Coming off a career season, Matt Olson has been mentioned extensively in trade rumors as the MLB offseason heats up. Unsurprisingly, the Athletics are "shooting for the moon" in early trade discussions, MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported Saturday morning.
Olson had the ninth-highest Wins Above Replacement in the AL in 2021, and had the fifth-highest OPS. Olson's adjusted OPS-plus also ranked third behind Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the top two finishers in AL MVP voting.
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In his fourth full season with the A's, Olson slugged 39 home runs and slashed .271/.371/.540. The first baseman was both an All-Star and finished eighth in MVP voting.
The New York Yankees have been the team most linked to Olson. YES Network's Jack Curry reported earlier this week that the Yankees had made inquiries, but no detailed conversations had taken place between the sides.
RELATED: Report: A's star Olson 'likely on move' this offseason
As Heyman mentions above, Olson still has multiple seasons of team control, so the price for a potential trade should be quite significant.
Oakland Athletics
After Bob Melvin's departure to the San Diego Padres this offseason, some have speculated whether the A's will be looking to make major moves involving some of its young stars nearing free agency.
Olson unquestionably is one of the best hitters in the AL, and the A's should not give him away for cheap.
As the offseason progresses, Olson's name likely will come up frequently among the top trade options across MLB.