OAKLAND -- A day after declining their option on veteran lefty reliever Alan Embree, the A's essentially parted ways with veteran righty Keith Foulke, who filed for free agency Saturday.

Foulke, 36, saved a career-high 43 games for Oakland in 2003 and retired after the 2006 season, but he signed a one-year deal to return to the A's before Spring Training 2008.

He opened the season in a setup role, but was mostly injured and ineffective, posting a 4.07 ERA in 31 appearances. The right-hander missed nearly all of July and August with inflammation in his pitching shoulder.

Oakland is committed to a youth movement that a team source said all but rules out the returns of Foulke and Embree, 38.