The Oakland Athletics are in an interesting position with their ace, Sonny Gray. We ask our Crystal Ball if the A’s really need to trade Gray this summer. Could it be possible that they keep Gray for a bit longer?
The Oakland Athletics are not going to give Sonny Gray away for nothing. That is obvious. The A’s will likely need a few impactful pieces in return for Gray’s services.
Billy Beane will likely look for a deal that includes players that can help build Oakland into a contender sooner rather than later. Prospects are nice, but I would imagine that the A’s will want players that are close to major league ready.
Matt Chapman, Franklin Barreto and Ryon Healy are all young impactful players currently on the A”s major league roster. Chapman and Barreto are potential core players, but the team would need more support around them.
Oakland Athletics
Adding potential players that help build around that core of Chapman and Barreto will be Beane’s goal this summer. Gray struggled last year, but his value is climbing as of late.
At this point, Gray has rebounded nicely this season after battling through various injuries last year. Health is always going to be a concern, but Gray has been dealing as of late.
He’s gone 4-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 13 starts this year. More recently, the right hander went six strong innings and struck out five in the A’s 7-4 win over the White Sox.
In his last 21 innings of work, Gray has allowed just four runs.
Crystal Ball Says…
The A’s have been engaged with several teams requesting Gray’s services this summer. Among the most likely trade partners the A’s will likely hookup with are the Astros, Yankees, Cubs, Dodgers and Diamondbacks.
But do the A’s need to trade their ace? YES.
Trying to wait and see if Gray’s stock continues to rise, could ultimately backfire on the A’s. Health is going to be a concern with Gray and the A’s would love to unload him before another injury pops up.
Conventional wisdom seems to suggest that the A’s should, in fact, trade Gray this summer. His name has come up in trade talks for the last few years, but no deal has ever materialized.
Gray has performed well this season and while his ERA (4.00) is nothing spectacular, the A’s ace has looked dominant as of late. His performance (and stock) has been trending in the right direction this year and the A’s need to start building for their future.
The A’s could keep Gray beyond this summer, but it is a definite risk. His value could dip or an injury could derail any significant trade talks the A’s may want to have in the future.
Now is the time to start looking for a viable trade partner for Gray. It may be difficult to trade within the division, but Beane isn’t opposed to it and he has a history with the Astros.
Expect the A’s to deal Gray this month.