It may be easier to list the teams that are not linked to Matt Olson at this point. Virtually any team with aspirations of reaching the postseason has been connected to the Oakland A’s first baseman with obvious reason. He is the type of player that could help transform a lineup, making an already dangerous team that much better.
There may be another team ready to enter the fray for Olson. The Cleveland Guardians are a team that would make sense to bring in the first baseman if they are intending on competing in 2022.
Cleveland Guardians a dark horse candidate for Matt Olson
As Paul Hoynes pointed out at Cleveland.com, the Guardians have a possible option at first base that the A’s could be interested in. Bobby Bradley has tremendous power potential and six years of team control left, but he has also struck out in 36.3% of his major league plate appearances. Nonetheless, that power potential makes Bradley an intriguing option.
Hoynes further pointed out that the Guardians have plenty of assets in other areas that the A’s could use. Cleveland is loaded with middle infielders and plenty of young arms that could be used to facilitate such a deal. A trade that would send Olson to the Guardians would work on paper.
The problem is that Cleveland has been looking to slash payroll as well. Most of their moves over the past few seasons have been made with the goal to lower the amount spent on players, with Jose Ramirez left as the only real star in the lineup.
Olson would change that dynamic. He would give the Guardians another dangerous bat in the middle of their lineup, a piece that would be needed to allow Cleveland to contend in the AL Central in the coming year. But the Guardians would need to open the pocketbook as well in order for that to happen.
There may be a dark horse entry in the Matt Olson Sweepstakes. The Cleveland Guardians are a solid fit for the Oakland A’s first baseman.