The A's and free agent righty Luis Severino agreed to a three-year, $67 million contract Reports ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal includes a $10 million signing bonus and $57 million in salary over three years, according to Russell Dorsey of Yahoo adds. Severino can leave after the second year of his contract, per passerby. Severino is represented by Klutch Sports.
It will come as a shock to many if the nomadic A's, who will play at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento (home of the Giants' Triple-A affiliate) next year, land a notable free agent with a hefty multi-year contract. They are in the process of moving to Las Vegas and have reportedly been aggressively pursuing free agents to bolster a payroll that entered the offseason without a single contract in 2025. Some free agents – Walker Buhler underneath – have completely rejected the idea of playing at a minor league facility. However, with the target salary range being in the $100 million range, there has long been a possibility that the A's could be a surprise player in free agency. Darragh McDonald of MLBTR explored it Such an opportunity was discussed in detail last month.
The general consensus has been that the A's will have to overpay to acquire top free agents this winter. Indeed, Severino's contract terms indicate a clear willingness to spend far beyond market expectations to lure free agents to their new homes. Severino's deal includes a larger guarantee than most expected And an opt-out option. Because he declined a qualifying offer from the Mets, Severino will cost the A's their third-highest pick in next year's draft. He will also give the Mets a compensatory pick, albeit only between the fourth and fifth rounds, as they are considered luxury taxpayers.
The target payroll of $100 million likely comes from the Athletics' status as a revenue-sharing recipient. The franchise was stripped of its revenue-sharing benefits over the last decade after it failed to use those funds to improve its local product as required. The 2022-26 collective bargaining agreement reinstated the A's as revenue-sharing recipients, and they have since spent modestly in free agency to keep payroll at least on par with the other lowest-spending clubs in the league. The deal with Severino signals a willingness to spend some more money. Incredibly, it is the largest contract in franchise history, nominally surpassing the six-year, $66 million contract extension signed by the third baseman Eric Chavez more than two decades ago.
Severino, 31, will immediately jump to the top of the A's rotation. He's likely eligible to start on Opening Day unless another significant acquisition occurs through free agency or trade. He will lead a staff that currently includes projects JP Sears, Mitch Spence And Joey Estes. The A's have a number of internal candidates for the fifth spot, although the Severino deal obviously opens the door for GM David Forst to sign/trade another big-name starter to further solidify the squad.
More will follow.
