A’s Agree to Terms with John Jaso and Seth Smith on One-Year Contracts

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland A’s agreed to terms with catcher John Jaso and outfielder Seth Smith on one-year contracts for the 2013 season, the club announced today.

Smith batted .240 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI in 125 games in his first season with the A’s last year.  He also walked a career-high 50 times and had a .333 on-base percentage.  Smith started 101 games, including 58 in the outfield and 43 at designated hitter, all but nine of which came against right-handed pitching.  He batted .259 with 12 of his 14 home runs and 44 of his 52 RBI against right-handed pitching compared to .157 against left-handers.  The 30-year-old left-handed hitter was acquired from Colorado prior to the 2012 season and is a .267 hitter in 612 games in six seasons.

Jaso was acquired from Seattle yesterday in a three-team trade after batting .276 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI in 108 games with the Mariners last year.  He also walked 56 times for a .394 on-base percentage and batted .378 with runners in scoring position.  The 29-year-old left-handed hitter had career highs in batting, on-base percentage, slugging percentage (.456), home runs, RBI and stolen bases (5).  Jaso made his Major League debut with Tampa Bay in 2008 and spent three seasons with the Rays (2008, 10-11) before he was traded to Seattle following the 2011 season.  He is a .255 career hitter in 311 games.

After agreeing to terms with Jaso and Smith, the A’s have two players remaining on their roster eligible for arbitration:  Jerry Blevins and Brandon Moss.

The complete 2012 and career statistics for Jaso and Smith follow: