The Athletics' Pitching MVP in the 2026 Season

Even though the A's pitching staff had their ups and downs, there were still a few arms that were huge contributors to the team this season.

Jul 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Athletics pitching coach Dan Hubbs (right) with manager Mark Kotsay against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The A's rough 2026 season is done, and there were a lot of positive and negative takeaways from the season. Unfortunately, the A's were unable to hold onto their first-place spot in the division from earlier in the summer, and they are not playing in October baseball.

Even though it seemed like a year filled with negatives, the team actually got some positive play from a few different arms, so it feels right to award a pitching MVP for the A's this season.

Honorable Mentions: The A's Bullpen Trio

Aug 14, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Luis Medina (46) throws a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Although the A's inconsistent bullpen was a huge factor in the team's struggles, there were actually a few really strong arms that Mark Kotsay could turn to in the bullpen.

Luis Medina, as we have discussed, had a really strong season for the team. Heading into the season, he was a starter who didn't really have a role on the team, but cracked the Opening Day roster only because he was out of options. He'd finish with a strong 3.08 ERA in 73 innings.

Sep 25, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris (36) throws a pitch against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hogan Harris was also a consistent arm for the A's over the course of the season. He was also a failed starter for the team, and now has found himself as a key contributor in the bullpen. The southpaw posted a 3.33 ERA in 70.1 innings and pitched mainly in high-leverage situations. This led to him racking up 17 saves for the team.

One of the only other reliable arms in Mark Kotsay's bullpen was Elvis Alvarado. The flamethrower finished with a 3.90 ERA, but was very strong over the last month of the season. He ran into some struggles early on, but really pulled things together in the second half.

2026 Athletics' Pitching MVP: J.T. Ginn

Aug 15, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) throws a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The MVP for the A's pitching staff in the 2026 season has to be J.T. Ginn. Heading into the season, nobody could have expected Ginn to be the team's MVP, but he truly served as the team's ace this season.

Ginn was snubbed from the All-Star team this summer, and he took it upon himself to remain the team's ace over the course of the season.

Jul 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) gestures after giving up one hit against the Washington Nationals after seven innings at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The team lost Luis Severino to injury early on, and since Jeffrey Springs wasn't so hot this season, there were really no experienced leaders in the rotation. Having Ginn in the rotation next year will be super nice, especially if they can add a few more strong starters as well.

Ginn would finish his 2026 campaign with a 3.71 ERA in 138.1 innings for the team. His injury towards the end of the season cut off some innings for him, but overall he was able to stay pretty healthy and made plenty of starts to keep games close for the A's.