The Oakland A’s reportedly had a specific dollar amount in mind when it came to their payroll this offseason. They had stated an intention of slashing their payroll to approximately $50 million for the 2022 season; although, if they were able to get that dollar amount lower, then so much the better. Jeff Fisher certainly would not complain since that means more money in his pockets.
Mission accomplished. On Sunday, the A’s sent Sean Manaea to the Padres for a return that could best be described as mediocre or disappointing. However, that deal also cut their projected payroll down to $50 million for the 2022 season.
Oakland A’s meet payroll objectives
The A’s may not be done either. Frankie Montas has been rumored to be on the trade block as well, although Oakland may not have as much impetuous to deal him away as he is under team control through 2023. At the same time, that added year of team control could mean that the A’s actually get a respectable return for Montas.
There are other players that could be traded as well. While virtually nothing has been said about Ramon Laureano, likely due to his PED suspension, he would be an intriguing option. Lou Trivino could bring back a decent enough return since teams are always looking for bullpen help.
Based on other possible moves, it would not be a surprise to see the A’s slash their payroll even further. It is possible that they could move their overall salary to approximately $40 million, with Max Scherzer making more than the A’s entire roster. Yet, even with those trades, the A’s still have a higher payroll than the Pirates for the upcoming season.
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The Oakland A’s said that they wanted to cut payroll down to approximately $50 million. After trading Sean Manaea, that mission is accomplished.