Athletics 2024 Season in Review: Joey Estes
One of the A’s best storylines of 2024
Good morning AN and a Merry late Christmas to all! Wishing everyone had a safe and happy holiday.
As we put a bow on Christmas 2024 heading to the New Year we continue on with our daily player review series. Today we’ll discuss right-handed starter Joey Estes — one of several A’s rookies who made an impact in 2024.
How was he acquired?
The A’s acquired Estes from the Atlanta Braves on March 14, 2022, in the trade that sent Matt Olson to Atlanta in exchange for Estes, Christian Pache, Shea Langeliers, and Ryan Cusick.
What were the expectations?
As Estes entered 2024 with just two big league starts and ten innings of experience, it was no shocker that he began the season in Triple-A Las Vegas. Another crack at the big league level at some point in the season was always the expectation and Estes got this chance May 11th. Despite pitching to a 6+ ERA through his six Triple-A starts the A’s pitching staff tested its youth movement in hopes of finding or developing some talent and as a result, Easton Lucas was optioned and Estes got his shot.
Estes would take full advantage of his opportunity and never see Triple-A again in 2024.
2024 Results
With Estes’ 2024 campaign the numbers just don’t show the full story. The 22-year-old pitched to a 5.01 ERA through 24 starts with a 7-9 record and a .260 opponents average. However, once you dive deeper into the accolades and some of the potential Estes flashed in his starts one can see what turned him into a fan favorite this season.
Estes 24 starts (25 total appearances) trailed just veteran JP Sears for the team lead. Of those 25 appearances Estes displayed veteran-like control issuing more than two walks just once. His 127 2⁄3 innings pitched also ranked fifth amongst American League rookies. Estes’ highlight of the 2024 campaign easily came on July 3rd when he pitched a complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels allowing just five hits and throwing 92 pitches. It was the first complete-game shutout for an Athletic since Sean Manaea in 2021 and the first “Maddux” thrown by an Athletic since Kendall Graveman in 2016.
What threw a wrench in Estes 2024 numbers where his stat lines away from the Coliseum; Estes was great at home but abysmal at times on the road. His 4-3 record and 3.26 ERA at the Coliseum was coupled with a 3-6, 6.90 ERA away from it. For a 22-year-old pitching in his first full season struggles like that have to just be part of the expectation and it’s hard to imagine Estes doesn’t improve on this in 2025.
2025 Results
Estes’ 2024 easily set him up for a starting pitcher spot come 2025 and another year of development, improvement, and continued success is the expectation for the former 16th round pick.