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Oakland A’s provide potential trade partners with cost certainty

By David Hill

Oct 1, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sean Manaea (55) pitches against the Houston Astros in the third inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sean Manaea (55) pitches against the Houston Astros in the third inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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The filing period for arbitration has come and gone. And with it, one of the biggest questions on the trade market has been answered. Teams now know how much Oakland A’s starters Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas will earn in salary for the 2022 season.

The A’s were able to reach an agreement with both pitchers before the deadline to file on Tuesday. Montas will earn just over $5 million for the upcoming season, while Manaea will receive $9.75 million in his final trip through arbitration before free agency.

Oakland A’s top trade targets have salaries for 2022

In theory, those price tags are extremely affordable. Manaea has been a solid top of the rotation arm, someone that can make a major difference for a team looking to contend. Montas has been more of a wild card, showing flashes of ace potential, but he also has two years of team control left.

The problem is that the A’s are essentially refusing to pay anyone more than some pocket change unless they are forced to. Elvis Andrus and Stephen Piscotty will be the highest paid players on the roster because those contracts are untradeable.

But that is not the case with Manaea and Montas. Both pitchers had already been in high demand with plenty of teams pursuing them. Now that their salaries are known, it will be easier for those teams to determine how to fit those arms in their budgets. It could also give the A’s a better return for those arms now that other teams could be involved in the bidding process.

Those salaries also make it where the A’s may not be in as much of a rush to trade either pitcher. They can take a bit more time to find the best deal, especially with Montas having another year of control. The A’s may have both arms a bit longer than expected.

Next. Projecting the A's Opening Day lineup. dark

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The Oakland A’s agreed to a salary with Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea for the 2022 season. Both pitchers now have needed cost certainty.