Elephant Rumblings: Bido, Butler named breakout candidates

MLB news roundup

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

As Spring Training continues to draw nearer, projections for the season ahead continue to accumulate. The A’s are a young team in rebuild mode, so expectations for success in 2025 vary widely—or to put it another way, it is hard to know what to expect from a young team in a new town.

Two Athletics that established themselves as up-and-comers in 2024 were highlighted this week as breakout candidates for the season ahead: outfielder Lawrence Butler and righty pitcher Osvaldo Bido.

Jim Bowden at The Athletic recognized Butler’s promise in naming him among the dozen breakout candidates he’ll be scouting this spring.

It’s a bit strange to consider Law as a breakout candidate, since he was breaking out all over the place after the All-Star Break in 2024, ending the season with a slash line of .262/.317/.490 through 451 plate appearances with 22 home runs and 3.3 fWAR. That’s good enough to make any team—but the question is whether Butler will sustain the All-Star caliber performance he flashed last season.

29-year-old Bido hasn’t made quite the splash Law has so far, but he did flash considerable promise of his own both as a starter and out of the bullpen in 2024 with an FIP of 3.36 through 63.1 innings.

Thomas Harrigan at MLB.com named Bido one of ten breakout candidates to keep an eye on this year, noting that the previously non-tendered Pirate had an “outstanding” string of eight starts late last summer through which he ranked sixth in xBA and seventh in xwOBA among pitchers who faced at least 150 batters.

Bido may not even be in the A’s Opening Day rotation, but he is indeed a pitcher to watch and definitely has the potential to force his way to a starting role this season. Best of luck to Butler and Bido as they bid for big breakouts in 2025!

A’s Coverage:

• Twelve MLB breakout candidates I’m excited to scout in spring training ($)
• Keep an eye out for these 10 breakout candidates in 2025
• A’s Shea Langeliers Deemed “Catcher to Avoid” in Fantasy Drafts
• Former A’s Infielder Back on the Market Following Pirates Roster Shuffle

MLB News & Interest:

• Orioles, Jorge Mateo Avoid Arbitration
• Red Sox, Abraham Toro Agree To Minor League Contract
• Kirby Yates Passes Physical, Signs One-Year Deal With Dodgers
• Astros Trade Ryan Pressly To Cubs
• In Anaheim, Ducks lean in to hometown pride while Angels gaze longingly at L.A. ($)
• Dana Brown Discusses Ryan Pressly, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve
• Pirates To Sign Adam Frazier
• Matt Seidler Files Response To Sheel Seidler Lawsuit
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Sharp.

New home for Toro.

Three players now rep The Show.

Satisfying.