The A’s are generally expected to make a few marquee players available after the lockout in an effort to trim payroll. If Oakland does embark on something of an organizational reboot, Matt Olson seems one of the likelier players to wind up elsewhere. Projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a $12MM salary in his penultimate arbitration season, Olson might be the costliest player on the A’s books.
Trading Olson is the most straightforward way to reduce payroll, but he’d still be in plenty of demand around the league. A $12MM salary is well below market value for a two-time Gold Glove winning first baseman coming off a .271/.371/.540 showing that earned him an eighth-place finish in AL MVP balloting. And with another season of below-market club control remaining thereafter (barring changes to the service structure in the next collective bargaining agreement), landing Olson would probably require sending multiple highly-regarded young players back to Oakland.
Which teams are in the best position to pull off the blockbuster if the A’s make Olson available? Before looking at the best fits, we can remove a few teams from consideration. The Pirates, Orioles and Diamondbacks aren’t in the competitive window to trade for a player with two years of control. The same is probably true of the Nationals and Cubs, barring an unexpected post-lockout push for immediate contention. The Rays’ projected 2022 payroll is already $18MM higher than last year’s season-opening mark. They’re probably not taking on a $12MM salary this winter; the Reds have spent all offseason signaling a desire to cut spending.
Which teams seem to be the most plausible landing spots?
Best Fits For A Deal
- Braves — Are the Braves finally going to end their stalemate with Freddie Freeman after the lockout? If he signs somewhere else, they’ll need a first baseman. Olson is reportedly on their radar as a possible replacement.
- Brewers — The Brewers have a championship-caliber pitching staff, but the offense has been middle-of-the-pack. Rowdy Tellez was alright after coming over from the Blue Jays in a midseason trade, but his career track record is mixed. Olson would be a definitive upgrade, and Tellez could stick around as a possible designated hitter option if the universal DH is included in the next CBA. The question is whether Milwaukee — currently projected for a payroll around $20MM north of last season’s Opening Day mark — would take on a salary in this range, but he’s a perfect fit for the roster.
- Giants — The Giants are only a strong fit in the event of a universal DH. Otherwise, first base belongs to Brandon Belt. If there’s an NL DH, acquiring Olson from their crosstown rivals and giving Belt more time at DH would be a boon to an already excellent offense, and it might help the 33-year-old Belt stay healthy all season.
- Mariners — The Mariners are known to be looking for another bat. Acquiring Olson and pushing Ty France to DH would fill that void, and Seattle has the payroll space to accommodate such a move. The potential holdup? Seattle’s loath to part with their top prospects, and that might be especially true in an intra-divisional trade.
- Rangers — The Rangers have looked into the possibility of an Olson deal. They’ve been ultra-aggressive this winter but still look to be shy of 2022 contention. Landing Olson and pushing Nathaniel Lowe to DH would complete perhaps the sport’s top infield, although there’d still be major question marks about the pitching staff. As with Seattle, there are possible intra-divisional trade complications to consider.
- Twins — The Twins have been quieter than expected this winter. They should have payroll flexibility, though, and Miguel Sanó isn’t coming off a great season. Upgrading the rotation seems like the priority in Minnesota, but the free agent starting pitching market has been largely picked clean. Might they pivot and add to an already-strong offense to try to compensate for the lackluster starting staff?
- Yankees — The Yankees have been speculated upon as a potential landing spot for much of the winter, with good reason. Luke Voit dealt with a series of injuries last season, and the Yankees seemed sufficiently discouraged with his health outlook to land Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline. Rizzo’s now a free agent, and while New York could opt to roll with Voit again, there’s little question Olson would at least be a marked defensive upgrade.
Plausible But Longer Odds
- Dodgers — One can seemingly never rule the Dodgers out on stars. But this probably requires an NL designated hitter to pull off, given the presences of Max Muncy, Chris Taylor and Gavin Lux between first and second base.
- Guardians — A $12MM salary might wind up being too hefty for the Guardians. Yet they only have $11MM in guaranteed money on the books this year, with an estimated $49MM in commitments after accounting for arbitration projections. This is a franchise that has exceeded nine figures in the past, and incumbent first baseman Bobby Bradley struck out in 35.5% of his plate appearances last year.
- Marlins — The Marlins could supplant Jesús Aguilar at first, and Olson would be a massive upgrade to a lineup that struggled in 2021. Miami has plenty of young pitching that might appeal to Oakland. The Fish seem more focused on outfield help, but an Olson trade makes some sense if they pivot back to the dirt.
- Padres — The Padres tend to act boldly, and they could stand to upgrade over Eric Hosmer. With a projected payroll approaching $200MM, it’s not clear how much further ownership’s willing to spend. Landing Olson might require first shedding the bulk of Hosmer’s contract in a separate trade, but that’d require parting with some prospect talent even before considering the package of young players San Diego would need to send to Oakland.
- Phillies — An NL DH could theoretically bring Olson into play, with Rhys Hoskins assuming the bat-only role. Shortstop, third base, two outfield spots and the bullpen are all arguably bigger concerns for Philadelphia though.
- Red Sox — The Red Sox could supplant Bobby Dalbec at first base this year. With J.D. Martinez slated to hit free agency next winter, top prospect Triston Casas could break in as a DH in 2023. Yet with clearer needs in the bullpen and either at second base or in the outfield, Olson to Boston feels like a longshot.
Teams With More Pressing Needs
- Angels — Jared Walsh broke out with an All-Star campaign in 2021 and should have first base accounted for. Designated hitter? That’s occupied by the reigning AL MVP.
- Astros — Yuli Gurriel is back at first base after winning the batting title. Yordan Álvarez is locked in at DH.
- Blue Jays — The Blue Jays have the reigning MVP runner-up, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., at first base. It’s unlikely they’d want Guerrero to become a full-time DH this early in his career. One could argue for Toronto acquiring Olson and kicking Guerrero back to third base, but it’s probably best to leave the young star at first and try to upgrade the other infield spots more directly.
- Cardinals — The Cardinals have Paul Goldschmidt at first base and some young options (Lars Nootbaar, Juan Yepez) for the possible DH spot.
- Mets — The Mets have Pete Alonso at first and a number of offense-minded players already on the roster who could step into a DH role if needed.
- Rockies — The Rockies just extended C.J. Cron. If the new CBA contains a universal DH, could they acquire Olson and take Cron off defense? That seems far-fetched, even for a Colorado team that views itself closer to contention than most outside observers would.
- Royals — The Royals seem to be prioritizing bullpen help. They’d probably like to move Carlos Santana, but top prospect Nick Pratto could step in at first base in the unlikely event they find a Santana suitor.
- Tigers — Miguel Cabrera is still around for two more years at DH, and top prospect Spencer Torkelson is on the doorstep of taking over first base.
- White Sox — The White Sox are already at a franchise-record projected payroll and have José Abreu and Andrew Vaughn to cover first base/DH.
Payroll projections courtesy of Jason Martinez of Roster Resource
What does the MLBTR readership think?
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Brewers and Yankees make the most sense to me. Braves are still going to try to sign Freeman and will eventually, I think.
I think the braves should trade for him and sign freddie assuming the dh comes to the nl.
Why? Olson is a great defensive first baseman.
My guess is Marcell Ozuna is going to DH for the Braves. If the Braves re-sign Freeman they would be better off going after another outfield bat before getting another dh type. Suzuki looks like a better potential pick up than Olson if they already have Freeman. Or maybe they trade for a center fielder. I don’t think they should be in the market for 2 first baseman.
can someone tell me what the Brewers have to offer? I don’t know their system but did not think it would sufficient to get Olsen. I also like most expect the Braves to re-sign FF so absent a DH or weird situation, I don’t see that happening. If the A’s seek an in-division premium from Seattle and Texas, I’m seeing the Yankees as the most likely team to trade for him.
Turang, Frelick, and Mitchell all have some value. You’re right that they aren’t bursting at the seams with top talent, but with Olson for only two more years, I think they could pull it off.
@deweybelongsinthehall The Brewers don’t have anything on the farm. Maybe Ashby who has pitched out the pen. I don’t see them moving Houser since that is not what the A’s are looking for. Mitchell tanked in Biloxi after being promoted. He is the number one prospect but needs to address his lack of hitting at Biloxi. Brice Turang has been mentioned as potential prospect but he drops every time a new prospect arrives in Milwaukee.
Thank you both. I just think he’ll end up in NY. Did Rizzo really show much? Maybe they sign Rizzo to save their farm capital for another deal. I just love Olsen and think outside of FF, no one available is close to his talent for 22.
The Yankees would be more likely to sign Rizzo than to give up the prospects for Olson. Most of the teams on this list make little sense. The A’s will push for a huge haul for him but will probably end up keeping him for another year. They have other pieces on expiring contracts they will move first. Their attendance was atrocious last year and they need stars like Olson to fix that. Unless they are blown away I expect he will stay put another year. Freeman and Rizzo will sign with the most needy teams. If the Yankees get one they will ship Voit to a team like the Brewers. The Padres have Wil Myers ready to take back 1st if they can move Hosmer. I don’t see any other team besides possibly the Mariners giving up the prospects for Olson and Seattle has bigger needs than 1st base. I could see a Royals reunion with Hosmer if the Padres eat a ton of salary. With the Royals then doing the same to flip Santana. There are too many options for teams to fill 1st rather than giving up the prospects plus the salary Olson will get this year and next.
Don’t agree. First Oakland has to reset if not fully rebuild. They need to relocate as they’ve tried and MLB needs to broker their feud with the Giants before the East Bay loses another team to Vegas. As to Olsen vs. Rizzo, you are talking about one in his prime who barring injury will smash and play GG defense. In Rizzo, you have a guy past his prime but still able to produce. You just hope and pray he does. Obviously, it depends on the cost but if they trade for Olsen, an extension despite the Yankees history has to be considered.
Pirates. No doubt. 100% guarantee. You can count on it. End of discussion.
One of these days they’re going to surprise us.
Lol
RobM Yeah just like the Mets lol.
Only the Orioles stand in their way.
I would agree if it was in a 3 team trade with someone like the Rays or Red Sox where the Pirates come off looking like fools again. I’m not sure what happened to them the last 4-5 years but they went from making very few mistakes to laughable trades. It seemed to start around the Archer trade. They used to feast on Yankees castoffs like Burnett, Cervelli, and Martin. A decade ago they would have made a deal for Clint Frazier and Gary Sanchez for relatively little. Then turn them into all stars. Now they give away players like Stallings and sign players like Quintana. They seem to be shopping Reynolds and judging by their trades the last few years they will get a package of magic beans in return.
I wouldn’t be so harsh on Cherrington, who seems to be doing the best he can. But I agree TOTALLY with the idea of navigating three ways where the Pirates only sacrifice is money,,,,e,g,. getting KK from Tampa (they’re in heat to get rid of him), get a prospect or two, then flip him to a CF needy team (maybe with some $) to get more prospect capital. That would certainly expedite the rebuild.
But that formula works for the O’s too, who have a whole lot more money than the Bucs do. I don’t think you’ll see it either way.
This isn’t a video game, and if the Pirates were to trade for say KK he would roam CF until the trade deadline. If someone out there wanted KK they’d get him themselves…
About half the teams listed have no shot. Just like with expensive FAs, you have to have a definitive need, the resources, and no other competing needs. Are the Giants, for example, pony up the prospects and the cash, just to replace Belt at 1B?
I’d include the Dodgers on that no-way list. Olson not only fails to fill a real roster need, their farm is already too thin to swing a trade without gutting it completely.
How does he not fill a need with the DH coming and Muncy a question mark with a torn UCL? Why do you think they are in on Freddie Freeman
Dodgers will use the DH as a turnstile if it happens ; not one set player
Turner probably gets the most abs there on a whole
Dodgers aren’t in on FF. Why do you think they are?
Could be all the articles talking about Freddie Freeman being a possible target.
Muncy is only a question mark to those who believe what they want to believe despite what they are hearing from the Dodgers. I don’t see them as being seriously in on Freeman. Even though the complete argument against Olson doesn’t fully apply to Freeman, those rumors don’t make a lot of sense either.
About half the teams mentioned, maybe more, fall under the heading of “anything is theoretically possible”. I’d prefer to focus on teams that really have an interest. If the RS, for example, are going to spend another $10M or so, would it be for a 1B, to replace Dalbec & Casas, or would they sign Suzuki or BP help?
Luzardo for Olson. Get it done, Ng!
Yankees or Red Sox
No offense meant to this poster here, just general comment to make regarding both NYY and RSox fans in general who have come onboard the last cpl few years..
NYY and Boston both have lot more pressing needs than a 1b, even as good as Olson is. Both have several areas which need improvement and 1b can be held down S/term, long term until one’s top prospect is ready (probable end of (2022).
Some of these more recent fans should think more about what a team really needs instead of so called icing on a cake.
I don’t see the Red Sox blocking Casas at 1B. The big-market teams do actually look at what prospects they have in the pipeline and project forward on where they need to spend money. That’s the growing influence of the luxury tax thresholds. In that sense, I agree with you on the Red Sox. They won’t spend big for a 1B’man like Freeman, and they won’t expend their prospect capital to acquire Olson just as they’re trying to build out depth in their farm.
The Yankees are more complex. They don’t spend the way fans think they do or by their prior reputation. They maintain high payrolls and want to ensure they have a winning team that’s always in the hunt, but their free-agent signings are much more targeted. They have a 1B’man in Voit who has posted a 137 OPS+ for them, so they don’t need to act out of desperation. The problem though is they want a little more lineup diversity that includes adding a quality LH’d bat. They actually do need someone like Olson. To get Olson, they’re going to have to move one of their top SS prospects — Peraza or Volpe — which means they will have weakened their future SS options. They won’t do that unless they sign a SS, yet they’ve so far sat out the greatest SS free agency class since free agency began. It makes no sense, unless they are planning to sign Story or Correa and are waiting for the final CBA numbers. If they sign one of the two big SS’s, that will free them to move one of Peraza or Volpe. If they don’t sign one of them, I don’t see them trading for Olson. The two moves are interlocked.
They Yankees do, btw, have a very interesting prospect for 1B that never gets mentioned at 1B. Austin Wells. He’s catching now, but they will pull the plug on that some point in 2022. He’s a good athlete, but not a catcher, and many scouts believe his bat can play in the majors right now. He could be packaged in a trade for Olson, or maybe they let Voit play one more year at 1B and await Wells.
As I said prior, reading the Yankees is not as easy as it used to be.
Sox no, Yankees “definitely a possibility”.
@Dewey, that’s the one sentence version of my note!
The Yankees can play LeMahieu at first base, but he doesn’t profile as the kind of hitter that usually plays there, and the consensus is that his defense would be wasted there (I’m not so sure of the latter). What I am sure of is that relying on Voit to be healthy is a big gamble, especially when they’re relying on bounceback seasons from several key position players, including Hicks, Torres, Sanchez, Gallo and Urshela, as well as several starting pitchers with innings limitations from injuries or lack of use over the past couple of years.
Voit is injured too often, he’s a terrible defender with no speed, and he bats right-handed. Olson is healthy, a great defender with at least average speed, and he bats left-handed.
If I had my druthers, I’d spend the trade capital to get a center fielder like Cedric Mullins; but I think Olson would be a good second choice for a trade acquisition.
The A’s don’t make players available. That’s not how the A’s operate. All A’s players are available to talk about at any time. Billy Beane has made that clear for 20+ years. Further, the notion the A’s are going to slash payroll is pure speculation based on nothing. The A’s have been budgeting for Olson and Chapman’s arbitration for years. Does that mean they won’t be traded? Return to the beginning; the A’s will talk to anyone about everyone at any time. If they are blown away by a package they will deal. But the A’s are rarely the aggressor in the off season. Right now they can sit back and wait for offers to come in. Then Beane and David Forst can move onto other possible deals. They need a closer, RH bat in the OF and a 6th starter/swingman.
It’s not pure speculation. The A’s letting their manager go to San Diego to save $3-4M is a reasonable indication Oakland is looking to cut costs.
Maybe the fact that BoMel chokes in the postseason over and over and can’t manage a pen is indication they are over him? Maybe most people are misreading the situation here?
passed_balls I would go with that theory. The A’s collapsed multiple times under Melvin and his post season failures are a Master Class in how not to win in October.
gbs42 That is absolutely asinine. The A’s extended his contract in July…why would they do that only to ‘cut salary’? The A’s let other coaches and front office personnel go without asking for compensation. The A’s let Art Howe go to the Mets for no compensation and that’s when the A’s were still insisting on having cash considerations on most deals. Ridiculous that people think $4 Million of a $150-180 Million organization total payroll is “cutting salary”.
zach, it would seem “absolutely asinine” to extend in July the contract of a manager whose “post season failures are a Master Class in how not to win in October.” If they didn’t want to keep him, why give him a $4M extension? Why not let him go after the season with no concern about paying him in 2022?
It also seems ridiculous to think the A’s have a total org payroll double what the players make. Who is getting the other ~$80M?
“ The A’s don’t make players available. That’s not how the A’s operate.”
Uh, yeah, that’s precisely what the A’s do with players. Who’s the last good player they signed to a long-term contract? Who’s the last decent player they didn’t trade before FA or signed after he hit the market?
Kinda why I picked the Marlins. They could give Oakland young pitching. Then Oakland can trade theirs. I could see him staying in Oakland or the Yankees too though. I think Freeman will probably have to sign first before anything happens with Olson.
Matt Olson is unlikely to be traded to the Mariners but Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto has no problem trading within the division for a first baseman from the Oakland Athletics.
Dipoto traded for A’s first basemen Danny Valencia in November 2016, Yonder Alonso in August 2017 and Ryon Healy in November 2017.
Those trades were all prior to the 2018 rebuild when he sent Cano to the Mets. Dipoto is now sitting on a bounty of prospects. He isn’t going to give them to the A’s.. He is much too smart for that.
Trader Jerry & smart do not belong in the same sentence.
Dipoto literally said Ty France will be the opening day first baseman. He’s not likely trading for Olson.
However, every local journalist has a report out detailing the interest in Matt Chapman. Dipoto absolutely would make a trade with Oakland, he’s just not going to cough up elite prospects in a return–and he may not have to.
If Oakland is more interested in major league-ready (or near-ready) players, Seattle has a number of names that could be of interest. But if a respectable prospect arm was necessary as well, such as Williamson or Stoudt, I don’t think it would be a deal-breaker.
We’re simply not likely going to see Kirby, Marte, Hancock, or Ford dealt, and it goes without saying that Julio isn’t going anywhere.
@ muskle 73 above:
Don’t mean to be rude but Trader Jerry got his nickname for a reason. He’ll trade with anyone.
Which reminds me that he’s yet to pick up the 3 piece leather suite with lazy boy centrepiece that I sold him last year.
In return I got a left handed RP to throw (inaccurately) at the squirrels that so irritate my Pekinese in the garden. I think either the squirrels or the Pekinese ate Daniel Zamora. I can’t find him anywhere.
What would you propose he offer for Olson? I think it would take two of his top five prospects plus more. Something like Julio + Hancock + Then + Evan White..
I have a couple raccoons that visit my yard every night. They will take care of your squirrel problem and the Pekinese, too.
That’s fR too much for 2 years of Olson. I’m not a Mariners fan but highly doubt they trade Julio straight up for Olsen let alone the three others. They would probably trade Hancock plus but I see very few scenarios where the Mariners would trade Julio or George Kirby. They are very deep in prospects though so perhaps something could be worked out without those two.
Seattle is unlikely to trade six years of 21-year-old Julio Rodriguez, with a 2022 ZiPS projection of 3.3 WAR, for two years of nearly 28-year-old Matt Olson, with a 2022 ZiPS projection of 5.0 WAR.
@AllenBob above
OK – That’s my JJ against your KK – I don’t have a Pekinese. I’ll take one raccoon in exchange for one of the foxes.
With regard to Matt Olsen – it’d be really difficult to trade to a division rival but in the F/O we trust. So if the Mariners offer the perceived biggest haul who knows? I’d take Julio Rodriguez in a heartbeat – I can’t see us getting the no1 & no4/5 prospects plus change. Evan White is an immediate defensive replacement but will his bat ever catch up? I was quite high on Justin Dunn (and his is a real team friendly contract) – the one thing to be said is that the Mariners have the depth to pretty much trade for anyone.
The Phillies seem like a better fit for Chapman at this point imo. He makes more sense, especially if they stick with Stott. If the CBA is increased dramatically however, I felt expect them to go after Correa.
If the A’s have a new owner…
Olson to the Yankees in exchange for Oswald Peraza, Luis Gil, Jake Sanford/Ryder Green, Luke Voit, and a lottery ticket. Yankees also eat some of Voit’s salary
A’s already have a fill-in 1B in Seth Brown, who has better range, can also play corner OF, has an extra year of control over Voit, and most importantly, isn’t a Super Two arb case whose pay would eliminate most of the savings of trading Olson in the first place.
Did you only see the name Voit and completely ignore the rest? Also I suggested the Yankees would eat some of Voit’s salary. He’s projected to make just over $5M next year so if the Yankees take on $3M of that the A’s would be getting him dirt cheap. Seth Brown doesn’t offer nearly as much offensive upside as Voit and DH is also an option. You can’t tell me the A’s currently have 9 better hitters than Voit on their roster
So, the Yankees will pay down $3M of probably $20M± of what Voit will earn before free agency. WHAT A BARGAIN.
A’s DH for rest days and matchups. Voit is limited to 1B/DH because he can’t play corner OF. Brown can, and can even fill in in CF in a pinch.
2021 Voit hit 11 HR over 241 PA, while Brown hit 20 over 307 PA; Brown had a slightly lower average but otherwise their hitting lines were quite close … and Brown is much cheaper while also being a lefty.
I never said the Yankees would only cover Voit’s salary for 2022, I just used that year as an example since it’s what’s most relevant at this moment.
I also don’t understand your fixation with this Brown/Voit comparison. Neither guy should be viewed as long term answers for the A’s given their age and limitations. You’re using Voit’s numbers from last year while he was clearly injured. How about his 2020 numbers when he hit 22 home runs in 56 games.
Even though I’ve already received my answer indirectly, I’ll ask it again. Did you see the name Voit and completely ignore the rest?
Sanford/Green are *meh* (yanks #23 & #26 prospects), Gil is fine, Peraza is less necessary as A’s have Nick Allen.
What *I’m* saying is that the A’s have little-to-no interest in Voit. Your proposed trade gets better for the A’s if it’s just cash instead of Voit+cash … but that can’t be done unless the cash is to offset a guaranteed (arb or FA signing) contract.
That the Yankees feel a need to move Voit does not mean the A’s find him as a desirable trade target.
Sure Sanford/Green don’t exactly move the needle but they’re not the headliner here. Peraza has much higher offensive upside than Allen plus one of them could be moved to 2B. Andrus and Lowrie got the bulk of playing time in the the middle infield last year so both positions could use an upgrade both now and long term.
The inclusion of Voit covers two things. The A’s probably want to field a somewhat competent team even during a retooling period and Voit could later be traded if he stays healthy and returns to form. If he doesn’t pan out the A’s could simply non tender him the following year.
The real prizes of this package are Peraza and Gil. Anything else of value would just be a bonus. You have to factor in the limited market for a 1B and Olson’s trade value being at its peak
A’s would be paying for a chance that Voit gets better (switching from a small east coast park to the Coliseum … doubt) and non-tender him if he doesn’t, which wastes the trade value used. Again, they could *not pay for Voit* and use Seth Brown instead.
And if I’m the A’s, I’m asking Volpe, not Peraza.
You still seem to be hung up on Voit in this scenario but I’ll break it down again anyway. It’s not a matter of Voit getting better, it’s a matter of health. Voit could still hit 30-35 home runs in Oakland while racking up a ton of doubles. If the Yankees eat $3M owed to him next year he’ll only make around $2M. Once again the A’s don’t have 9 better hitters than Voit, if Olson is gone you could argue they wouldnt have any hitters better than Voit.
Volpe is an elite prospect. These days elite prospects only get traded for aces and superstar hitters at premium positions. Olson doesn’t fit that criteria
Looks to me like if you’re the Yankees GM, you’ll have a choice between “play Voit” and “sign Freeman if he’s available”, which he may indeed be if the Braves don’t want to re-sign him for another 6 years.
Oakland isn’t taking on Voit? Get that through your head. They will be getting pre arb guys with all 6 years of control.
No, if they don’t trade for Olson they’ll probably just re-sign Rizzo. Which further shows how little leverage the A’s have in trade talks involving Olson.
Assuming Freeman stays in Atlanta, the Yankees and Brewers will likely be the only teams with serious interest in Olson. Rizzo is available as a fallback for either team if the A’s asking price is too high.
Olson’s trade value is at its peaks now. The A’s can either trade him now at peak value or take a lesser deal later. As things stand they’re a .500 team at best with a thin farm system and limited budget. Holding onto Olson would be foolish
Voit’s got a career 132 OPS+ compared to Brown’s 107. You really can’t compare them as hitters. Voit is a very good bounce back candidate if he’s healthy in 2022. He could easily be flipped by the As at the deadline if he’s having a strong year, they don’t need to keep him long term.
I’m glad someone else can think logically
CCCTL is simply overvaluing the A’s guys while simultaneously minimizing any value on players he personally doesn’t like, regardless of numbers, in conjunction with his refusal to see the obvious – Olson wouldn’t be discussed in these deals if he were requiring #1 prospect returns. The very reason Olson is being discussed is because the A’s are motivated to get rid of him, due to cost-savings. This year alone he’s projected to make $7M+ more than Voit. That a lot of money for the A’s.
It hurts, but it’s true and it hurts their return. Volpe is projected to be the 1 or 2 prospect in all of MLB at some point this season.
There is simply no way any team is giving that up for any player with only 2 years control remaining, unless it is an ace, a top-tier MLB SS, or catcher; but certainly not for a 1B.
Now, would they want Volpe for Chapman & Olson, yeah, but I still don’t believe Yankees would entertain that. Volpe and Dominguez are untouchable and the Yankees will sacrifice at any position this year to keep them. Peraza, is as high as they go.
It goes beyond that. If the Yankee haters see the names Voit or Andujar included in a trade proposal, even as complementary pieces, they immediately get triggered and dismiss everything else you say.
He also fails to see the list of realistic suitors for Olson is very small. The A’s are in a position where they can either hold onto Olson and be mediocre in the short term or trade him now and possibly avoid a long term rebuild.
I’m big on Volpe like most people but I don’t think he gets to top 2 status. He could crack the top 5 in the midseason rankings after a few of the current top 5 get called up but probably won’t go much higher than that
Yankee Clipper I think you undervalue Chapman and Olson.
If the Yankees really wanted Chapman and Olson a fair trade would be Volpe and Dominguez for those two. I know that Baseball trade values is not perfect but its a decent starting point and it says that both of those would be required to get Chapman and Olson. Basically a straight up trade for Olson would cost Volpe. A straight up trade for Chapman would cost Dominguez. Its important to remember that while Volpe had his stock jump in value Dominguez fell.
I think the Yankees have enough prospect capital to get Olson without Volpe but its just a question of whether the Athletics can get more from someone else. Make no mistake if the Athletics want to trade Olson there will be no shortage of suiters so its not like they are just going to give him away. Olson is a potential difference maker for the next two years and he is going to cost quite a bit to pry him from Oakland.
Mariners are the ones that seem to be in the best position when you consider finances and need. The NL teams are banking on DH being implemented, which if it does happen then the Giants seem to be the best candidate there.
Yeah, that’s not correct. Jerry already named Ty France the opening day first baseman (and Crawford the SS). He’s unlikely to pivot, especially with White under contract and the hope that he’ll benefit from a few months in AAA.
If there’s a trade with Oakland, it’s more likely going to be for Chapman and/or a starting pitcher.
Along with Bassitt to the Red Sox. Casas would be the centerpiece
Casas has got to as close to untouchable as it gets on the Sox and with Bloom’s focus being sustained success, I don’t think blowing the farm on 2 year players is in the cards.
Olson traded to the Braves after the Yankees sign Freeman. Book it.
Lol. Keep dreaming. If Freddie was truly going elsewhere it would’ve happened pre lockout.
That’s literally not true.
You don’t think Freddie had offers on the table pre lockout? Freddie has chosen not to sign elsewhere.
@FredMcGriff for the HOF…
“You don’t think Freddie had offers on the table pre lockout?”
That’s not what I said at all!
“Freddie has chosen not to sign elsewhere.”
Or MAYBE… He has chosen to wait for other teams to offer him more money or for the threat of it to convince Atlanta to offer him more money.
He hasn’t signed with the Braves yet, either. You could make the same argument that if it was going to happen, it would have been a done deal by now. I don’t honestly see him leaving the Braves, but it’s a silly argument to say that because he hasn’t signed elsewhere yet, there’s no way he will.
By numerous accounts Glavine as well as Chopper both have Freddie’s ear and have told him stays Brave.
Yeah but Greg Maddux and Smoltz are telling him to sign with another team.
@forwhomart. . omny.fm/shows/dukes-bell/max-fried-could-be-left-h…. Listen to this podcast with John Smoltz immediately after the World Series. He clearly predicts the Braves to resign Freddie Freeman. That part is about in the middle of the podcast btw.
Speaking as a Padres fan, if we don’t think we can replace Hosmer in-house, I’d rather just keep him. Shedding Hosmer is going to require either eating the majority of his contract or attaching multiple top 100 prospects/good young MLB players like Jake Cronenworth or Trent Grisham. If we do that, I want that to be the end of it. I don’t want us to then have to overpay in prospects for Olson or in $ for Freeman.
A rizzo reunion doesn’t sound too bad. It just doesn’t seem plausible that hosmer will be moved.
At this point, if they’re serious about winning in this window, they need to bite the bullet and bench Hosmer, get a proper 1B, and actually go out to win, instead of constantly hamstringing themselves with that overpaid buffoon just for optics or to save money. Otherwise they’re just wasting the entire $200 million payroll to sit at home in October.
How about they end this ridiculous lockout first and sign a new CBA?
I’ll like to see the Braves acquire Olson/Montas as they got the prospects and Anthopolus has dealt before in his days as the Jays GM! While also re-signing Freeman with the new NL DH!
Waters OF, Wright SP, Wilson SP and others for those two.
1.Acuña Jr. RF
2.Albies 2B
3.Freeman 1B
4.Riley 3B
5.Olson DH
6.Ozuna LF
7.D’Arnaud C
8.Pache CF
9.Swanson SS
1.Anderson
2.Fried
3.Morton
4.Ynoa
5.Montas
I’ll love to see them bring back Rosario or Soler, but with Ozuna c on m ok my back, Olson in this case, taking 1B/DH AB with Freeman, there’s no place for the DH Soler and Rosario would be taking Ozuna spot in LF unless he moves to RF and Jr. takes CF. If that’s the case, then I would trade Pache as well. No sense to keep him if he’s go going to be blocked!
I’ll just go with Ozuna, Pache, Acuña Jr. and Duvall as the 4th OF. Unless they keep him in AAA as depth piece!
At this stage I think you’d rotate Olson and Freeman. Help keep the old guy healthier and I really like Olson’s glove.
Freeman gets 2 or 3 days in the field a week and Olson gets the rest.
That’s way too much for the Braves to part with. I’m not saying Olson wouldn’t net it, just it’s too much for Atlanta to give away from their farm. You’re gutting it.
Also, I think (and hope) Ozuna never suits up for the Braves again. If he does, and the NL adds a DH, it’ll be in the DH slot.
Re-sign Freeman & Rosario, see if you can get Joc back cheaply as a 4th to hold the OF until Acuna is cleared… and run it back minus Soler.
Having Olson as your DH should be a felony.
That’s a nope on including Wilson in your proposal to4. The Braves dealt Bryse Wilson and Ricky DeVito to the Pirates at the deadline for the awfulness of Richard Rodriguez.
A smart team would keep their prospects and just sign Rizzo.
Brewers could do that but I doubt they want to go 4-5 years on Rizzo.
No one wants to go 4-5 years on Rizzo, so no team will have to.
As a life long Braves fan I have appreciated what FF has done but if the m.o.is no 6 year contracts for 30+ players offer 5@160. If not enough pivot to Olson, you have enough prospect capital to get it done.
I hadn’t considered the Twins but that is a really interesting fit. Olson would improve the infield defense as well as the offense.
Maybe the Twins look for Olson’s glove/bat and a couple ground ball specialists and hope to improve overall?
If I had to bet, I still think Brewers are a great fit. Plenty of prospect capital and a clear need.
I don’t think the A’s trade Olson but if they do i think it could be the Braves. If Freeman leaves (and Olson’s market is tied to Freeman) they have the farm system to get a deal done
If the Braves trade for Olson, it will be before Freeman signs elsewhere. I see the Braves closing the Door before Freeman, because Freeman has no place to go, as long as the Braves door is open.
The Mariners would use Chapman as a replacement for Seager at 3b if they dealt for Chapman. France was the GG at 1b last year in the AL if the vote was based on reality and performance.
The Astros could use Matt Olson and put Y.Gurriel at third base Alex Bergman at SS and put Matt Olson at first Base
Gurriel is heading into his age 38 season, there is no way the Astros will play him at 3B regularly. Plus they’ve already said they are not considering moving Bregman to SS
The Brewers and Twins feel like the best bets in my opinion.
I doubt if the Mariners want this guy.
CLEVELAND!!!! Go and get him Chernoff!
It’s not the Yankees, I can tell you that much. The Yanks are not giving away their top prospects.
If the DH is in play in the NL, my money is on the Cardinals. It would be such a Cardinal move to have a stud defender even as their primary DH. Their Brass knows they have about a 2 year window still of Nadia and Goldy at their peak. They are in win now mode. Signed Matz specifically to fill the innings of their prospect Liberatore. Liberatore, Nootbar and Donovan gets it done.
Olson and Chapman for Judge, Torres, Peraza, Florial, and Voit
I don’t think that Cardinal trade is enough to get it done.
The A’s would have to be Nootbar to accept that trade. They can get (and will) get way more if they trade Olson
Cubs should be consider possible suitors for Olson seeing he fit a need and his age is perfect for the team.
“Which teams are most likely to acquire Matt Olson?”
Trick question really. Only one team can sign him.
It’s weird that so many people seem to think Seattle needs a first baseman. They don’t. They have two locks in the infield right now: Crawford at SS and France at 1B. Frazier is probably going to play a lot of 2B, but he could be flipped in a deal or bounced around a little. Then there’s White, whom they most certainly haven’t given up on. He may be in the conversation again after a few months in Tacoma.
One look at the lineup and you can see that Seattle’s RHH-heavy. It’s really not a big deal. They don’t have to get left-handed power, they just need good, solid players (preferably with power).
Trade for Chapman, sign Suzuki, and drop Crawford to 8th (Frazier leading off) and Seattle would have a respectable lineup with some pop and a balance between youth and experience.
Olson would be prospect costly. A teams top prospect and more. If the NL gets the DH, any number of NL teams will be in on him for 1B.
The fact of the matter is the Mariners have the prospect capital to trade for anybody they want, and could likely trade out of their second tier of prospects which are better than most teams first tier. It’s an abundance of riches in the Mariners farm system and there is no team that could possibly outbid them for anyone they zero in on in a possible trade scenario.
The Brew crew
As a Brewers fan, I want them to throw the farm at Oakland for Olson and/or Chapman. Their best prospects aren’t that great and have some glaring flaws (like Turang, who has zero power) but they can package up 3 or 4 and also trade a controllable hitter like Luis Urias, who hit 20 HR last year and wouldn’t have a place on the team if they acquired Chapman.
Mitchell, Frelick, Ethan Small all are easier to dream on than Turang but they’re far from can’t-miss prospects. They also have post-hype Keston Hiura who Oakland might want to take a chance on. Ashby has some real promise but there’s not likely room for him outside the bullpen with 5 legit guys in the rotation. As much as I think he could be a strong reliever, I’d part with him for either of Oakland’s Matts.
How excited would Brewer fans be to nab themselves Matt Olsen. What an upgrade over Daniel Voggelbauch! He is also more than adequate to fill an Avisail Garcia shaped hole that I don’t think Avisail Garcia could fill.
Brewer fans, has there been any rumblings from your side? I would assume most of you would accept an offer that involved either of your two outfield top prospects but would go crazy if it took both? You’d get him for three years at arbitration pay (second year coming up) which on any other team not named the Pirates or Guardians would be a massive bargain so the package the A’s would expect would probably hurt your feelings.
What’s the most the Brewers could trade to get Olsen that you would be okay with?
This Brewers fan has heard no rumblings about their interest in either, which I hope doesn’t indicate that they aren’t gonna try. As I said above, I’d be willing to trade a huge package of prospects plus an MLB hitter like Urias (Hiura too, but it’s not clear that he’s an MLB-level hitter) for either him or Chapman. The good thing for the Brewers is that the A’s wouldn’t want Woody, Burnes, or Hader since they’re all earning a lot in arbitration.
Freddy Peralta is locked up on a super team-friendly deal until at least 2024 with two club options after, topping off at $8m. I would draw the line at him, but I could see Oakland not wanting to take on even that modest future salary.
I don’t know the Brewers system well enough to say they wouldn’t be an interesting choice for a likely team.
As much as I wouldn’t want to sell off prospects like Peraza, Volpe, Gil or the like, Olsen fits the Yankees like a (gold) glove. I am not the only person in the world that saw this offense last year, and how much the defense benefited from having Rizzo there, as opposed to DJ or Voit or Gittens.
Yes, short and center are bigger needs, but I don’t see a trade happening to fix that right now. I also don’t see massive bounce back seasons from Hicks, Gleyber, DJ, Gio and Voit all happening. If so, somebody got hurt for a significant time.
The one thing Yankee fans want to see is SOMETHING. Radio silence will not be tolerated by the fan base, and, quite frankly, is bad for the sport. Baseball loves hating the Yankees, just like fans love hating the Cowboys and the like. No agent or GM worth their salt doesn’t talk to the Yankees because it adds value when they are interested.