The A’s have designated infielder Vimael Machín for assignment, reports Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. Machín is a casualty of today’s blockbuster deal that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta with five players going to Oakland.
Machín, 29, came over to the A’s by way of the Rule 5 draft, being plucked from the Cubs in 2019. Since then, he has played in 112 big league games with the A’s over the past three seasons. He hasn’t hit much in that time, as his career batting line currently sits at .208/.290/.261 for a wRC+ of 66. He’s fared much better in the minors though, having hit .307/.394/.470 over the past two seasons. The Las Vegas Aviators play in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but that production was still 18% above league average, as evidenced by his 118 wRC+.
Defensively, Machín brings a lot of versatility to the table, having played all four infield positions in the majors, though most of that has been at third base. In the minors, he’s also had some brief time in the outfield and even in both ends of the battery.
The A’s will now have one week to work out a trade or else put Machín on waivers. He was outrighted in April but selected back onto the club’s roster in June. By virtue of that previous outright, he would have the right to elect free agency if he were to clear waivers. However, given his versatility and strong offensive work in the minors, it’s possible another team could put in a claim. He still has two option years remaining and could thus be kept in the minors as depth once the season begins.
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