ARLINGTON, Texas » Kurt Suzuki was gone from Oakland for just over a year, but the Wailuku native who has spent most of his big league career with the A’s admits it feels like he never left the Bay Area.

Suzuki, 29, was traded to Washington last Aug. 3, 2012, and remained with the Nationals until Aug. 22, 2013, when he was dealt back to Oakland. Thus far, he has been behind the plate for 11 games with the A’s and is hitting .321 with one home run and five RBIs.

Oakland manager Bob Melvin, the 2012 American League Manager of the Year, didn’t want his former starting backstop back just for his bat.

Melvin also wanted Suzuki’s veteran presence behind the dish to help keep a mostly young pitching staff on an even keel as the A’s battle for their second straight division title.

"It’s really been important (to have him back), especially when injuries took away two of our catchers (John Jaso and Derek Norris)," Melvin said. "(Suzuki) came in and had experience here, so it was an easy transition with us and for him."

A’S GENERAL MANAGER Billy Beane had targeted Suzuki during the summer to help bolster the team’s corps of catchers.

Suzuki said he was surprised to learn he had been traded back to Oakland from Washington, where he had been sharing catching duties with Wilson Ramos.

"I definitely wasn’t expecting to be back here. That’s another reason I’m excited to be here. It definitely makes me feel good that they wanted me back," he said. "I’ve definitely got some ties. I’m interested in playing this thing out to get to the World Series. That’s our real goal. We’ve put ourselves in a pretty good position so far."

Suzuki played 122 games for the Nationals, but there’s one thing he has brought back to Oakland that he didn’t have before — playoff experience.

Suzuki played five games for Washington in the 2012 National League Division Series, a series the Nats dropped in five games to the Cardinals.

"Experience always helps you in life," he said. "It’s a pretty special time of the year. I got to experience that and had it go five games."

ANOTHER POSITIVE associated with his return to Oakland is that he’s reunited with Melvin, a former big league backstop himself who developed a great relationship with Suzuki during his time with the A’s in 2011 and 2012.

"I definitely think everyone knows me and Bob have a good relationship. I have a good relationship with the whole coaching staff," he said. "It’s definitely nice coming back to this organization.

"Bob is a really good communicator and teacher — not just on the field, but overall life skills. He’s a big advocate of mental toughness. That’s how he is.

"He may not look like he’s tough, but once you get to know him he’s pretty tough mentally."

EVEN THOUGH he’s glad to be back in Oakland, Suzuki said he enjoyed his time in Washington, even though the pitching staffs of the A’s and Nats couldn’t be more different.

"This is a different kind of staff. There was a lot more power in Washington. Four of the five guys in the rotation threw 94 to 97," Suzuki said. "(Stephen) Strasburg could get it up to 99 or 100. We have nobody who can throw that hard.

"Both staffs had some pretty good pitchers. This year’s staff has mental toughness. Everyone’s tough. They find a way to get it done."