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Aug 6, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Athletics relief pitcher Sean Newcomb (31) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

A's Lose First Three Players to Free Agency

Originally posted on Oakland Athletics on SI
By Jason Burke | Last updated Nov 3, 2025 10:00 AM ET

With the World Series now complete, the Major League Baseball offseason is underway, and it's not going to stop for anyone. On Sunday, 137 players became free agents, and three of those players finished the year in the clubhouse with the Athletics.

The most impactful departure for the A's will end up being left-hander Sean Newcomb, who put up a 1.75 ERA across 36 appearances that spanned 51 1/3 innings with the club. Newcomb had begun the season with the Boston Red Sox, even making the starting rotation to begin the year, but was traded to the Athletics towards the end of May, with the team in the middle of their 1-20 run.

The A's could still use a left-handed relief pitcher, and they are plenty familiar with Newcomb, as he has spend parts of each of the last three seasons with the A's. During the season, he said he'd be very open to returning to the club, because he likes the guys in the clubhouse and believes in the direction of the roster in the near future.

He also mentioned a desire to try and start again, if the opportunity arose with an interested team in free agency, which may not be how the A's decide to utilize him. He's been a terrific relief pitcher for the A's in his time with the club.

Figuring out how to replace Newcomb's experience and performance out of the bullpen could be an underrated task of the A's offseason.

The A's other two free agents this winter are also coming out of the bullpen, but A's fans aren't terribly attached to either.

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The first is José Leclerc, who signed with the A's in January for $10 million, which led to right-hander Will Klein being designated for assignment. That signing by the A's may have helped win the Los Angeles Dodgers another World Series.

Leclerc ended up appearing in 10 games, pitching nine innings, and holding a 6.00 ERA in 2025. In the first game of the season, he came on in the bottom of the eighth with the A's clinging to a 2-1 lead in which Tyler Soderstrom's two solo homers were the team's entire offense.

In the bottom of the eighth, Leclerc gave up the game-tying shot to Randy Arozarena, walked Luke Raley, and then gave up the go-ahead shot to Jorge Polanco. By the end of April, Leclerc was on the IL with a right lat strain, and he'd miss the rest of the season.

The final player that has elected free agency from the Athletics is right-hander Scott McGough, whom the club signed to a minor-league deal back in June after he was designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and elected free agency.

McGough ended up tossing 27 innings with Triple-A Las Vegas across 19 outings, and held a 3.00 ERA in the process. He'd stay with the Aviators until September 1, when the A's would call him up as rosters expanded. He would make six appearances spanning nine innings, and put up a 7.00 ERA. He struck out 11 and walked just one in that span, but he also gave up 12 hits.

With these three leaving the A's 40-man roster, the club now has 43 players on the 40-man, with the non-tender deadline looming just a couple of weeks away on November 21.

This article first appeared on Oakland Athletics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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