OAKLAND -- In a time that has seen the A¡¯s go through vast roster turnover on a yearly basis, Jed Lowrie emerged as a mainstay over the past decade. That¡¯s what made Wednesday such an emotional day.

Lowrie was designated for assignment prior to the A's series finale against the Angels, likely marking the end of the 38-year-old infielder¡¯s tenure playing for the organization in which he¡¯s enjoyed by far the most success of his Major League career.?Oakland hoped for a better ending with Lowrie, who was in his third stint with the club. But the veteran of 14 big league seasons entered Wednesday scuffling through a 2-for-16 stretch since his return from the injured list on Aug. 2, which plummeted his batting average to .180 on the year with three homers and 16 RBIs.

¡°It¡¯s just the nature of the game,¡± said Lowrie. ¡°I kind of figured it was coming based on some conversations I had. It wasn¡¯t a surprise.¡±

Though Lowrie provided value as a veteran presence and hitting resource in the clubhouse, the rebuilding A¡¯s felt it was best to utilize his roster spot to get a look at the younger talent in the organization. In tandem with Lowrie¡¯s DFA, Oakland selected the contract of 25-year-old outfielder Cal Stevenson from Triple-A Las Vegas. Stevenson, a native of nearby Fremont, Calif., was in Wednesday¡¯s starting lineup against the Angels, batting ninth and playing center field in his Major League debut.

Delivering such news to any player can be tough. For A¡¯s manager Mark Kotsay, his personal history with Lowrie made the task a bit more difficult.

¡°Jed and I, our relationship started back in 2008 when he was a rookie with the Boston Red Sox and a teammate of mine,¡± Kotsay said. ¡°Definitely emotional on my end. What he¡¯s meant to this organization and what he¡¯s done here as an Oakland Athletic, his tenure stands out. He¡¯s been a part of some great clubs and had great moments here. Definitely not an easy day.¡±

Lowrie will now go through waivers. If he goes unclaimed, he can decide to accept a Minor League assignment or opt for free agency. If Lowrie has played his last game with Oakland, he leaves behind an impressive legacy as one of the club¡¯s most prolific doubles hitters. Lowrie¡¯s 205 doubles with the A¡¯s is tied with Terry Steinbach for seventh most in Oakland history.

¡°It was [2017] when he hit 49 doubles. Whenever anyone brings up Jed, I remember that year,¡± said A¡¯s pitcher Paul Blackburn. ¡°Just being able to see that, it was impressive. A guy that¡¯s been great for the younger guys here being able to mentor them, whether it¡¯s the pitching side of things or the hitting side of things. He¡¯s had an unbelievable career and I¡¯m thankful I got to play with him.¡±

Lowrie, a .262 hitter with 77 home runs and 405 RBIs over seven seasons in green and gold, has enjoyed his best years with Oakland. It¡¯s where he became an All-Star in 2018.

¡°The number of years I¡¯ve spent in an A¡¯s uniform, I don¡¯t know in recent history how many guys have played seven seasons here,¡± Lowrie said while fighting back tears. ¡°The A¡¯s mean something to me.¡±

It¡¯s unclear what the final two months of the season will bring for Lowrie. He¡¯s open to playing elsewhere if a team decides to claim him in the next few days, but he remains realistic about his situation. Should he never appear in another Major League game, he said he¡¯s ¡°at peace¡± with whatever comes next.

¡°I feel like I was hitting the ball good when I came back and on my rehab assignment,¡± Lowrie said. ¡°We¡¯ll see where it goes. Just gonna see what¡¯s out there. I¡¯m not mailing it in.¡±