Proposed Oakland A’s trade with Phillies not enough

There is going to be a lot of speculation as it pertains to the Oakland A’s when the lockout ends. It is anticipated that the A’s will be trading everyone they can as they look to slash payroll down to a reported $50 million. Naturally, this will lead to plenty of hypothetical offers and thoughts as to where the A’s players could end up.

One such offer involves the Phillies. In a move that former general manager Jim Bowden thinks could work, the A’s would send Matt Chapman and Ramon Laureano to the Phillies for former top prospect Alec Bohm and pitching prospect Andrew Painter.

Oakland A’s would need a lot more for Matt Chapman and Ramon Laureano

This is a trade that would make sense for the Phillies. Center field has been an ongoing issue, and adding Laureano would fix that once he returns from his suspension. Chapman would add another powerful bat to a lineup that sorely needs one while his Gold Glove defense could make a major impact.

Painter is an intriguing arm. The Phillies’ third ranked prospect per MLB.com was selected with the 13th overall selection in the 2021MLB Draft where he was rated as one of the top high school pitchers. He has a mid 90s fastball, a solid curve and slider, and a changeup that has displayed the potential to be a plus pitch.

Bohm had a strong rookie campaign in 2020, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year balloting, but cratered last season. He was eventually banished to Triple-A before returning to the majors at the end of September, but his future in Philadelphia is in doubt.

It would make sense for the A’s to show interest in Bohm as he would be a strong buy-low candidate with plenty of team control left. Likewise, Painter would be a solid prospect to target, although it would take years before he would be ready to make an impact at the major league level.

However, that proposal does not seem like enough for that duo. Even adding in another buy-low candidate, such as former top overall selection Mickey Moniak, would not be enough. The A’s would likely need to get another prospect, one closer to the major league level, for such a deal to work.

There will be a lot of speculation regarding the Oakland A’s and potential trades, such as a proposed deal with the Phillies. The A’s would need more than what was suggested.