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3 under the radar trade candidates on Oakland A’s

By David Hill

Jun 11, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Stephen Vogt (21) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 11, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Stephen Vogt (21) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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It is not a secret that the Oakland A’s are going to sell. That has been clear since before the lockout, when ownership had a stated intention of slashing payroll down to approximately $50 million. In that case, mission accomplished.

There are more dominos to fall. The A’s have, as expected, been a disaster on the diamond this season. Their .337 winning percentage entering Wednesday was the worst in the majors. The fire sale is not even close to being over.

Three under the radar trade candidates on Oakland A’s

The A’s have several obvious trade candidates. Frankie Montas is as good as gone if he is healthy. Ramon Laureano, Chad Pinder, and several other players are going to receive plenty of interest. Even the likes of Paul Blackburn and Sean Murphy, who have years of team control left, could be on the move. At the same time, there could be several under the radar players that leave Oakland behind.

The ‘For Sale’ sign is still up for the Oakland A’s. Let’s look at three under the radar players that could be moved at the trade deadline.

Stephen Vogt

It would not be a surprise for the Oakland A’s to get a few calls about their catchers. The surprise might be that Stephen Vogt could be a trade candidate.

Backup catchers are always in high demand. Teams look for those veteran backstops that have been through the playoff battles before and can step in behind the plate once or twice a week. If they have some pop or value defensively, so much the better.

Vogt may not be an All Star caliber player any longer, but he still has some thunder in his bat. Despite his 78 OPS+, he has four homers in his 66 plate appearances this season. That power could make him an intriguing option off the bench as a pinch hitter or for a team looking for a bit more production from their backup catcher down the stretch.

It also helps that Vogt will not cost much. A Player to be Named Later of cash considerations could be enough to land his services. Such a move would open a spot on the roster for another player who could be a part of the Oakland A’s future, which the 37 year old Vogt is not.

Stephen Vogt could still help a team in the playoff hunt. His time in Oakland could be running short.