Former New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino signs with the Sacramento A’s for three years in a deal worth $67 million on Thu Dec 5, 2024 (AP file photo)

A’s most expensive player

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Ex-New York Yankee pitcher Luis Severino agreed to a 3-year, $67 million contract with the Oakland A’s. The A’s made franchise history with their most expensive signing. This surpasses Eric Chávez’s 2004 contract of 6 years and $66 million in 2004.

Severino, a nine-year veteran born in the Dominican Republic, will become the number one starter for the A’s rotation in 2025. Luis Severino’s best season with the Yankees was 2018, when he ended with a 19-8 record and 3.39 ERA, starting 31 games and 191 innings.

Other popular Latino players with the A’s,(Cubans both) José Canseco had a five year contract with Oakland A’s for $23 million and Yoenis Céspedes, who began his career in Oakland, but made all his money later with other teams specially signing a $110 million deal with the New York Mets. He was a very popular player with Oakland A’s fans, but for some inexplicable reason(maybe money) the A’s let him go.

Severino is an  established pitcher who the team hopes can help other younger pitchers to support a good nucleus of young players. Some of those younger position players have been mentioned by other teams, but the A’s want to keep them as a winning group.

The A’s were interested in pitcher Walker Buehler from the LA Dodgers, but according to manager Mark Kotsay, Buehler did not show much interest leaving the World Champion Dodgers going to Sacramento. The deal would surpass the club’s previous most lucrative contract it gave out to Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez in 2004