The Oakland Athletics signed left-handed reliever T.J. McFarland to a one year deal earlier this month after claiming him off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in early November. The same day, the A’s non-tendered left-handed reliever Ryan Buchter, who had been working out of the Oakland bullpen since 2018, primarily on short assignments and lefty-on-lefty matchups.
The move essentially constitutes a payroll-neutral bullpen roster substitution, with McFarland’s $1.8 million contract approximating what Buchter was expected to receive. So, why did the A’s pick one of them over the other? Let’s zoom in on their stats for a more extensive consideration of what might be gained—or lost—in the shuffle.