Oakland Athletics: Veteran Players Likely To Be Traded Soon
By Joey Lopez
Thursday’s news of Stephen Vogt being designated for assignment was tough for A’s fans. The move, though, wasn’t surprising as Oakland’s youth movement continues to gain traction.
The Oakland Athletics are seemingly realistic about their situation in the stacked American League West. The team has not found any sort of consistency this season and the front office has decided to change things up a bit.
Stephen Vogt’s departure signals the A’s focus on gearing up for the future. Vogt was an integral part of those playoff teams in 2013 and 2014. He also represented the A’s at two All-Star Games (’14 & ’15), but his presence in Oakland will be largely absent.
The A’s decision to designate Vogt for assignment sent shockwaves throughout the clubhouse. He was, in many ways, the face of the organization.
David Forst and the rest of the A’s front office, however, felt that a change needed to be made. On Thursday, Vogt’s tenure with Oakland came to an (unsatisfying) end.
Oakland Athletics
In his place, the A’s will roll out with a combination of Josh Phegley and Bruce Maxwell, who was called up from Triple-A Nashville. The move demonstrates the A’s willingness to continue its youthful trend and essentially, move on from this disappointing season.
With the A’s now focused on the future, the team is expected to part ways with its last remaining veteran players.
Among those expected to leave are the following:
JED LOWRIE:
After battling an injury plagued 2016 season, Lowrie has returned healthy this year. His production, as a result, has been much better than last year’s contributions. The A’s second baseman has hit .283/.355/.475 with 8 HR and 25 RBI through 69 games.
- VERDICT: There is a 100% chance the A’s will move Lowrie before next month’s deadline, opening the door for Franklin Barreto.
SONNY GRAY:
Like Lowrie, Gray battled through an injury plagued 2016 season. While his numbers have not been great, this season has been a vast improvement over last year’s efforts. The A’s ace has put together a 2-3 record with a 4.84 ERA over 10 starts.
- VERDICT: There is a 99.9% chance the A’s will move Gray before next month’s deadline. The A’s have received plenty of interest, but no deal has materialized.
YONDER ALONSO:
Alonso has voiced his desire to remain in Oakland, but like Josh Reddick before him, the A’s simply don’t do long term deals. He has put together an impressive first half of the season, hitting .296 with 17 HR and 37 RBI.
- VERDICT: There is an 80% chance that the A’s will move Alonso by July 31. His price tag is probably going to be too high for the A’s, but for a team looking to add power, Alonso may be a perfect fit.
RYAN MADSON:
Madson arrived in Oakland a few seasons ago, but the A’s may decide to put together a trade that features the veteran reliever. The A’s have seen Madson perform as a set-up guy and as a closer. He’s 1-4 with a 2.54 ERA this year in 28.1 innings of work.
- VERDICT: There is an 80% chance the A’s deal Madson. Madson should attract some interest from a few contenders looking to bolster their bullpen.
The A’s are trying to build for the future and with a few veteran pieces still remaining with the club, Forst and Billy Beane have a few trade chips left on the table.
Expect the A’s to part with Jed Lowrie next and Sonny Gray soon after. The A’s will open the door for Barreto with Lowrie’s exit and Gray’s name should haul a few prospects for Oakland.