Having recently turned 33, Wood, who spent the last three seasons with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play in the Bay Area for the Athletics’ final season in Oakland. Originally selected in the second round of the 2012 draft by Atlanta, he established himself as a reliable mid-rotation pitcher for the Braves and Giants, boasting a 3.29 ERA (117 ERA+) and a 3.36 FIP over 803 1/3 innings from 2013 to 2018.
However, Wood’s trajectory faced challenges after being traded to the Cincinnati Reds in a multi-player deal that included Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, he struggled, making only 16 appearances and recording a 5.96 ERA along with a 6.02 FIP across 48 1/3 innings.
Despite enduring a pair of injury-ridden seasons, the Giants took a gamble on Wood, and their decision paid off almost immediately. In 2021, the left-handed pitcher made 26 starts for San Francisco, posting a 3.83 ERA and a 3.48 FIP across 138 2/3 innings. This performance contributed to the Giants’ remarkable 107-win season and their first division title since 2012. In recognition of his contributions, Wood was awarded a two-year, $25 million contract in the offseason.
However, Wood’s second stint with the Giants in 2022 did not replicate the success of the previous year. Despite promising peripheral numbers, such as a career-best 5.4% walk rate and solid strikeout and grounder rates, he struggled to a 5.10 ERA in 26 starts. This led the team to utilize Wood as a hybrid starter and bulk reliever in 2023. Despite recording more than 12 outs in a game only three times after June, he faced challenges in this dual role, ending the season with a middling 4.33 ERA and a 4.47 FIP.
Unlike the previous year, Wood’s peripheral statistics in 2023 aligned with the underwhelming results. His walk rate increased to 9.8%, while his strikeout rate declined to just 17.2%.
Despite facing challenges in the last two seasons, the addition of Wood could provide a significant boost to the Athletics, who suffered a 112-loss season in 2023, partly due to a pitching rotation that ended the year with a collective ERA of 5.74 – the worst among MLB teams not playing at Coors Field. Even with Wood’s reduced production, with a 4.77 ERA and 4.07 FIP over the past two seasons, it represents a noteworthy improvement over the team’s 2023 performance.
If Wood manages to regain the mid-rotation form he exhibited earlier in his career, he could become a valuable asset for the Athletics, potentially becoming a trade piece at the deadline as the team continues its rebuilding efforts. For now, Wood is expected to join JP Sears and Paul Blackburn in the Oakland rotation, with Luis Medina, Joe Boyle, and Joey Estes among the candidates to fill out the starting five.
This acquisition further narrows the options for teams seeking starting pitching in the market. While impact options like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remain available, the pool of free-agent pitchers is diminishing, with Michael Lorenzen and Hyun Jin Ryu among the remaining options after the top-tier left-handers.
The Athletics, who have expressed intentions to increase payroll over their 2023 figure, have some financial flexibility. Based on initial projections, the team’s payroll for 2024 is estimated to be a modest $41 million, leaving room for potential additions to the rotation or assistance, perhaps at shortstop, leading up to spring training next month. However, it is noted that the team is unlikely to engage in higher-tier free-agent signings.
