Two Former Pitchers Athletics Could Reunite With This Offseason
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One clear need for the Athletics this offseason is pitching. As for the A's lineup, they are pretty set in most spots. However, it is very difficult to win games with a lackluster pitching staff.
Starting pitching was inconsistent throughout the season, and because the team has to play another season at the minor league site in West Sacramento, convincing a top starter on the open market to sign there may be tough.
This means the team will likely need to make trades to land starting pitching. When the A's hire their new GM, they will need to find a way to lure in veteran relievers to bring more experience to a young bullpen.
The A's did get some production out of a few unexpected candidates like Scott Blewett and Luis Medina. However, relying on their limited MLB experience heading into a playoff-hopeful 2027 season probably isn't ideal.
A's Could Reunite With Sean Newcomb
Probably one of the biggest bright spots in the 2025 A's season was their bullpen. The team had more than half the season with baseball's best closer, Mason Miller, before he was traded to San Diego.
Among the most productive relievers during that season was Hartford left-hander Sean Newcomb. Newcomb has already had two different stints with the A's. He was with the team from 2023 to 2024, then joined the Red Sox at the start of the 2025 season.
He joined the A's later in the 2025 season and was Mark Kotsay's most trusted arm coming out of the bullpen. Newcomb posted an unreal 1.75 ERA with the A's in 2025. This means he is no stranger to success pitching in West Sacramento.
The 10-year MLB veteran spent his 2026 season with the Chicago White Sox. He pitched in 90.1 innings for the Southside and posted a 3.09 ERA. He is now focused on his playoff run with the Sox before hitting the open market after the postseason. Because of his past success with the A's and his ability to be a great reliever, he's the perfect free-agent candidate for the club.
AJ Puk Could Also Rejoin A's Organization
Once upon a time, AJ Puk was a prized prospect for the A's, selected sixth overall back in 2016. The southpaw debuted in 2019 and pitched to a 3.18 ERA with the Green and Gold in just 11.1 innings.
After missing time due to injury in 2020 and struggling in just 13 innings in 2021, Puk seemed to need a healthy season to prove himself. He did just that in 2022, posting a 3.12 ERA in 66.1 innings. After the season, he was dealt to Miami in the deal that made JJ Bleday an Athletic.
The left-hander would pitch in parts of two seasons with Miami before heading to Arizona in the back end of the 2024 season. In his 27.1 innings in Arizona in 2024, he posted a strong 1.32 ERA. He only pitched eight innings in 2025 and missed the entire 2026 season with an injury.
It's certainly scary to bet on a guy who hasn't pitched more than 10 innings in over two years, but Puk has proved he has the stuff when he's healthy. If anything, he'll be a cheap option for the A's this offseason, and he can have a very high ceiling.
If the A's can sign him to a minor league deal and he doesn't pan out, or can't stay healthy, there is no harm. Since Puk is only 31, he's still young enough to turn back into the elite reliever he's supposed to be.
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Dylan Quinn grew up playing baseball, and also enjoyed watching and writing about his favorite team, the A’s. Being a diehard A’s fan from New Jersey is certainly not common, but he loves the team and all of the current and former players so much. Quinn currently attends school at Penn State Scranton where he plays baseball.
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