After finishing with one of the better records in the American League over the second half of 2024, the Athletics entered this offseason looking to add pitching in order to help their young squad take a big step forward in '25.

Making a significant splash that perhaps no one outside the organization saw coming, the A¡¯s bolstered their rotation on Friday by reaching agreement with right-hander Luis Severino on a 2-year deal with a player option for 2027. The deal, which could total $67 million and includes a $10 million signing bonus, a source told MLB.com, is the largest guaranteed contract handed out by the A¡¯s in franchise history, surpassing the six-year, $66 million contract extension for third baseman Eric Chavez in 2004.

As one of the better right-handers available on the free-agent market, Severino vaults to the top of the A¡¯s rotation as their likely No. 1 starter. He joins a projected rotation that includes a durable left-hander in JP Sears, along with right-handers Joey Estes and Mitch Spence, both of whom showed promise last season as rookies. With relatively unproven arms like J.T. Ginn, Osvaldo Bido, Joe Boyle and Brady Basso as the current options to round out the rotation, the A¡¯s could still seek to add another starter via trade or free agency.

Severino, who turns 31 in February, bounced back this year with the Mets following a string of injury-riddled seasons with the Yankees. In what was his first full season since 2018, Severino made 31 starts and posted a 3.91 ERA with 161 strikeouts in 182 innings. His four-seamer averaged 96.2 mph in 2024 -- but he is definitely a different pitcher than the hard-throwing budding ace from his early Yankees days. Now relying more on soft contact than whiffs, he¡¯s incorporated a hard sinker and an excellent sweeper against which opponents hit .139 last season.

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Originally signed by the Yankees as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in December 2011, Severino reached the big leagues in 2015 and truly burst onto the scene in 2017, when he went 14-6 with a 2.98 ERA (152 ERA+) and racked up 230 strikeouts in 193 1/3 innings. He earned his first All-Star selection that year and finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting behind winner Corey Kluber and runner-up Chris Sale.

Because Severino received and turned down a qualifying offer from the Mets last month and his deal exceeds $50 million, the A¡¯s will lose their third-highest 2025 MLB Draft pick, while New York receives a compensatory 2025 Draft pick between the fourth and fifth rounds.

While Severino¡¯s injury history prior to a healthy 2024 raises some concern, the A¡¯s knew starting pitching would come at a premium this winter. Why were they willing to pay the richest contract in the illustrious 123-year history of the franchise? Because of the optimism formed around a young group of players that helped the A¡¯s finish the 2024 season with a record of 39-37 after July 1.

The A¡¯s have identified their potential next core of winning baseball with players such as Mason Miller, Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday, Shea Langeliers, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom. Also looming are A¡¯s No. 1 prospect (MLB No. 24) Jacob Wilson, who ended the season as the club¡¯s everyday shortstop, and No. 2 prospect (MLB No. 45) Nick Kurtz, who reached as high as Double-A Midland not long after the A¡¯s took the first baseman fourth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Now comes supplementing that core with improvements like Severino to address their offseason needs and help the A¡¯s take a big step towards getting back into playoff contention.