Inside The Pinstripes

Report: Athletics 'Shooting For the Moon' in Matt Olson Trade Talks

If the New York Yankees want to trade for Athletics first baseman Matt Olson, they will need to produce an incredible package of prospects to send to Oakland.

Max Goodman

If the Yankees want to trade for Matt Olson this offseason, they're going to have to produce a spectacular package to send to the Athletics. 

Oakland is said to be "shooting for the moon" in trade talks, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

This comes as no surprise. Olson is one of the best left-handed slugger in the American League, a 27-year-old that's just scratching the surface of his potential.

In 2021, Olson crushed 39 home runs, drove in 111 runs and scored 101 while producing a .911 OPS and 5.8 bWAR. Can you imagine the type of numbers Olson would put up in a Yankees uniform, hitting between Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton while taking advantage of the short porch in the Bronx?

READ: Yankees Discussing Possible Matt Olson Trade

Oakland has some leverage, though. They don't need to trade Olson. Of course they'd like to—taking advantage of Olson's value and saving some money as they dip into a bit of a rebuild this offseason—but the first baseman has two more years of control. If the right deal doesn't present itself, there's less of a reason to force a trade this winter.

Then again, by not trading Olson, the A's would be risking a decrease in the slugger's value. Or even worse, Olson could stick around in an Athletics uniform for those two years while the team doesn't contend before he walks in free agency in 2024. 

So, what type of package will the Yankees try to come up with? Odds are they would have to part ways with one of their top three prospects (Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez and Oswald Peraza). Since Volpe and Peraza both play shortstop, perhaps one of the two is expendable. Peraza, for instance, is ranked below Volpe, but is still a high-upside asset that reached Triple-A in 2021. 

More prospects, and a few big leaguers, will surely be required as well if the Yankees want a shot at acquiring Olson. 

Trade Proposal: Yankees Send Three Players to Oakland For Matt Olson

Same goes for a stud like Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds. Pittsburgh is reportedly asking for an "astronomical" package in return for their rising star.

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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