JP Sears

Acquired from the Yankees in August of 2022 as part of the Frankie Montas trade, Sears led the Oakland clubhouse in innings last year by a significant margin and was the only A's pitcher trusted to make more than 22 starts. That isn't saying much given the company he kept in what was the worst rotation in the American League, but Sears averaged nearly a strikeout per inning and would seem to have the arsenal to generate even more swing-and-misses moving forward. His four-seamer, slider and changeup all rated as better-than-average offerings in 2023, and his sweeper had a whiff rate of 30.0 percent. Somewhat surprisingly, it was left-handed hitters who did the most damage against him, even as a southpaw. Call that an aberration and see if he can take another leap forward in 2024 as a late-round fantasy flier. Read Past Outlooks