BREAKING NEWS: Oakland Athletics Acquire Another Top Star In Blockbuster Trade
The Oakland Athletics are continuing their efforts to bolster their pitching staff, as they’ve recently finalized a deal to acquire T.J. McFarland from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations. This move comes after the Athletics already brought in two veterans from the San Francisco Giants earlier in the offseason.
In 2023, the Athletics had the dubious distinction of possessing the worst pitching staff in Major League Baseball, as evidenced by various metrics such as ERA. While the team made efforts to address this issue by adding a few budget-friendly arms, injuries during spring training have quickly eroded much of the depth they had built up.
https://twitter.com/explore?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1772718991036825687%7Ctwgr%5E54f512bba07f4509bab51922ad40dcaa033b1b80%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flastwordonsports.com%2Fbaseball%2F2024%2F03%2F26%2Foakland-athletics-acquire-tj-mcfarland%2F
With the acquisition of McFarland, the Athletics aim to shore up their bullpen depth. McFarland will be integrated into both the active roster and the 40-man roster immediately, providing additional support for the team’s pitching corps.
Oakland Athletics Acquire T.J. McFarlandc
T.J. McFarland boasts an extensive career spanning 11 big league seasons with five different teams, including a previous stint with the Oakland Athletics in 2020. However, the 34-year-old southpaw’s journey hit some rough patches, notably in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he struggled significantly.
Veteran LHP T.J. McFarland has completely changed his slider as he tries to make the Mets' roster as an NRI.
• Career horizontal break: 5 inches
• Mets debut: 21-inch sweeperLast year's slider had a 16.7% whiff rate. Similar pitches to the new one (velo/mvmt) were above 30%. pic.twitter.com/OXEtsxXS9k
— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) February 28, 2023
Following his challenging 2022 season, McFarland underwent significant adjustments, refining his mechanics and fine-tuning his slider to enhance his effectiveness on the mound. Although he had limited opportunities at the major league level in 2023, spending most of the season in Triple-A with the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, his improvements showed promise, particularly in the minors.
During his time in Triple-A, McFarland showcased his capabilities, posting an impressive 2.30 ERA over 62 2/3 innings while maintaining a solid strikeout rate of 10.8 batters per nine innings. This performance caught the attention of the Los Angeles Dodgers, leading to his signing on a minor league deal this past winter.
Throughout the spring, McFarland continued to impress, demonstrating a 1.53 ERA in 6 2/3 innings pitched. However, despite his solid performance, the Dodgers’ roster constraints prevented him from securing a spot on the major league team. With veterans like McFarland often having opt-out clauses at the end of spring training, he would likely have exercised this option soon.
Fortunately for McFarland, recent injuries within the Oakland Athletics bullpen created openings. Free agent acquisition Trevor Gott underwent Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the entire season, while left-handers Sean Newcomb and Scott Alexander are set to miss time due to knee and rib injuries, respectively. The Athletics seized the opportunity to acquire McFarland, recognizing his potential contribution to fill the void left by the injured pitchers. With these developments, McFarland now has a chance to make his mark and secure a spot in the major leagues once again.
How This Deal Impacts McFarland’s Service Time
With 8.050 years of service time under his belt, T.J. McFarland falls short of reaching the significant 10-year milestone for players, which holds various benefits such as earning a full pension from the union. Although he won’t achieve this milestone in the 2024 season, McFarland has the opportunity to remain with the struggling Oakland Athletics throughout the year, accruing more service time.
The Athletics’ decision to acquire McFarland stems from a lack of superior options within the organization. Given the team’s current circumstances and low expectations for the season, they are likely to afford McFarland a longer leash than a more competitive squad would. Consequently, the Athletics may not hastily release him after a few poor outings, providing him with opportunities to rebound and perform well.
If McFarland can capitalize on these chances and deliver solid performances, he could position himself for a guaranteed contract next offseason. This would pave the way for him to surpass the 10-year milestone in 2025, marking a significant achievement in his career.