The A's Most Valuable and Available Trade Piece at the Deadline
Well, it's July. That means the hot stove is going to be cranked to eleven for the next few weeks, regarless of whether or not anything is actually happening. Keep in mind that MLB front offices still have to go through an entire MLB Draft in the coming weeks, too. News and transactions may not come immediately, but that doesn't mean that speculation is off the table.
There have been numerous rumors (or people wishing trades into existence) concerning two players on the Oakland A's roster in recent weeks. Those players are All Star Brent Rooker, and arguably the best closer in baseball, Mason Miller. Oakland has team control over these guys for years to come, and they're not at a point in their careers where they cost too much for A's ownership, so there is no rush to move either of these players unless GM David Forst is satisfied with the return.
There is one player on the roster, however, that has been hitting the ball extremely well and that also plays a pretty nice left field that could very much be made available this month. Here is his line so far this season after missing some time to begin the year:
In 31 games: .315 average, .344 OBP, 12.2% strikeout rate, 119 wRC+, and .755 OPS. They're making $1.7 million this year and will be arbitration eligible next year before hitting free agency following the 2025 campaign. The route running may not be there for him defensively, but he has a cannon of an arm (97th percentile in arm strength), and he can also make plays like this.
MIGUEL ANDÚJAR ROBS ROYCE LEWIS AND THROWS OUT MANUEL MARGOT AT THIRD 😱 pic.twitter.com/fQZxHg5fEc
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) June 23, 2024
Yes, we're talking about a revitalized 29-year-old MIguel Andujar, and the way that he's playing so far this year, there is a good chance that he could end up being the A's best trade chip this month.
The Atlanta Braves could use a left fielder, because the platoon they've been running out there to keep Marcell Ozuna locked in at DH hasn't been cutting it. Andujar would provide a boost to an offense that could certainly use one. Plus, the A's and Braves are trading BFFs, so it would make sense if this deal ended up happening.
Another team in the playoff hunt that could be a fit would be the Seattle Mariners. While they lead the AL West by 3.5 games, the team's offense hasn't shown up all year. They currently rank No. 21 in baseball with a 94 wRC+. The Mariners can win a bunch of games based off the number of elite arms they have, but when the playoffs roll around they'll want other ways to win games as well. Andujar makes that lineup better.
The upstart Kansas City Royals also make some sense here. Their production from left field has ranked 28th in baseball over the course of the season with a 72 wRC+, and in June they dropped to 29th with a 61. After spending some money in free agency over the winter, the Royals are a team with a limited window of contention with their current roster. Seth Lugo and his 2.29 ERA are only signed through next season, which means they could be active in tinkering with their roster to make a postseason push. Kansas City currently holds a 1.5 game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the third and final wild-card spot.
The trade value of Andujar will likely depend on the sheer number of teams that are interested in his services. Given that the price is starting off nowhere near what it would take to acquire Mason Miller, there should be plenty teams expressing their interest in the coming weeks.
Andujar was brought in by the A's as a potential rebound candidate after he spent some time in the minor leagues flat-out hitting. With only one year of team control left after this season, it's not likely that he's thought of as a long-term piece for this club, so striking a deal while his bat is hot is probably pretty high on the team's agenda.
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JASON BURKE
Jason is the host of the Locked on A's podcast, and the managing editor of Inside the A's. He's a new father and can't wait to take his son to his first baseball game at the Coliseum.