The Oakland Athletics have signed free agent OF Alejandro De Aza to a minor league deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training, the team announced on Friday.
De Aza, 33 in April, spent 2016 with the Mets appearing in 130 games, and hitting a meager .205/.297/.321 in a semi-reserve role.
Before the Mets were able to sign Yoenis Cespedes, the plan was to have De Aza and Juan Lagares split time in center field, but after New York inked the stud outfielder, De Aza was mitigated to a lesser role.
The nine-year veteran has bounced around in his career, also spending time with the Marlins, White Sox, Orioles, Giants and Red Sox.
However, his best years came in Chicago, and more specifically in 2013 when the outfielder appeared in 153 games, clubbing 17 homers, driving in 62 runs and hitting at a .264/.323/.405 clip.
With the Mets resigning Cespedes and not yet having traded Jay Bruce, the outfield is beyond crowded, so De Aza’s fate with New York was sealed long ago.
