A's add veteran reliever Gott for one year, $1.5 million

Veteran pitching tops the A’s wish list this offseason, and they took a step towards addressing that need on Tuesday by signing right-handed reliever Trevor Gott to a one-year deal.

The contract is worth $1.5 million, with a chance for Gott to earn up to $100,000 in bonuses based on number of appearances this season and another $100,000 if he is traded, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.

A veteran of eight big league seasons, Gott -- whom the A’s know well from his time in San Francisco with the Giants and the American League West with the Angels and Mariners -- immediately becomes the most experienced pitcher on the current A’s roster. Splitting time with Seattle and the Mets last season, the 31-year-old combined to post a 4.19 ERA in 64 relief appearances with 62 strikeouts and 19 walks across 58 innings.

“We are looking to add some experience to our pitching staff and, specifically, our bullpen,” said A’s general manager David Forst. “Trevor has pitched well in our division and wanted to return to the Bay Area.”

Gott’s barrel rate (percentage of batted balls allowed that are considered barrels) ranked in the 92nd percentile among Major Leaguers in 2023, while his xERA (expected earned run average) ranked in the 80th percentile. The four-seam fastball was his best-performing pitch last season, carrying a whiff rate of 34% that ranked 18th among Major League relievers who threw at least 50 four-seam fastballs that were swung at.

For an A’s bullpen filled with mostly rookies and players going through their first full season in the Majors in 2023, Gott brings a history of pitching in high-leverage situations. He is likely to find himself in the closer mix along with A’s top pitching prospect Mason Miller and right-hander Lucas Erceg.

“[Gott] has some experience pitching late in games,” Forst said. “He will be part of the closer conversation come Spring Training.”