A’s sign Mitch Moreland to one-year deal

The Oakland Athletics have signed Mitch Moreland to a one-year deal worth $2.25 million, per Chris Cotillo. He can play first base but will likely get more playing time as a designated hitter.

Moreland opened the 2020 season with the Boston Red Sox. He played 22 games in Boston, putting up a .328/.430/.746 slash line before the struggling Sox traded him to the San Diego Padres. He struggled in 20 games with the Padres, putting together a slash line of .203/.247/.362.

He only appeared as a DH in three games last season, but he joins an Athletics roster that already has Matt Olson as the full-time first baseman. Olson can play some right field as well, so we could see some rotation when they want to have a particularly lefty heavy batting lineup.

This is Moreland’s 11th year in the big leagues. He came up with the Texas Rangers, spending seven years rotating between 1B, DH, and the outfield. He signed a one-year contract with the Red Sox following the 2016 season and spent much of the past five years in Boston.