Braves Considering Trading matt olson after…
With a new collective bargaining agreement now approved, many expect the MLB offseason to quickly shift back into gear. Oakland Athletics star Matt Olson is among those who could be on the move.
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, however, the A’s and New York Yankees “were not close” to a deal prior to the lockout because the Yankees didn’t want to give up 20-year-old shortstop Anthony Volpe.
MLB.com ranks Volpe as the No. 1 prospect in New York’s system.
Even though Luke Voit is still under team control for the upcoming season, the Bronx Bombers appear determined to land a first baseman. The midseason acquisition of Anthony Rizzo, who’s now a free agent, seemed to send a message about the organization’s outlook on Voit.
Per multiple reports, five-time All-Star Freddie Freeman could be on New York’s radar:
Signing Freeman is the most straightforward solution on the table for general manager Brian Cashman, albeit the most expensive one, too. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported in November that Freeman was looking for a deal worth around $180 million over six years.
Olson, on the other hand, is projected to earn $12 million in his second year of arbitration, per Spotrac. He’ll head to arbitration again in 2023 before hitting free agency.
The downside for the Yankees or any other team is that it might take a promising prospect to pry the 27-year-old out of the Bay Area.
Olson had his best offensive season in 2021, finishing with 39 home runs, 111 RBI and a .911 OPS. His 5.0 WAR was second-best among all first basemen at FanGraphs.
Imagine how he might benefit from the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium. In an admittedly limited sample, he’s slugging .763 in 43 plate appearances in the Bronx.
New York already has a fearsome top half of the order with DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge, Joey Gallo and Giancarlo Stanton. Adding Olson to the mix would make the Yankees an even more potent offensive outfit.
