The Athletics named Alex Wood their 2024 MLB Opening Day starter Tuesday, tapping him to face the Cleveland Guardians on March 28 at the Oakland Coliseum.
Wood played across the Bay for the San Francisco Giants for three seasons before signing a one-year, $8.5 million free-agent contract with the A’s at the start of the year.
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While the lefty struggled in recent spring training starts, manager Mark Kotsay decided to go with the veteran who is beginning his 12th MLB season.
Per MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos, this is the first Opening Day start for Wood, who looks to be an anchor point for Oakland’s rotation this season.
During his three-year stint with the Giants, Wood posted a 23-21 record with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.270 WHIP in 81 appearances.
Oakland Athletics
After back-to-back 100-loss seasons, the A’s are looking to make big strides in 2024, with Kotsay believing the young lineup can make some noise and finish with a .500 record.
The season will not be without a specter of controversy however, as the A’s and the city of Oakland continue to negotiate the ballclub’s lease extension at the Coliseum as they prepare for their move to Las Vegas for the 2028 MLB season.
In the meantime, Wood will take the ball in the season opener and look to set the tone for a bounce-back A's season.