Fresh off, on paper at least, the New York Yankees’ worst season since2016, it appears that Aaron Boone has set his sights on the capture of Oakland A’s first baseman Matt Olson in a move that could well prove very pricey indeed.
The 27-year-old is rightly considered one of the best left-hand hitters around, and the A’s are looking for one hell of a payday if they are going to consider offers for a player who hit 39 home runs in 2021 along with 111 runs. The belief being that those numbers could be given an all-mighty bump if Olson was wearing Yankees pinstripes.
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Those who like to bet on the Yankees may well feel that such an addition to their roster would helpfully boost opportunities when it comes to MLB best bets. For the record, Boone’s men are currently placed at (+1200), fourth favorites behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and MLB’s most hated team, the Houston Astros. Clearly, we are some way off a new season, so these numbers may, and will, change a great deal as franchises get on with offseason trading moves.
Talk of a Yankees move for Olson isn’t mere gossip; it is apparently a subject that is being discussed at the highest levels and seems, and an upcoming offer seems very likely indeed, and the A’s appear ready to bleed them dry.
Olson has two years left on his A’s contract, and the first base area is one that the Yankees could do with boosting. They finished last season with Anthony Rizzo and Luke Voit as options in that role, and both of those could be out before the new season rolls around.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is set for a busy time of it this winter, and by all accounts, Olson isn’t the only high-profile name on his wish list. The fact that the A’s and the Yankees have done business in the past, such as with the trade of Sonny Gray that saw Dustin Fowler, Jorge Matteo, and James Kaprielian move in the opposite direction, is something of an indication that a deal could be struck.
Some have pointed to the fact that Olson is due a big raise on his current $5m salary as a reason the A’s would look to make a trade, and Oakland are well known for looking to save at any opportunity.
Olson has been at the A’s since 2016 and earned his first All-Star spot this year, and has become a key player in the Oakland ballpen. He led the team in games played, hits, home runs, RBIs, and BB, and the Atlanta-born hitter may well be ready to consider new pastures.
When it comes to a possible trade, there is talk of the Athletics looking to demand youngsters like Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza as well as hot prospect Jasson Dominguez, and a lot will depend on who blinks first.