While uncertainty and turmoil may characterize discussion of the future location of the Oakland Athletics, the team has a stronger starting pitching rotation and a more competitive lineup in 2024 than in 2023. The team reminds me of the Mariners in that there are many new players in their lineup, infield, and outfield.
Mariners vs Athletics: Starting Pitching
The Mariners will see several familiar pitchers on the Athletics: Paul Blackburn, JP Sears, Kyle Muller, and Ken Waldichuk. Oakland now has two starting pitchers from their neighbor across the bay, the San Francisco Giants: Alex Wood and Ross Stripling. Wood and Stripling are expected to lead the Oakland rotation. Wood has 11 years and Stripling has eight years of MLB experience, each with multiple teams. Together with Oakland veteran, Paul Blackburn, they will be important mentors to the pitchers in their mid-twenties.
Oakland has nine pitchers listed in the starting pitcher category. I like that they have four lefties and five right-handed pitchers. As amazing as the 2024 Mariners pitchers are, they are exclusively right-handed.
There are some new pitchers. Joe Boyle is a 6'7" starting RHP out of Notre Dame. He made his MLB debut with three scoreless innings on September 17, 2023, so the Mariners have not played against him. 6'5" Mason Miller debuted on April 19, 202,3 at 24. Baseball-Reference projects that he will have a 3.78 ERA in the coming season.
The Mariners projected cumulative ERA for starting pitchers is 3.95. Oakland’s cumulative ERA is 4.61. Seattle still has a very elite group of starting pitchers. This is the only area where Seattle has the advantage, statistically.
Mariners vs Athletics: Relief Pitching
Oakland brought in some new relief pitchers and currently lists 10 pitchers in their Depth Chart. They range in age from 22-year-old Joey Estes to 31-year-old Trevor Gott who pitched part of the 2023 season with Seattle and the other part with the Mets.
RHP Zach Johnson earned a 2.5 ERA after throwing 39 innings this past season. Mitch Spence is a 25-year-old Kirkland, WA native who will debut. Zach Jackson had a 2.5 ERA in 2023 after pitching in 19 games. (Jackson was rehabbing from a right flexor tendon strain in July 2023 and then had acute appendicitis. His return is unknown as of 8/1/2023.) Baseball Reference anticipates that the Seattle pitchers will have a cumulative ERA of 4.04 and the Oakland relief pitchers will have a cumulative ERA of 4.06. Seattle has no numerical advantage here.
Seattle Mariners v Oakland Athletics / Ezra Shaw/GettyImages
Mariners vs Athletics: The Lineup
Oakland has made even more changes in their lineup than Seattle. These are the shifts from the players forecasted to start in 2024.
Catcher: Shea Langeliers (last year listed as DH) 1B: Ryan Noda rather than Jesus Aguilar 2B: Zach Gelof rather than Tony Kemp 3B: Jordan Diaz rather than Jonah Bride SS: The same, Aledmys Diaz LF: The same, Seth Brown CF: Esteury Ruiz rather than Christian Pache RF: The same, Brent Rooker DH: Tyler Soderstrom rather than Shea Langeliers
Brent Rooker caught my eye last season, his first with Oakland. He had a batting average of .246, an OPS of .817, and 30 home runs. Zach Gelof is another promising player. Gelof debuted in July 2023 and had a strong season with a BA of .267, an OPS of .840, and 14 home runs. MLB Network's The Shredder names Zach as the 9th-best player in the "Top 10 Second Baseman".
the Mariners have no advantage over the Athletics in the projected cumulative batting average, according to B-R. The Mariners have .245 and Oakland has .241.
Mariners vs Athletics: Substitute and Utility Players
I have Dylan Moore, Luis Urias, Sam Haggerty, and Dominic Canzone listed in this category for the Mariners. Urias may start at third base. I do not know. Their cumulative BA is .237. One of my colleagues recently wrote that he thinks that some of these utility players may be cut.
Oakland lists Carlos Perez, Kyle McCann, Lawrence Butler, Nick Allen, and JJ Bleday (I like this name). Their cumulative batting average is .231. Seattle has no advantage here either.
Statistically, the Mariners and Athletics have a similar chance to win games. The Seattle starting pitchers give our team an advantage. Last year, the Athletics did terribly, The Mariners beat them 12 games to one, outscoring the Athletics by a combined total of 68-25. This year, the Mariners will play the Athletics May 10-12 at home; June 4-7 there; September 2-5 there; and the last three games of the regular season at home, September 27-29.
Who knows what will shift during Spring Training or the 2024 season! Go Mariners!
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