A’s make Suzuki a free agent
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – The Oakland Athletics declined an $8.5 million option on catcher Kurt Suzuki on Friday, making the Baldwin High School graduate a free agent.
Suzuki, 30, split last season with the A’s and Washington Nationals, batting .232 overall with five home runs and 32 RBIs. In 15 games with Oakland, he hit .303 with two home runs and seven RBIs. He did not play for the A’s in their five-game loss to the Detroit Tigers in an American League Division Series.
Suzuki threw out eight of 65 runners attempting to steal this year – he was 2-for-6 with Oakland.
Suzuki held a $650,000 buyout.