A's Hoping Luis Severino Chooses to Stay

The Athletics would like to remain in the Luis Severino business, interim GM Dan Feinstein said in the team's end-of-season press conference. The 32-year-old right-hander has a player option attached to his contract for the 2027 season, valued at $22 million. A decision from Severino will need to be made within five days of the end of the World Series.

"We hope to have Sevvy back," Feinstein said. "That's ultimately his decision. We've enjoyed having him here." 

After a tough first season with the A's where he posted a 4.54 ERA (4.11 FIP) that included a 6.01 ERA at home in Sacramento, Severino was slightly more consistent in 2026, posting a 5.33 ERA at Sutter Health Park and a 4.16 ERA (4.47 FIP) overall. His season also ended in May due to a right shoulder strain.

By the end of the season he had completed bullpen sessions and would have been close to the point where he could go out on a rehab assignment, but he and the A's just ran out of season before it could happen. 

While the numbers don't scream top-of-the-rotation starter, he was able to consistently get through five innings for the A's this season, and it helps explain how the team's ERA went from a 4.38 (4.76 FIP) through May 30, ranking them 23rd overall in that span, to a 6.14 ERA (5.04 FIP) from that point forward, ranking 30th. His injury wasn't the only factor in the drop-off, but it was certainly one of them. 

The big difference is that Severino was able to eat innings consistently, which kept those innings away from the bullpen arms. When Severino went down, there was one fewer starter that could be relied upon to get them those five frames other than J.T. Ginn. Severino made 12 starts and finished the year with 62 ⅔ innings.

Severino was vocal about the home ballpark in Sacramento and may be jumping at the chance to get out of there, but there is also expected to be a lockout this offseason, which means less negotiating time for free agents. For a guy like Severino, who was hurt for the final four months of 2026 and has been roughly league average for two seasons, that guaranteed $22 million could be tough to pass up.

If he declined his option, that would leave him with about a month to find a new home before baseball shuts down on Dec. 1. When the 2022 lockout ended, players had three days to get to spring training, with games beginning seven days later. The timeline crunch is real. 

Still, he could take a deal with a lower average annual value, say two years and $30 million, and make more overall while getting out of Sacramento. Of course, that is speculation, and teams' actual appetite may vary. 

After the World Series, Severino will have five days to make a decision that will dictate how the A's move forward this offseason.