A’s Lose First Three Players to Free Agency, Facing Challenges in the Bullpen
The MLB offseason has officially begun following the completion of the World Series, and the Oakland Athletics are already dealing with their first wave of free-agent departures. On Sunday, 137 players were made free agents, and three of those were members of the A’s.
The most significant loss for Oakland is left-handed pitcher Sean Newcomb. In his 36 appearances over 51 1/3 innings, Newcomb posted a strong 1.75 ERA. He started the season with the Boston Red Sox, even earning a spot in their starting rotation, but was traded to the A’s in late May as the team was in the midst of a tough 1-20 stretch.
Newcomb has spent parts of the last three seasons with Oakland and could still be an option for the A’s as a left-handed reliever. He has expressed interest in returning to the club, praising the chemistry in the clubhouse and the team’s potential moving forward. However, he also mentioned wanting the chance to start again if another team offers him that opportunity in free agency, which may not align with the A’s needs. Replacing Newcomb’s reliable bullpen performance could be one of the more understated challenges for the A’s this offseason.
The other two free agents from Oakland are also bullpen arms, but neither is expected to be a major loss.
José Leclerc, signed by the A’s in January for $10 million, struggled in his brief tenure. The right-hander pitched just 9 innings over 10 appearances with a 6.00 ERA in 2025. His season started poorly, giving up a game-tying home run and then a go-ahead shot in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on opening day. Leclerc was then sidelined with a lat strain in late April and missed the remainder of the season. His signing, which led to Will Klein being designated for assignment, might have inadvertently helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win a World Series title.
The final free agent is right-hander Scott McGough. The A’s signed him to a minor-league deal in June after he was DFA’d by the Arizona Diamondbacks. McGough spent most of the season with Triple-A Las Vegas, where he posted a solid 3.00 ERA over 27 innings. In September, he was called up to the majors, making six appearances and pitching nine innings with a 7.00 ERA. While he struck out 11 and walked just one batter, he allowed 12 hits in his brief time with the A’s.
With these three players now off the 40-man roster, the A’s currently have 43 players on it, leaving them with some decisions to make ahead of the November 21 non-tender deadline.
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