The Oakland Athletics are increasingly likely to trade their starting catcher, Sean Murphy.
They are in stage one of their deep and painful rebuilding process, and Murphy has three seasons of team control remaining on his clock.
By the time they are competitive again, Murphy will be a free agent or close to hitting the market and thus with little trade value.
In other words, the perfect time to trade him is now.
Not only because he is further removed from free agency, but also because he does have a strong market and several teams are interested.
“Update on Sean Murphy: it still appears Oakland is close to a trade, but the Braves are NOT going to be the acquiring team, per source. The Cardinals, Rays, Guardians and Red Sox are among the teams that have been connected to Murphy in recent weeks”, MLB insider Mark Feinsand tweeted.
Update on Sean Murphy: it still appears Oakland is close to a trade, but the Braves are NOT going to be the acquiring team, per source. The Cardinals, Rays, Guardians and Red Sox are among the teams that have been connected to Murphy in recent weeks.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 4, 2022
More interested teams equals to a bigger package for the Athletics as they try to stockpile rosters and pieces for the future.
A Talented Player
Murphy is a strong alternative for teams looking to upgrade the catcher position, since free agency doesn’t present a lot of alternatives.
He is not only a talented hitter, but he is also a terrific defensive backstop with strong framing skills and the know-how to lead a pitching staff.
In 2022, Murphy hit .250/.332/.426 with 18 home runs, a 122 wRC+ (league average offensive performance is 100) and 5.1 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR.
It was the best season of his young career, and he is only 28 years old.
Murphy could be a difference-maker for a team like the Cleveland Guardians or the Boston Red Sox.
Stay tuned because there could be news on the Murphy front soon.
NEXT: 2 Moves The Athletics Should Make This Offseason