RHP Jeremy Accardo Elects Free Agency

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland Athletics announced today that right-handed pitcher Jeremy Accardo has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency rather than accept a club assignment.  Accardo, 30, has more than five years of Major League service time, which afforded him the right to become a free agent.

Accardo was designated for assignment by the Cleveland Indians Aug. 5 and cleared waivers to become a free agent Aug. 11.  He was signed by the A’s and assigned to Sacramento on Aug. 15.  Accardo was selected by the A’s Sept. 23 and appeared in only game, allowing two runs and four hits in two innings of relief work at Texas Sept. 27.

The 6-1, 200-pound veteran reliever has pitched in parts of eight Major League seasons with San Francisco (2005-06), Toronto (2006-10), Baltimore (2011) and Cleveland (2012), recording a 10-20 mark and 4.27 ERA with 38 saves in 261 career appearances. 

Accardo originally signed a minor league contract with the Indians Jan. 19, and posted a 0-0 record and 4.58 ERA (18 er, 35.1 ip) with 28 strikeouts and 16 walks in 26 relief appearances this season.  His best campaign came in 2007 with the Blue Jays, when he registered a 4-4 mark and 2.14 ERA with 30 saves in 64 appearances, allowing only 51 hits in 67.1 innings while striking out 57 and walking 24 batters.

In seven relief outings with Sacramento, Accardo scrolled a 1-0 record and 1.17 ERA in 7.2 innings, yielding seven hits while fanning four and issuing three bases on balls.

Accardo’s 2012 statistics with Cleveland, the River Cats and Oakland, as well as his Major League career statistics: