Sean Murphy rumors: Cleveland Guardians still in hot pursuit

It is a matter of when, not if, Sean Murphy gets traded. There are plenty of teams in pursuit, and given the status of the catcher position around the league, the Oakland A’s could receive a sizable haul once Murphy is sent elsewhere.

The question is which team will end up bringing in him. According to Jon Morosi from MLB Network, the Cleveland Guardians are amongst the most active suitors for his services. Morosi further notes that Murphy could be traded by the end of the Winter Meetings.

Cleveland Guardians continue Sean Murphy pursuit

It is not a surprise that the Guardians would still be involved in Murphy’s trade market. They had been one of his more ardent suitors at the trade deadline last season and were expected to continue that pursuit during the offseason. As Murphy’s market was reportedly heating up a couple of weeks ago, it makes sense that the Guardians would be involved.

He would also be a perfect fit in Cleveland. The Guardians value a strong defensive backstop, the only way they could justify having Austin Hedges as their primary catcher. Murphy, the 2021 AL Gold Glove winner, would provide that same level of defense behind the plate.

The difference is that he would be a massive upgrade in terms of production. Murphy posted a 120 OPS+ last season, hitting 18 homers and 37 doubles in his 612 plate appearances. Considering Hedges posted a miserable 42 OPS+ last season, Murphy would make a tremendous difference.

It comes down to how much the Guardians are willing to part with to bring Murphy on board. He would be a long term solution with three years of team control left while being that upgrade they desperately need. But plenty of other teams are interested as well. The A’s should receive an impressive haul for his services.

Sean Murphy is generating plenty of interest on the trade front. It should be no surprise that the Cleveland Guardians are one of his more active suitors.