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John Fisher Faces New Headache as MLBPA May Force A’s to Keep Frustrated $67,000,000 Star They Wanted Gone

Not only do the A’s want pitcher Luis Severino gone, but he’s made it very clear that the frustration is mutual. His home and road splits are eye-opening, as the 31-year-old has been trending in the wrong direction since stepping foot in West Sacramento’s minor league park.

No matter how much both sides want to move on, owner John Fisher is put in an uncomfortable position between his player and the MLBPA.

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Athletics May Need To Keep Luis Severino To Keep the Union Happy

Evan Drellich broke the news that things could get interesting if the A’s don’t spend roughly $105 million. They went out and signed Severino to a three-year, $67 million deal, the largest guaranteed contract in the club’s history. That says a lot but shows that the team is willing to listen and play by the rules as they anticipate their move to Las Vegas.

Knowing that Severino is making $20 million this season, a trade just one year into his three-year deal would complicate things. His numbers are horrible, as the righty has a 2-9 record with a 5.09 ERA. He’s given up 12 earned runs in his last two starts, though they were against two of the best teams in the league, the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.

Seeing as Severino went 1-5 in June, he’ll have a few chances to turn things around before the team potentially moves on from him at the end of the month. Fisher’s team is now put in a tough spot as they have no issues being one of the lowest payroll teams in the league, but this time it could come at a cost.

MORE: Athletics Manager Treats Himself to Las Vegas Mansion

Severino has made it very clear that pitching at Sutter Health Park is a nightmare, which doesn’t necessarily mean any players are going to want to come to the team anytime soon. One would expect that moving on from a pitcher with ten years of experience in the big leagues warrants quite a bit in return.

After a solid 11-7 season with the New York Mets last season, it’s clear that a change of scenery could be all Severino needs to turn it around.

If a trade is made, the A’s would need to receive someone with a large contract that the team is responsible for taking on. In a world where most trades are focused on cash or prospects, no amount of money could offset the value of Severino’s contract.

While he hasn’t played his worth, the team depends on that value if they want to remain in good standing with the MLBPA and properly utilize their revenue-sharing funds,

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