A's DFA Player That Provided One Last Memory to Fans in Oakland

He provided one of the final memories for A's fans at the Oakland Coliseum

Jul 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Athletics shortstop Max Schuemann (12) hits a RBI single against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

With the A's addition of Andy Ibáñez off the waiver wire from the Los Angeles Dodgers, a corresponding move had to be made by the Athletics to make room on the 40-man roster. The team announced today that the corresponding move was that they have designated utility player Max Schuemann for assignment.

It wasn't that long ago that Schuemann was seen as a big piece of this franchise moving forward. Maybe not someone that they would offer an extension to, but a player that could pick up the slack at a number of positions. He was also known for having a solid glove anywhere he played.

Last season when the A's optioned him to Triple-A at the end of August, manager Mark Kotsay told Martín Gallegos, "He's a super utility player, and I see that role being filled by him when this club has a chance to play in the postseason. He's a dynamic player we can use all over the field and brings energy every day."

Unfortunately for Schuemann, he ended up hitting .197 with a .295 OBP across 183 plate appearances last season, putting up a .568 OPS. This was a step down from his rookie campaign in 2024 when he batted .220 with a .311 on-base and a .619 OPS.

His 2024 campaign was buoyed by a huge month of July, when he hit .308 with a .400 OBP and three home runs. He was also one of the team's best hitters, right beside Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker. He said at the time that that month helped him to know that he can produce at the big league level, and gave him the confidence that he belonged.

He was a big high energy guy for the A's clubhouse that season, and was regularly chatting it up with his teammates and coaches. This past season he was less energetic when we saw him. That could be partially due to the diminished role he had on the team as his struggles continued throughout the season.

Now, just because he has been DFA'd doesn't mean that he's lost to the A's just yet. Being a light-hitting utility player, there is a chance that he'll be able to sneak through the waiver wire, in which case the A's could outright him to Triple-A.

If that does end up happening, it will be interesting to see how much playing time he gets—and where—with a number of highly touted prospects expected to descend upon Las Vegas Ballpark in 2026. The expectation would be that he would still get a spring invite with the A's if he clears waivers.

We'll have to wait a few days to see what the future holds.

While Schuemann has had a number of big moments on the field for the A's, including big hits and impressive catches all over the diamond, the moment that he's likely most remembered for came after the team's final game in Oakland.

As the team gathered on the field and Mark Kotsay gave his speech to the sellout crowd, Schuemann went and grabbed Stomper's flag and sprinted across the grass with it flapping in the wind.

Max Schuemann flies the A's flag around the Coliseum one last time 👏 pic.twitter.com/vDTZ5GsR1o

— Athletics on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) September 26, 2024

It was an emotional day for a number of A's fans, and Schuemann brought a little bit of extra joy to them, prolonging their stay at the Coliseum just a little bit longer while providing one more memory for the road.