The Oakland Athletics have acquired Jed Lowrie from the Houston Astros, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com. Other pieces in this deal are not yet known.
This is a reunion for Lowrie, as he previously played for the Athletics back in 2013 and 2014, where he hit a combined .271 with 21 home runs and 125 RBI.
Lowrie, 31, is a versatile defender, as he’s played shortstop, third, second and first bases in his eight year career. He is under contract for the next two years for $7.5 million and $6.5 million and he also has a $6 million club option for 2018.
Lowrie became expendable with the emergence of Carlos Correa, so this isn’t a big blow to the Astros. In 69 games with the team last season, Lowrie hit an underwhelming .222 with nine home runs and 30 RBI.
It’s unclear where the Athletics intend to put Lowrie, but given how versatile of a defender he is, they should have no problem finding a spot for him.
Follow Robert Murray on Twitter: @RobertMurrayBBE
Jed Lowrie is a family member and we have always loved to see him play ball. He is an amazing guy!