Oakland A’s rumors: Nick Franklin a top trade target

By Bryan Rose | Jul 21, 2014

Jun 23, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Nick Franklin (20) fields a ground ball during the 7th inning against the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports /

The Oakland A’s aren’t normally known as a team who makes big purchases for a playoff run, but after heart breaking losses in consecutive seasons the Athletics appear determined to get deep into the postseason. They’ve already acquired Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to reinforce their starting pitching rotation and now it looks as if they’re focusing on offense.

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Much like their Bay Area neighbor, the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland A’s have been in the market to acquire a second baseman for quite some time. Of course, with so many teams looking to trade for the same position prices have increased as we near the end of July trade deadline.

However, the Oakland A’s may be distancing themselves from big names like Ben Zobrist and focusing on Nick Fraklin of the Seattle Mariners, who according to the San Francisco Chronicle has become a top target.

"Nick Franklin, pushed out of a big-league job when the Mariners signed Robinson Cano, is a top target, but the question will be whether Seattle – currently in a playoff spot – would want to strengthen a division rival, and whether the A’s, fresh off trading top prospects Addison Russell and Billy McKinney, would have enough in the cupboard to land him."

Franklin has been producing at Triple-A Tacoma and isn’t exactly helping the Mariners by playing on the farm. Of course, as noted above, inner-division trades aren’t exactly something that happens very often, especially when the two teams are fighting for a division crown in the same season.

If the Athletics were able to acquire Nick Franklin, it would be a case of the rich getting richer as the A’s do what they can to patch what few holes they have.