Aug. 11: The A’s announced that Lowrie has been released.
Aug. 10: The Athletics announced a series of roster moves prior to today’s game, recalling left-hander JP Sears and selecting the contract of outfielder Cal Stevenson. In corresponding moves, righty Paul Blackburn has been placed on the 15-day injured list and infielder Jed Lowrie has been designated for assignment. Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle relays word from the team that Blackburn’s injury is an inflamed right middle finger.
Lowrie, 38, is a veteran playing in his 14th MLB season, with seven of the last nine being in Oakland. He signed a two-year deal with the Mets prior to the 2019 season, which turned out to be a disaster as mounting injuries limited Lowrie to just nine games over the course of that contract. He returned to Oakland last year and had a nice bounceback, hitting at a league average rate over 139 games.
The A’s brought him back for 2022 on a modest $850K salary, with a $100K bonus for spending 60 days on the active roster and a $150K bonus for being traded. With Oakland undergoing a massive sell-off during the offseason, it seems like the A’s wanted Lowrie aboard as a competent veteran presence amid their roster of youngsters. If he played well enough to be shipped out for prospects at the deadline, that would have been a nice bonus. Unfortunately, Lowrie has a .180/.245/.263 line on the season for a wRC+ of just 49. Now that the deadline has passed, it seems that the A’s will use the season’s final few months to evaluate younger players, with Lowrie getting nudged out of the picture.
One of those younger players getting a shot for Oakland down the stretch is Stevenson. The 25-year-old was a 10th round pick of the Blue Jays in 2018 but has since been a part of numerous trades. He went to the Astros alongside Aaron Sanchez and Joe Biagini in the 2019 deal for Derek Fisher. Houston then traded him to Tampa in 2020 as part of the Austin Pruitt deal. The Rays sent Stevenson to the A’s last month as part of the return for Christian Bethancourt.
The left-handed hitter has always carried himself well at the plate, posting double-digit walk rates at each of his minor league stops and always getting his wRC+ above 100, indicating above-average production. He first reached Double-A in the Rays’ organization last year, getting into 92 games, walking 15.3% of the time and hitting .254/.368/.403. That amounted to a wRC+ of 118, or 18% above average, with 17 stolen bases thrown in for good measure. This year, he’s been in Triple-A all year, split between the Durham Bulls and the Las Vegas Aviators. In 73 combined games, he’s amazingly walked in 15.3% of his plate appearances again, while hitting .275/.387/.402 for a wRC+ of 113, swiping 15 bags in the process. He’ll get a chance to see how he carries himself against big league pitching over the final few weeks of 2022, before the A’s decide how to proceed with building their roster for next season.
It’s unclear how long Blackburn will be out of action, but it seems like Sears will at least get a couple of turns in the rotation. The 26-year-old Sears was one of the players who came over from the Yankees in the Frankie Montas trade just over a week ago. He pitched in seven games for the Yanks this year but will be making his Oakland by starting today’s game, taking the place of Blackburn, who was the originally scheduled starter.
Wow. So long Jed.
Forced retirement
If he had any value at all don’t you think 1 of the other 29 teams would pick him up?
Tough time for a’s fans … both of ’em!!!
How original.
Glass is not a fan!
Even tougher to be a Giants fan when Farhan signs him to a minor league deal.
The lol Mets paid just a cool $20 million to get exactly ZERO hits total for them.
Insurance probably paid the bulk.
Jeff Lowrie had a tough time with injuries. He just couldn’t be 100% healthy. Now, the A’s need to assess Stephen Vogt as well. Heck of experienced players, it is time now to look at youngsters and see what they bring…
Hopefully Vogt is next, as much as a great story he was, its time for him to hang em up.
Only his close friends call him Jeff
Jed Lowrie has had a tough time with injuries since the Red Sox drafted him in the first round 2005. The only teams he was fully healthy and productive for were the Astros and A’s. The Mets certainly did not get their money’s worth!
He made $20,000,000 for 7 ABs over 2yrs of which he was 0/7 with 1 walk.
You’re burying the lede. Focus should be on his cousin Jed, the subject of this here story, not some other random Clampett.
Goodnight sweet prince
Jed probably should have retired on a high note after last season
I’d say after Met’s contact got paid handsomely for 6 games lol
If he were the veritable fat lady he could have retired on a high note after he sang
Why should anyone retire that’s not a hall of famer? Like if Pujols sticks around another season getting cut by a couple teams next year then I get the “he should retire” by fans but Jed Lowrie? Yeah he’s got generation wealth if he’s spent his money wisely but why not try and stick around for as long as you can?
Might be time for Jed to hang em up, solid career if this is it.
Cat Steven’s son? From the song?
No
More than likely, he’s Kel Varnsen’s son.
Don’t be so negative on Jed. He’d improve the Angels infield.
Not anymore. Fletcher and Rengifo are a lot better at this stage of their careers. But Lowrie would be an improvement over Gosselin.
Absolutely no chance, dude, he’s 38. its over for him. He cant hit anymore.
He’s got Chisox written all over him.
I agree. The White Sox could use him at 2nd base. Let him clear waivers then sign him to a minor league deal. If he performs well for a week in AAA, call him up before 8/31 so he’s eligible for the playoffs, should they make it.
PLAYOFFS! PLAYOFFS!! Did you say PLAYOFFS?
They need a lot more than this guy. Unless they make him the manager.
The Braves may surely give Jed a chance. They need depth
He’s not a MLB player anymore though, they have better players in their farm system.
A minor league contract for him might not be a bad idea as if someone else goes down or Albies can’t make it back this season having some insurance won’t be a bad idea.
Won’t cost the Braves but just a prorated portion of the league min also
Thanks for all the good years Jed.(2013-14, 2017-2018).
Now, lets get a look at the young Infielders : Nick Allen, Sheldon Neuse, Steve Smith, etc. FInd out if they can play a little in these last 2 months of hte season.
Btw, is anyone surprised they called up outfielder Cal Stevenson instead of Cristian Pache?
Pache should work on his bat in AAA for the rest of the season.
I agree, give other guys a shot while Pache tries to get his bat right.
Pache’s swing is a complete disaster. Pache (physically, in terms of ht and wt) isn’t far from Mike Trout, but while Trout has elite everything at the plate, Pache cant hit the side of a barn (yet).
You are right though, Pache should not be in MLB until he totally overhauls that horrible swing he has. A’s have so many minor leaguers who deserve a chance, Cal Stevenson is one of them, and its long time to boot Andrus, Piscotty and Vogt for more of them.
Correction, work on his bat for the rest of his career. He is always going to be a defense first, late inning replacement.
Congratulations to Cal Stevenson. It’s been a long way from the University of Arizona Wildcats to the Majors.
It actually isn’t in this case, he’s from Fremont, like 10 minute drive from the Coliseum! “Local guy” alert!!
What happened to Roebuck and Company?
You May See them driving into the sunset in a Korvette, cataloging their journey as they go.
He’s wishing he was on the Mets now.
Nice to see Stevenson make it to the Majors. I’ve always been annoyed that the Jays included him in that trade for Derek Fisher a few years ago. I have the impression that Stevenson could blossom into a kind of Robbie Grossman type of player.
Love seeing Stevenson get to play for the team he supported growing up!
So long, Jedi. Will miss hearing your walk up music at the Coliseum.
Tom Sawyer by Rush always fired me up, and he played it seems like forever. I remember when Jed switched the song for like a game or three years ago, then quickly switched it back…
38 and only 5100 plate appearances.
Rip Jed
Finally some players to watch.
Jed was so brutal this year. Should have retired instead of doing this. Waste of everyones time.
You probably said that last year when they signed him prior to the season.
Best of luck Jed!
Now do Andrus, Piscotty and Vogt!
I bet Cal’s bat isn’t Silent.
Next up a catcher! Then give barbera another go…
I do believe there is also a service time component involved in bringing Pache back.
Big shout-out to Jedi. He was always a passionate player, not afraid to bark at the umpire, but always professional and always hustling. Never gave away at-bats. He was our best hitter and team leader in 2018, and really carried that club into the postseason. Highly respected by teammates, coaches, and managers, he is also kind and respectful. He stopped and signed autographs for us multiple times, each time we asked, and he’d even stop for me without the kids around. Didn’t have to, just chose to stop and talk and sign. Good human being, and a hell of a ball player. Blessings on you, Jed.
I have an inflamed right middle finger whenever someone cuts me off in traffic.
Jed Lowrie. As a Met fan I’ll forever dislike you. 2 years 20 mil to appear in 9 games and not even get ONE hit. He’s up there with Bonilla
A Mets fan disliking something. Who’d a thunk?
Robbed the Mets of 20 mil
Said he had to pay the bills
Came to spring training in an ankle brace
Acted like he couldn’t bend down to tie his own shoelace
Bark Bark Bark Jed the dog!
Bark Bark Bark Jed is faithful to god!
Woof Woof Woof Likes to sit out all year!
Woof Woof Woof Hes gonna sit back and have a beer!
Yikes. Sing yourself to sleep on your lonely island of woe
Jed found out he needed knee surgery and told the team.
The Wilpons, being the absolute galaxybrains they were, decided he was ‘dogging it’ and if he wouldn’t (couldn’t) play they’d get the money back through insurance, *and specifically threatened him with a contract grievance if he got knee surgery*.
So Jed said “f those idiots” took the money, and got knee surgery right after the contract expired.
I don’t blame him.
Went to the game today.. Cal got his first major league hit and first run, unfortunately made final out though he hit the ball hard. There were a bunch of folks from Fremont down the left field line holding up cards with letters to make a sign with his name. Sears had a wicked change.
Did all nine of you fit onto a microbus on the way home, must have been an epic traffic jam on the Bay Bridge
I was there, too. Was nice to see his first MLB hit with the A’s. He seems to have good plate discipline. Definitely preferred a hard hit GB out to a whiff with two strikes in that situation.
Sears looked really good. Hope he sticks.
Mets legend Jed Lowrie needs to return lol
Next stop for Jed- hunting with his dog. Next stop after that- the land of Beverly. Hills that is
Look for him to hook on somewhere as a coach or a minor league manager.
Feel like he’s played with jack cust. If this is it, solid career
It’s cool we’ll resign him next year
I applaud anyone that can take slightly above league average production (he average about 1.1 WAR/yr) and turn it into $60m in earnings. Congratulations to Jed and a hearty well done to his agent!
Over $60mil for a career. Enjoy your retirement Jed!