One of the biggest issues the A's have had this season is their pitching staff. It seemed like the club could have a chance at the playoffs this year, but the issues on the mound, as well as injuries, derailed that over the last couple of months.
We have discussed how the A's could actually have one of the scariest offenses in baseball next season, but it won't matter if the club continues to have an underwhelming pitching staff.
Sep 9, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Elvis Alvarado follows through on a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The A's have a top-five bullpen in terms of ERA since the start of September, which is a great sight to see. They still have the worst bullpen ERA in all of baseball for the season, but the recent mix-ups in the arm barn have been great.
Even though the Green and Gold won't be contending in the playoffs this season, it will still be fun to see them play spoiler for other playoff teams in the next few series against Seattle , Tampa Bay , and Cleveland . Now, the A's could have another bullpen arm to help them finish strong.
Apr 14, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge (43) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The A's have now added two former Rays bullpen arms in as many weeks, as the team added Chris Roycroft off waivers.
Now the A's will head back to the waivers, as they have added former Rays reliever Hunter Bigge. Bigge is a 6'0 right-hander who has had some success at the Major League level.
After debuting and pitching in just 3.1 innings for the Cubs, he was picked up by the Tampa Bay Rays. He had success in 2024 and posted a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings last season.
That success would earn him more innings with the Rays this season; however, he has not made the most of his opportunities. He currently holds a 6.98 ERA this season.
May 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge (43) delivers a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When you take chances on waiver wire relievers, looking at their success in the big leagues is not the way to go about it. Teams must look at these players' stuff and advanced stats to decide whether to claim them.
Bigge has a very nice fastball that sits around 96-97 miles per hour, and his 6.8 feet of extension puts him in the 79th percentile of all pitchers. That means his 96-97 comes at opposing hitters even quicker.
The fastball is a nice weapon for Bigge, but he also has a nice slider that he throws 41% of the time. He also throws a splitter and a curveball, which he throws only 5.3% and 2.2% of the time.
Because the Harvard product has good stuff and actually does have some MLB success under his belt, we could see him make an impact on this A's team in the last few weeks of the season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/athletics/onsi as Why Hunter Bigge Addition Could Be Underrated Athletics Move .
