Oakland Athletics Rumors: Five Players Who Should Be Shopped

Ben Zobrist

Jun 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics second baseman Ben Zobrist (18) hits a single against the Colorado Rockies during the fourth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Like Kazmir, Ben Zobrist will be a free agent next year. This utility man is highly wanted by numerous teams and the Athletics will probably lose out on resigning him since bigger market teams will likely offer Zobrist more money. Because a handful of teams in the MLB would like Zobrist on their roster now, Oakland could receive some top prospects for this infield veteran.

Despite undergoing knee surgery earlier this season, Zobrist has bounced back surprisingly well. In June, Zobrist has an .879 OPS with seven doubles and four homers. Additionally, his athleticism has not been effected by his knee issues and he is still a very versatile player, which is an appealing factor for many teams.

However, Zobrist should only be shopped if it is guaranteed that the Athletics will be acquiring a quality middle infielder before the trade deadline. Oakland’s success will undoubtedly decline if they have to rely on just Marcus Semien, Eric Sogard, and Andy Parrino in the middle infield. Unfortunately, there are not many available middle infielders to acquire.

Next: Drew Pomeranz