Outfielder Seth Brown has entered free agency after the Oakland Athletics placed him on waivers and subsequently released him, according to MLB.com’s transaction records. MLBTR reports that Brown, who recently reached five years of major league service, chose free agency after going unclaimed on waivers. This move does not affect his current salary of $2.7 million for the remainder of the season, and the A’s 40-man roster dropped to 39 players as a result. The change does not impact Oakland’s active roster at this time.
Brown’s Injury and Service Time Affect Team Decisions
Since June 13, Brown has been sidelined due to a minor injury to his left elbow. Upon reaching the five-year service threshold, Brown gained the right to decline a minor league reassignment, meaning the A’s would have been required to keep him on the major league roster once he was healthy enough to return. Instead of retaining him, Oakland decided to place Brown on waivers, allowing him to explore opportunities with other teams rather than assigning him back to Triple-A.
Struggles on the Field Despite Minor League Success
This season has been challenging for the left-handed batter, who has posted a disappointing .185/.303/.262 slash line with only one home run and 23 strikeouts in 76 plate appearances. In late May, Brown was outrighted from the 40-man roster and sent to Triple-A, where he impressed by hitting seven home runs and collecting 21 hits over nine games. His strong performance quickly led to a recall to the major league roster, but his return was short-lived, limited to just five games before he landed on the injured list. Alongside the return of Gio Urshela from the injured list, the Athletics have opted to retain Max Schuemann and JJ Bleday to fill their final two bench spots instead of Brown.
Previous Performance and Contract Implications
Brown’s peak came in the 2021 and 2022 seasons when he recorded over 20 home runs in back-to-back years. Although his recent production has declined, a strong second half last year—batting .263/.304/.413—earned him an arbitration contract from the A’s. The club remains responsible for his current salary, except for the prorated league minimum of $760,000 that another team would pay if they sign him. Any new team acquiring Brown would assume only the league minimum salary this season, but could keep him under arbitration control for the next year. Because of the likely salary demands tied to arbitration, Brown may face a non-tender decision by any team during the upcoming offseason, even if he secures a major league deal as a free agent.