Osvaldo Bido
• OF JJ Bleday
• RP Grant Holman
• RP Jose Leclerc
• RP Scott McGough
• RP Sean Newcomb
• SP/RP Mitch Spence
• SP Ken Waldichuk

Sean Newcomb was the big name to leave Sacramento over the winter. Newcomb went into free agency after a fantastic 2025 out of the Athletics bullpen and parlayed that into a deal with the Chicago White Sox.

Aside from Newcomb, many of the names listed above were once high-value players who’ve had their ups and downs over the past few seasons.

Mitch Spence was a former Rule 5 Draft pick who made 24 starts for the Athletics in 2024. However, Spence was moved to the bullpen in 2025 and ultimately traded away to the Royals.

JJ Bleday, like Spence, had a good 2024 season. Bleday hit 20 home runs and 67 extra-base hits, a career season for a former first-round pick who looked to have worked his way into a regular role at the MLB level. Unfortunately for Bleday, pitchers adjusted to him — and he didn’t respond well. Bleday saw more soft stuff, didn’t hit, and ultimately lost playing time to the depth that the A’s have amassed as far as outfielders are concerned.

Bleday signed with the Reds after he was cut loose.

Osvaldo Bido and Ken Waldichuk were also promising pitchers for the team. However, both were cut, and both moved around a lot over the winter.

Overview

The Athletics’ offseason was less focused on free agents and more on locking up their core. Jacob Wilson and Tyler Soderstrom both received multi-year extensions, buying out free agent years and assuring that the core will be intact when the team moves to Las Vegas and beyond.

With all the hitting talent in the organization, both in the Minors and on the MLB roster, it will be up to the pitching staff to move things forward for the Athletics. Civale should help fill out a rotation that’ll tentatively include Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, and the young arms that’ll fill the rest out.