ORLANDO, Fla. — The A’s signed veteran infielder Nick Punto to a one-year contract that includes a 2015 team option.
In theory, Punto could play shortstop and allow the A’s to trade Jed Lowrie, who is a free agent after the 2014 season. The Mets would love that, since they had Lowrie atop their wish list of potentially available shortstops. It also would intrigue the Yankees, who are looking for left side of the infield insurance for Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, and Lowrie is capable of playing short and third.
Alas, A’s assistant GM David Forst said in an email Wednesday Punto’s signing “has nothing to do with Jed Lowrie. Jed is our starting shortstop.”
That echoed what GM Billy Beane told The Post the previous day, that “there is no such thing as a definitive ‘no’ in Oakland,” but that the A’s feel they can win the AL West for a third straight year in 2014 and have no plans to move pieces, such as Lowrie, vital to that effort.