Athletics Release Gio Urshela

The A’s have released veteran infielder Gio Urshela, whom they designated for assignment on Friday, per the transaction log at MLB.com. He’ll be able to sign with any team once he clears release waivers.

Urshela, 33, signed a one-year, $2.15MM contract in free agency this past offseason. He missed close to a month earlier this season due to a hamstring strain and struggled at the plate both before and after that IL stint. He batted .238/.287/.326 with no home runs, 14 doubles and a triple in 197 turns at the plate. His 20.3% strikeout rate was his highest (by a wide margin) since 2021.

It’s been a tough few years for Urshela, who experienced an out-of-the-blue breakout with the Yankees in his age-27 season back in 2019 and played well up through a strong 2022 showing with the Twins. For four seasons between the Bronx and Minneapolis, he posted a combined .290/.336/.463 batting line (118 wRC+) with 54 home runs, 90 doubles and five triples in 1643 plate appearances.

Urshela was traded from the Twins to the Angels following the 2022 season. He suffered a fractured pelvis a couple months into his Angels tenure, and he hasn’t looked the same since. While he was batting .299/.329/.374 at the time of the injury, he’s taken 658 major league plate appearances between the Tigers, Braves and A’s since returning and has mustered only a .246/.287/.351 slash (77 wRC+). His defensive grades at the hot corner have seen a downturn as well — particularly in 2025. Both Defensive Runs Saved (-6) and Outs Above Average (-2) feel he’s been well below average in just 421 innings of work.

Once Urshela clears release waivers, any team that signs him would only need to pay him the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster. That sum would be subtracted from what the A’s owe him, but they’ll remain on the hook for the vast majority of what’s left on this year’s salary.