While the exact goal remains unclear, the Athletics continue to make moves.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Thursday that the A’s have agreed to a deal with free agent infielder Gio Urshela. They are now set to become Urshela’s sixth MLB team in the last five seasons.
The 33-year-old Urshela, a righty hitter, is mainly a third baseman but has also gotten reps over his career at the other three infield positions. He has an above-average glove and hit .250 with nine home runs and 52 RBIs last season combined between the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves. Urshela was also once a standout for the New York Yankees, batting .313 with 21 homers and 74 RBIs during the 2019 campaign in the Bronx.
For the A’s, who will be playing at least the 2025 season at a temporary home in Sacramento, Calif., they surprised many by signing another former Yankee (this one a two-time All-Star pitcher) to the single largest free agent contract in club history earlier this month. The A’s are notorious for penny-pinching and keeping a very low payroll, but it appears that there is another motivation for them with these latest signings.