{"id":8682979,"date":"2022-12-07T13:46:44","date_gmt":"2022-12-07T21:46:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/?p=8682979&preview=true&preview_id=8682979"},"modified":"2022-12-08T12:49:17","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T20:49:17","slug":"as-sign-another-free-agent-add-former-houston-astros-infielder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/2022\/12\/07\/as-sign-another-free-agent-add-former-houston-astros-infielder\/","title":{"rendered":"A’s sign another free agent, add former Houston Astros infielder"},"content":{"rendered":"

The A\u2019s locked up a 32-year-old versatile utility player for the second straight day, signing former All-Star infielder Aledmys Diaz to a reported two-year, $14.5 million deal Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Diaz, who played every infield position for the world champion Astros last season, had a slash line of .255\/.313\/.424 with 32 home runs and 107 runs scored in his four years in Houston.<\/p>\n

Diaz\u2019s deal, which is pending a physical, was first announced by the New York Post.<\/p>\n

Diaz is a lifetime .266 hitter over his seven-year career with the Cardinals (2016-17), Blue Jays (2018) and Astros. The Cuban-born Diaz\u2019s best season came in his rookie year with the Cardinals, where he hit .300 with 17 home runs and 65 RBIs while making the National League All-Star team.<\/p>\n

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Former Brewers infielder Jace Peterson signed with Oakland on Tuesday. (Jane Tyska\/Bay Area News Group) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His signing comes a day after the A\u2019s signed former Milwaukee Brewer Jace Peterson to a two-year deal. Like Diaz, the 32-year-old Peterson figures to get time all around the infield for the A\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnytime we\u2019re talking about bringing free agents in, the important thing to us is versatility,” A’s general manager David Forst said Wednesday. “I think we\u2019re putting a premium on guys who can move around the diamond, give (manager) Mark (Kotsay) some flexibility. We have so many question marks in the position player group that I think we just need to stay flexible and have options.”<\/p>\n

The two signings not only give the A\u2019s a couple of solid, veteran players they sorely lacked a year ago, but Diaz and Peterson will allow Oakland to gradually phase in top prospects Zack Gelof (third baseman) and Tyler Soderstrom (first baseman\/catcher) at some point in 2023.<\/p>\n