The A's are retaining veteran reliever Fernando Rodney, exercising the right-hander's club option to ensure his return for 2019.
Rodney, who will be 42 in March, is set to take home $5.25 million in his 17th Major League season; his option was worth $4.25 million, and 2018 escalators upped the value by $1 million.
It's a relatively large sum for the A's to commit to a relief arm, but perhaps telling of things to come. Just Monday, when the organization announced long-term extensions for the leadership team of executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane, general manager David Forst and manager Bob Melvin, Beane said he anticipated an increase in payroll next year.
The A's entered the 2018 season with the lowest payroll in baseball, just north of $60 million, and saw it expand to $80 million by the end of a wildly successful campaign that concluded with an American League Wild Card loss to the host Yankees.
Rodney, who was responsible for two runs during the 7-2 loss in New York, pitched to a 3.36 ERA with 70 strikeouts over 64 1/3 innings during the regular season. He compiled 25 saves with the Twins before joining a stacked Oakland bullpen in an August trade and recording a 3.92 ERA in 22 outings.
Rodney's 325 career saves rank 18th in Major League history.