Spring Training hasn’t really heated up yet, but the Oakland A’s have already made a decision that’s enough to make many people re-evaluate their roster.
They signed Aaron Civale. They signed Scott Barlow. And then, immediately, two names were added to the DFA list: Mitch Spence and Grant Holman.
Not two stars. But not two unknowns either.
This isn’t simply “corresponding moves.” This is a signal that Oakland is entering a ruthless selection phase â and places above 40-man rosters are now scarcer than ever.
Mitch Spence’s case is easier to understand⊠but not entirely clear.
He came from the Rule 5 Draft, had a relatively stable 2024 season with 151 1/3 innings and an ERA of 4.58 (4.21 FIP). Not outstanding, but good enough to be considered arm “league average.” At the start of the 2025 season, he competed for a fifth starter spot, then was relegated to a versatile role in the bullpen. But things started to go downhill in the middle of the year.
Two starts in July, 12 earned runs in 11 innings. He was optioned down to minors. His ERA skyrocketed from 3.82 at the end of June to 5.10 in just a few outings at the end of the year.
Spence didn’t completely collapse. But he lost consistency. And in an organization trying to reshape rotation with Civale, Luis Severino, and young arms poised to reach MLB, Spence seemed to have no “clear path” to break into.
That opens up the possibility of a trade. With his league-average profile and MLB experience, Spence could certainly attract interest. Or at least, Oakland hopes so.
Grant Holman, however, is a different story.
In 2024, he impressed with a 0.55 ERA throughout Double-A and Triple-A seasons before his MLB debut. That number isn’t luck. But MLB isn’t minors.
He had a 4.02 ERA in his debut season, then 5.09 the following season. Last June, rotator cuff tendinitis ended his season.
And now, Holman is DFA-involved at just 25 years old.
Why?
The answer may lie in strategy: Oakland hopes he’ll “slip through the waivers.” His declining performance and injury history might make other teams wary. If no one claims, the A’s can keep him in the system without spending a 40-man slot.
In other words: Holman may be becoming a “sacrificial pawn” to optimize the roster structure.
This is the cold side of modern baseball. Decisions don’t always reflect talentâsometimes they reflect roster math.
Civale and Barlow are additions that offer immediate competitiveness. The A’s are aiming for a more serious season, not just developing prospects. And to do that, they have to make room.
But every time you get rid of two young, experienced MLB arm, you’re also taking a risk.
If Spence is traded and explodes elsewhere, the story will be told differently. If Holman is claimed and develops into a late-inning weapon for another team, Oakland will be mentioned.
However, if both decisions help stabilize the A’s bullpen and rotation, it will be seen as a necessary step for a growing team.
In the next few days, we’ll know whether Spence is traded or claimed. Whether Holman passes the waivers as planned.
But right now, the message is clear: Oakland is no longer in “hold on” mode.
They are choosing. And with each choice, another door closes.
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