Athletics Designate Max Schuemann For Assignment

The Athletics announced that infielder/outfielder Max Schuemann has been designated for assignment. That’s the corresponding move to open a spot for their claim of Andy Ibáñez, a move that was previously reported.

Schuemann, 29 in June, has been on 40-man roster for almost two years now. The A’s selected him to the roster in April of 2024. Since then, he has appeared in 234 games and stepped to the plate 672 times. His combined line of .212/.306/.297 leads to a 78 wRC+.

That lack of offensive punch was clearly not doing it for the A’s. Upgrading the infield has been a target for them this winter. They acquired Jeff McNeil from the Mets and also had a deal in place for Nolan Arenado, although Arenado used his no-trade clause to get the Cardinals to trade him to the Diamondbacks instead. With Ibáñez available on the wire this week, they have grabbed him and bumped Schuemann into DFA limbo.

Despite the tepid offense, Schuemann might appeal to clubs for other reasons. He has stolen 21 bases in 23 attempts. He also provides defensive versatility, having played all three outfield spots and the three infield positions to the left of first base. He also has a full slate of options, meaning he could be a longtime depth piece if some club is willing to give him a 40-man roster spot.

DFA limbo can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the A’s could take five days to field trade interest. If they are hoping to get Schuemann through waivers unclaimed to keep him as non-roster depth, they will probably put him on the wire sooner. The 60-day injured list opens up next week, which will give most clubs extra roster space for marginal moves like waiver claims.