After Civale signing, who will fill A's final 2 rotation spots?

MESA, Ariz. – High atop the offseason wish list for the Athletics was adding an experienced starting pitcher. It took until the final day before Spring Training, but they finally accomplished that goal by signing right-hander Aaron Civale to a one-year deal on Tuesday.

In Civale, the A’s get a third veteran starter alongside Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs. That trio solidifies three-fifths of their rotation with known commodities that bring a combined total of 387 Major League starts to the table.

“To have three guys that have had five or six-plus years of success in the big leagues, that brings stability,” manager Mark Kotsay said on Wednesday as A’s pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training. “We haven’t had that. … That’s something that’s important. You have confidence in knowing that they’re going to go out there and find a way to get through five or six innings, compete and give you a chance to win.”

Assuming health, Severino, Springs and Civale are locks for the rotation. Kotsay indicated that the other two rotation spots, however, are up for grabs entering camp.

“It’s definitely an open competition,” Kotsay said. “I think we do have some depth this year that we haven’t had in the past.”

That depth begins with Luis Morales, who got his first call to the Majors last season as a top prospect and impressed over his 10 games (nine starts) by posting a 3.14 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings.

If we’re ranking rotation candidates for the final two spots, Morales likely tops that list based on what he showed as a rookie.

“To get Morales up at the end of the year and to see what he was able to accomplish, it’s not going to be his first time [in the big leagues], which is important,” Kotsay said. “He’s going to gain confidence from what he did last year.”

After Morales, Jacob Lopez is likely the next top contender. His 113 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings last season were seventh-most among Major League rookies, and the left-hander really put it together over the second half. In 13 starts leading up to his Aug. 24 outing against the Mariners -- which ended after just two innings and led to him being shut down for the rest of the season due to a forearm injury -- Lopez posted a 2.17 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 21 walks over 70 2/3 innings.

Lopez is slightly behind the other pitchers entering camp as he recovers from the forearm issue, though he is still expected to get a full workload this spring.

Beyond Lopez, the A’s have no shortage of options in camp. J.T. Ginn, Jack Perkins, Mason Barnett and Gunnar Hoglund each made big league starts in ‘25. Top prospects such as Gage Jump (No. 3 prospect), Jamie Arnold (No. 2), Braden Nett (No. 4) and Kade Morris (No. 14) are all taking part in big league camp, and all four stand a solid chance of making their Major League debut at some point this season.

Regardless of how the Opening Day rotation shakes out, the A’s know they’ll need more than five starters to get through a whole season. So, whoever ends up in the Minors to begin the year could still certainly make an impact later in the year. In fact, the A’s are counting on that being the case.

One thing is certain: If the A’s are going to improve upon their 76-win total from last season and make a serious playoff push, they will need more from their rotation, which combined for a 4.85 ERA that ranked fourth-highest in the Majors in ‘25.

Heading into ‘26, the A’s feel much better about their starting pitching group than they did a year ago.

“You can’t have enough depth,” Kotsay said. “We know that. We’ve been through it. … I’m really excited about the young guys. All these young arms that are in camp have this opportunity to leave an impression, whether they break with us or not.”