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Mike Fiers wants to return to the Oakland A’s

By David Hill

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 01: Mike Fiers #50 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of Game Three of the American League Wild Card Round at RingCentral Coliseum on October 01, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 01: Mike Fiers #50 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of Game Three of the American League Wild Card Round at RingCentral Coliseum on October 01, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Mike Fiers seemed to be one of the least likely players to re-sign with the Oakland A’s. The team is determined to put A.J. Puk in the rotation, and they have several pitchers in the minors that are on the cusp of reaching the majors. Rotation depth, in theory, is not an issue for the A’s.

But that is not going to stop Fiers from wanting to make a return. He has stated his desire to remain in Oakland, saying that it almost felt like home.

Can the Oakland A’s even afford Mike Fiers?

In theory, signing Fiers would not be a terrible move for the A’s. He did lead the team with six wins, even if his 4.58 ERA and 1.373 WHiP are relatively underwhelming. But Fiers is a solid pitcher in the back of the rotation who can typically provide six respectable innings per start.

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He would also serve as valuable insurance for the A’s. No matter how much they want to put Puk in the rotation, there is no guarantee that he can stay healthy over the course of the year. Likewise, there is no guarantee that he even remains a starter, as he may not be able to handle such a workload.

Fiers is also not likely to cost much in free agency. With his inconsistent showing in 2020, and teams hesitant to spend this offseason, he would likely make far less than his $8 million salary from last year. That type of deal would make perfect sense for a team looking for a depth piece or a long reliever.

The problem is that the A’s are reportedly out of money, telling agents that they do not have any cash available in free agency. Unless Fiers is willing to take a substantial pay cut, or sign a minor league contract, he is not likely to return to Oakland.

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Mike Fiers wants to return to the Oakland A’s. It just does not appear to be likely to happen.