The Oakland A’s are making moves as they prepare for the upcoming season, sending right-hander Joey Estes down to Triple-A. With a crowded field of pitchers vying for a spot on the big league roster, Estes was a long shot.
Last season, he made a brief appearance in the majors, pitching just 11 innings, and struggled in Triple-A with a 5.51 ERA over 15 starts and two relief outings. His time in the Cactus League this spring was limited to 2 2/3 innings.
Estes, 24, joined the A’s in the trade that sent Matt Olson to Atlanta, a deal that also brought in Shea Langeliers, Cristian Pache, and Ryan Cusick. Over parts of three MLB seasons, Estes has matched his Triple-A ERA of 5.51, with a modest 16.3% strikeout rate across 148 1/3 innings.
While he boasts strong command with a career 5.4% walk rate, his tendency to allow fly balls and lack of velocity have made him vulnerable to home runs. Primarily used as a starter, Estes is entering his final minor league option year, which might prompt the A’s to consider a bullpen role for him.
As spring training progresses, manager Mark Kotsay has two rotation spots up for grabs. Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, and new signee Aaron Civale are locked in, leaving competition for the remaining slots.
Luis Morales, a hard-throwing righty, hasn’t dominated this spring, giving up eight runs on 16 hits and seven walks with 10 strikeouts in 12 innings. Despite that, he's expected to secure a rotation spot, thanks in part to a promising rookie season where he posted a 3.14 ERA over 48 2/3 innings, averaging 97.3 mph on his fastball.
Morales has three minor league option years left, offering the A’s flexibility if he struggles. He’s under team control for at least six more seasons, which gives the A’s plenty of time to develop him further.
Another pitcher in the mix is lefty Jacob Lopez, who is vying for the fifth rotation spot. Acquired in the same trade as Springs, Lopez put up a 4.08 ERA with a strong 28.3% strikeout rate over 92 2/3 innings last season.
Although a forearm issue slowed him early in camp, he recently made his spring debut. He’ll have a couple more weeks to prove his worth for a rotation spot.
Lopez has one minor league option year left, which the A’s will likely use only if necessary.
Keep an eye on top prospect Gage Jump, a 22-year-old lefty who’s been turning heads this spring. His fastball velocity has jumped to 96 mph, topping out at 98.5 mph.
Last season, Jump impressed in High-A and Double-A, sporting a 3.28 ERA and a 28.4% strikeout rate over 112 2/3 innings. Regarded as one of baseball’s top left-handed pitching prospects, Jump isn’t on the 40-man roster yet, but his potential debut this season could shake things up.
While it might be a stretch for Jump to break camp with the team, his trajectory suggests a 2026 debut is on the horizon, assuming he stays healthy and continues his upward trend. If Jump makes the leap, he could be a key piece for the A’s, potentially even earning them a future draft pick through MLB’s prospect promotion incentive program.