A's look to trade veteran lefty reliever Brian Fuentes

Brian Fuentes is perhaps the first A's player to hit the block. The accomplished reliever just hasn't worked out in Oakland, basically his hometown team.

By Jon Heyman

Jun 28, 2012 at 3:10 pm ET • 1 min read

The A's are trying to move veteran lefthanded reliever Brian Fuentes, who hasn't been a good match for Oakland for whatever reason.

Fuentes has only pitched twice since June 8, and hasn't been effective in recent outings, as evidenced by a 6.85 ERA. But the A's may just not be the right team.

The A's may have a larger sale at some point, but for the moment they are hanging tough and exceeding expectations.

Fuentes didn't get off to a good start there when he publicly criticized ex-A's manager Bob Geren for a lack of communication. (While a number of teams could use a lefty, the Mets, where Geren is coaching, prsumably wouldn't make the best match.) In an upset this spring, Fuentes was passed over for the closer's job for Grant Balfour, who never had been a closer.

Fuentes makes $5 million this year and is owed more than $3 million on his contract in total counting a $500,000 buyout on next year's $6.5-million club option.