The Oakland Athletics will pick up Jed Lowrie's option for 2018.

Billy Beane emphasized how important Lowrie was to the club this season and that the A's are comfortable giving hot infield prospect Franklin Barreto more time at Triple-A.

"You've got those two dynamics, which is actually ideal," Beane said. "I want a young player to sort of push, where his performance is so good that he sort of pushes himself in. But Jed Lowrie had an absolute amazing year, one of the best years probably this side of Jose Altuve as any second baseman in baseball."