Athletics finally have an official representative at the World Baseball Classic, and that name is no surprise: Luis Severino. The team’s ace, who signed the biggest contract in Athletics history just a year ago, will represent the Dominican Republic on the international stage — where the lights, the crowds, and the pressure are always at their highest.
But for Athletics, the story is more than just pride.
In the context of the World Baseball Classic being shrouded in insurance concerns — especially after the injuries to José Altuve and Edwin Díaz in 2023 — Severino’s inclusion is a positive sign. The Dominican Republic wasn’t as heavily affected as Puerto Rico or Venezuela, but that doesn’t mean the risks have disappeared.
And the biggest risk, ironically, may not lie with the WBC.
Severino enters the 2026 season with much to prove. After signing a three-year, $67 million contract, he struggled through the first half of the 2025 season — particularly at his home arena, Sutter Health Park in Sacramento. His home ERA of 6.01 was undeniable, especially considering his average away ERA of 3.02. It wasn’t a matter of pure skill; it was a matter of context.
Those who followed the A’s understood that Sutter Health Park wasn’t a typical MLB arena. The stands were small, the atmosphere subdued, lacking the familiar noise of a large stadium. Jeffrey Springs admitted that for veteran pitchers like himself and Severino, the lack of “the energy from the crowd” made it difficult to activate their usual playing feel. It took them half a season to learn how to create their own rhythm.
By the end of the season, Severino had improved. In his final few games in Sacramento, he maintained an ERA of 3.00. That’s a good sign — but it’s only a small sample. And now, the World Baseball Classic throws him to the opposite extreme.
If Severino throws deep into the league, he’ll be playing in front of packed, passionate, suffocatingly noisy stadiums. High pressure. High emotions. High adrenaline. And the question A’s is quietly asking himself is: what will happen when he returns to Sacramento?
Will it be a reverse shock — like at the start of the 2025 season — a return from the big stage to a quiet space? Or will Severino, with last year’s experience, adjust faster, bringing the mindset of “playing like he’s at the WBC” even without the cheering crowd?
A’s isn’t standing still waiting for the answer. “The Severino Room”—a private space in the dugout for the pitcher when not on the mound—was precisely designed to address one of his biggest problems last season: inability to access the clubhouse, no place to reset his morale between innings. It’s a small detail, but it shows the team understands Severino’s needs very well.
The World Baseball Classic, therefore, is both an opportunity and a test. Not just for Severino, but for how the A’s have prepared to support their ace.
Severino will pitch in Miami starting March 6th. The lights will be on. The crowds will roar. But the A’s biggest challenge of the season may not be there—but in the quiet days after his return, standing on the familiar mound, and wondering if he has truly overcome the old hurdle.
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