Whit Merrifield
At this point, there are zero indications that the Royals will entertain any trade offers for Whit Merrifield. But if they do, the Oakland A’s have the pieces to make a deal happen.
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Not only has Merrifield been the best player on the Royals over the past few years, but he has quietly been one of the better players in the game. Since 2017, he has posted a .298/.347/.456 batting line, hitting 119 doubles and 51 homers while stealing 101 bases. He has led the league in hits and steals twice in that time frame, a true sparkplug for the offense.
Just like the others on the list, he is not tied to second base. Merrifield has essentially been another Ben Zobrist, spending time at all three outfield positions, with a few appearances at first and third, in his career. He has not exactly excelled in any of these positions defensively, but his bat more than makes up for those deficiencies.
The issue is that the Royals have not displayed a willingness to move Merrifield. He is signed through 2022, with a very affordable $10.5 million option for 2023. That salary is a major reason as to why the Royals refuse to part ways with Merrifield, but if a team offers enough in a trade…
The Oakland A’s have the pieces to make an offer for Whit Merrifield. It is just a matter of whether or not the Royals want to listen.