The Athletics’ 2026 season had plenty of rough edges, but when it came to pitching, a few arms gave the club something to build on. The bullpen was inconsistent overall, yet Mark Kotsay still had several relievers he could trust, and one starter separated himself from everyone else on the staff.
Luis Medina was one of the bright spots. He opened the year on the roster only because he was out of options, and after coming into the season without a clear role, he ended up turning in a solid 3.08 ERA across 73 innings.
Hogan Harris also gave the A’s steady work out of the bullpen. A former starter who has settled in as a relief weapon, the left-hander posted a 3.33 ERA in 70.1 innings and was used mostly in high-leverage spots. That usage helped him collect 17 saves.
Elvis Alvarado was another dependable arm, especially as the season wore on. The hard-throwing reliever finished with a 3.90 ERA, but after some early struggles he found his footing and was particularly effective over the final month.
Still, the top pitching performance belonged to J.T. Ginn.
No one would have pegged him for the staff’s MVP before the season, but he emerged as the A’s ace. Ginn was passed over for the All-Star team this summer, then kept taking the ball and giving the club a chance.
That mattered even more after Luis Severino went down with an injury early in the year and Jeffrey Springs struggled. With no real veteran anchor in the rotation, Ginn became the guy. He closed out 2026 with a 3.71 ERA in 138.1 innings, and while an injury near the end of the season cost him some work, he still made enough starts and logged enough quality innings to keep games close for Oakland.
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