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By Noah Camras
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Athletics aren't going to make the playoffs this year, but they've been one of baseball's best teams over the last couple months.
The Athletics are 15-9 in August, only trailing the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox for the best record in baseball during that time.
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As the Athletics continue to play good baseball, they decided to move on from a veteran who didn't exactly pan out.
Luis Urias, who joined the A's on a one-year, $1.1 million deal this offseason, was designated for assignment earlier this week. After clearing waivers, the team elected to release him back to free agency.
Urias will still make the remaining money on his contract from the Athletics, but will now have an opportunity to sign with another team for the remainder of the season. If he joins a team before Sept. 1, he'll be eligible to play in the postseason with his new team.
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Urias, 28, appeared in 96 games with the Athletics this season. The utility infielder slashed .230/.315/.338 with eight home runs and 25 runs batted in. He had an OPS+ of 81, which is 19 percent below league average.
Urias spent most of his time at second base with a few games at third base this season. He was one of the league's worst defenders, with an Outs Above Average of minus-6, which ranks in the 8th percentile across MLB.
Urias initially signed with the San Diego Padres as an international free agent in 2013. He debuted at the big league level in 2018 and played with the Padres in 2019, too, before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of the 2020 season.
He was with the Brewers until the 2023 trade deadline, when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He then appeared in 41 games with the Seattle Mariners last season.
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Urias' best season came in 2021 with the Brewers, when he hit .249 with 23 home runs, 75 RBIs and an OPS of .789 across 150 games. He also had a strong 2022 season before struggling in 2023, and hasn't been able to regain his form.
At just 28 years old, Urias has plenty of time to get back on track. However, it won't be with the Athletics, who are looking to give their younger players more playing time to close out this season with an eye towards contention sooner rather than later.
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