Oakland Athletics Rumors: Would The A’s Trade Sonny Gray To Houston?
By Joey Lopez
The Oakland Athletics are reportedly interested in dealing Sonny Gray to a division rival, according to Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo.
The A’s have been led by one of the most recognizable names in baseball for the past 19 years. Billy Beane has been part of the Oakland organization for a long while now, and his tenure in the front office has always been full of surprising moves and trades.
If the latest rumors prove to be true, then Beane’s willingness to get a deal done will reach new levels of eagerness.
Trading Gray to the Houston Astros, a division rival, would signal the team’s willingness to build for the future. In addition, the A’s would have to be willing to face Gray as an opponent rather than as a teammate.
Intradivision trades are rather rare, but the A’s have completed a few under Beane’s leadership. The A’s traded Chris Carter to Houston back in 2013 in exchange for Jed Lowrie. Beane traded Scott Kazmir to Houston in 2015.
So the two teams have a history of making deals happen. Is a deal set in place for Gray?
It’s possible, but the A’s would likely demand a significant haul in exchange for Gray. As Cafardo suggests, the A’s have already begun looking into Houston’s system for potential talent:
"The A’s are following the Astros‘ system closely. There’s mutual interest in getting something done for Gray as injuries have beset the Astros’ pitching staff and they need reinforcements both in the rotation and the bullpen if they are to continue their great start."
The Astros, in turn, would need to express the utmost confidence in Gray. While his numbers have been much better this season, Gray hasn’t yet returned to his old dominant form.
The possibility of another injury is always there as well with Gray. He started the season off on the disabled list after enduring a rough 2016 season.
The Return
The A’s asking price for Gray is probably going to be high for any team seeking his services. The right hander is a cost friendly commodity that could slot in any major league rotation. Team control is the A’s biggest selling point and they would likely seek several young prospects in exchange for Gray.
Looking at the Astros as a potential trade partner, the A’s wouldn’t do too bad asking for a package including Francis Martas or Kyle Tucker. Would the Astros put together such a package deal for Gray?
The answer really depends on whether or not the Astros truly believe in Gray’s future. If they believe that Gray’s performance this year suggests that he’s on his back to dominance, then yes, a deal may get done.
If the confidence level isn’t quite there, though, the Astros may not have enough motivation to part with Martas or Tucker.
One thing is certain, though, the Astros will get a good look at Gray on Tuesday night in Oakland.
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What do you think? Should the A’s trade Gray to the Astros? What do you think the A’s asking price would be? Sound off below in the comments section!