George Kottaras hit a go-ahead homer in the top of the 10th inning Tuesday as the A's beat the Rangers 3-2.

Another unlikely hero in an unlikely season for the A's. Kottaras is batting just .220 with a .793 OPS in 81 games this year but came through in the clutch Tuesday night. Oakland now boasts a 2 1/2-game lead over the Angels in the chase for the second American League Wild Card.

George Kottaras blasted a three-run homer in Friday's 6-1 win over the Mariners.

Kottaras tagged King Felix Hernandez in the fourth. It was his only hit in four trips to the plate, though he also drew a walk. Rotating starts with Derek Norris, Kottaras is a poor AL-only league option for the fantasy playoffs.

Athletics acquired C George Kottaras from the Brewers in exchange for RHP Fautino De Los Santos.

The A's haven't announced who he'll replace on the roster, but he would figure to take Derek Norris' spot. Kottaras was designated for assignment last week after batting .209 with 24 strikeouts in 119 plate appearances. He has some pop and can draw walks, though, and should see plenty of playing time against right-handers.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports the Brewers are close to trading George Kottaras to the Athletics.

It's not yet clear what the Brewers would get in return, but it likely won't be anything of value. Kottaras was designated for assignment earlier this week when the Brewers activated Jonathan Lucroy from the disabled list.

Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Thursday that he is working on trade involving George Kottaras.

Kottaras was designated for assignment on Thursday when the Brewers activated Jonathan Lucroy from the disabled list. The 29-year-old backstop is batting just .209 (18-for-86) this season, but has also drawn 29 walks and has some pop from the left side of the plate. Melvin hopes to complete a trade within the next couple of days.

George Kottaras went 2-for-3 with a critical seventh-inning long ball that powered the Brewers over the Cubs on Wednesday.

Last season Kottaras established himself as one of the league's better backup catchers. This season he is already 3-for-7 (.429) with two home runs and five RBI.

George Kottaras drove in five runs with a pair of doubles Wednesday against the Cubs.

The Brewers scored all 10 runs in the middle three innings, and Kottaras was obviously a big part of it. Also getting in on the action was Alex Gonzalez, who was 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, and Rickie Weeks and Mat Gamel, who each scored twice and stole a base.

Brewers and C George Kottaras avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract.

Terms aren't yet available, but Kottaras projected to make a little under $1 million in his first year of arbitration. The 28-year-old batted .252/.311/.459 with five home runs, 17 RBI and a .771 OPS over 123 plate appearances this past season. He'll serve as the primary backup to Jonathan Lucroy again in 2012.

George Kottaras hit for the cycle in the Brewers' 8-2 defeat of the Astros on Saturday in Houston.

Kottaras flied out to left field in his first at-bat, but was locked in from thereon out. He slugged a home to right field in the fourth, tripled in the sixth, hit a single in the seventh, then finished off the cycle with a ninth-inning double. The 28-year-old catcher finished with two RBI.

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle hears that the Brewers have made catcher George Kottaras available.

Schulman mentioned Kottaras as a potential solution for the Giants, who are on the market for a catcher. The 28-year-old backstop was called up from Triple-A Nashville last week and is batting .290/.324/.516 over 34 plate appearances this season. While Kottaras could be a possibility, Schulman ultimately thinks the Giants may promote 21-year-old prospect Hector Sanchez, who is currently playing with Triple-A Fresno.

George Kottaras hit a two-run homer Thursday in his return to the majors with the Brewers.

Kottaras should have been the Brewers' backup catcher all along, but the team opted for Wil Nieves instead after Jonathan Lucroy came off the DL. That mistake has been corrected now.

Brewers purchased the contract of C George Kottaras from Triple-A Nashville.

We figured it was only a matter of time before the Brewers would give up on the light-hitting Wil Nieves. Kottaras batted .269 with one double and four RBI over 26 at-bats during an earlier stint with the big club this season. He'll be the primary backup to Jonathan Lucroy.

Brewers sent C George Kottaras outright to Triple-A Nashville.

We knew the Brewers wouldn't stick with three catchers for much longer, though we thought Wil Nieves may have been the one to go. Kottaras, 27, batted .269 with one double and four RBI over his first 26 at-bats this season.