A's Trade Jace Peterson to Arizona Diamondbacks

Oakland brings in another pitching prospect in the deal

Last off-season the A's signed free agent Jace Peterson to a two-year, $9.5 million deal. On Monday, the day before the Trade Deadline, the team moved Peterson and some of the money he is owed for next season off the books for 2024 in exchange for right-hander Chad Patrick.

According to Bob Nightengale, the D-Backs are paying the remainder of Peterson's contract for this season, and the A's are sending $2 million dollars to help pay for Jace's $5 million salary next season. 

Peterson, 33, has spent most of his time in Oakland at the hot corner, while also getting into 20 games at second base. He's batting .221 with a .313 on-base percentage this season and has six homers and 11 steals. Over his last 15 games, the utility infielder has hit .316 with a .413 OBP. The Diamondbacks are getting a solid under-the-radar depth depth for a team in contention. 

As for the A's return, Patrick is just a couple of weeks away from his 25th birthday. The right-hander was a fourth-round selection in the 2021 Draft out of Purdue University Northwest. This season in Double-A he is 4-7 with a 4.71 ERA in 19 starts (91.2 innings). He has 90 strikeouts and 36 walks in that time, giving him an 8.8 K/9 and a 3.5 BB/9 on the year. 

In FanGraphs' analysis of Arizona's top 44 prospects, they listed Patrick as a "spot starter type" adding, "Patrick is pitching well at Double-A with a 92 mph fastball and robotic slider command."

His last two outings have come against the Midland RockHounds, Oakland's Texas League affiliate, and he totaled 12.2 IP, 8 hits, one run (unearned), two walks, and 11 strikeouts in those two starts. Now he presumably gets to join the team. 

The A's obviously saw something they liked from Chad Patrick in those two outings that led to him being involved in this deal, and it's little tidbits such as this that make deals a little more interesting. What did the A's see in Patrick that they hope they can unlock? 

We'll have to wait and find out.