A's Agree to Terms with Four Players on One-Year Contracts
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A's agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Luke Gregerson, infielders Jed Lowrie and Brandon Moss and outfielder Craig Gentry on one-year contracts for the 2014 season, the club announced today. The only arbitration eligible player remaining on the A's roster is outfielder Josh Reddick.
Gregerson was acquired from San Diego on Dec. 3 for Seth Smith after going 6-8 with four saves and a 2.71 ERA in a team-leading 73 games. He topped 70 games for the fourth time in the last five years and has appeared in at least 61 games in each of his five seasons. The 29-year-old right-hander allowed a .203 opponents batting average, including .192 against right-handed hitters. Gregerson logged a 2.88 ERA in 363 relief appearances in five seasons with the Padres and his games pitched are the most in the majors since 2009.
Lowrie batted .290 with 45 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 75 RBI in 154 games in his first season with Oakland last year. He set an Athletics record for doubles by a switch hitter and an Oakland record for hits by a switch-hitter (175), while tying the Oakland record for batting average by a switch-hitter. The 45 doubles ranked second in the American League, second in Oakland history and tied for seventh in Athletics history. The 29-year old switch hitter posted career highs in batting average, on-base percentage (.344), games, at bats (603), runs (80), hits, doubles, RBI, walks (50) and extra base hits (62).
Moss led the A's with 30 home runs and finished second with 87 RBI last year despite spending most of the season in a platoon. He made 106 of his 115 starts against right-handed pitching and started just three games against a left-handed pitcher after May 12. The 30-year old ranked fourth in the American League in fewest at bats per home run (14.9), fifth in fewest at bats per RBI (5.1), sixth in slugging percentage (.522) and tied for eighth in home runs. Moss has a .269 average with 51 home runs and 139 RBI in 229 games in two seasons with the A's.
Gentry was acquired from Texas in a four-player trade on Dec. 3 after batting .280 with two home runs and 22 RBI in 106 games. He had career highs in at bats (246), runs (39), triples (4), home runs, walks (29), on-base percentage (.373), stolen bases (24) and extra base hits (18) and matched his best in doubles (12). The 30-year old was successful in 24-of-27 (88.9%) stolen base attempts, which was the third best percentage in the American League, and is now 56-for-66 (84.5%) in his career. Gentry hit .338 with a .428 on-base percentage in 55 games after the All-Star Break.