Right-hander Aaron Civale agrees to a $6 million, 1-year contract with the Athletics

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Veteran right-hander Aaron Civale joined the Athletics on Tuesday, agreeing to a $6 million, one-year contract.

The 30-year-old Civale can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses. He is expected to start with the A's.

The team also signed reliever Scott Barlow to a one-year deal. To open space on the 40-man roster, right-handers Grant Holman and Mitch Spence were designated for assignment.

Civale pitched for three teams last year, going 4-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 18 starts and five relief appearances. He is 43-44 with a 4.14 ERA in 140 career games.

He had a 4.91 ERA in five starts for Milwaukee last season before he was shifted to the bullpen. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Andrew Vaughn and $807,000 in cash on June 13.

Civale was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 31. He went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and his first career save in five relief appearances with the Cubs. He also pitched in one postseason game with the team, working 4 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 1 of the NL Division Series at Milwaukee.

Barlow was 6-3 with a 4.21 ERA and one save in 75 games with Cincinnati last season. He struck out 75 batters and walked 45 in 68 1/3 innings.

The 33-year-old right-hander is 29-24 with a 3.60 ERA and 59 saves in eight big league seasons with Kansas City (2018-23), San Diego (2023), Cleveland (2024) and Cincinnati (2025).

A's pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first spring training workout on Wednesday. The team’s first full-squad workout is Monday.

The A's went 76-86 in 2025 for the franchise's fourth consecutive losing season. They are beginning the second of at least three seasons at a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento, California. They are scheduled to move to Las Vegas and play in a $2 billion 33,000-person capacity stadium beginning in 2028.

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