Oakland A’s may look to trade Jeff Samardzija
By Bryan Rose
After the Oakland A’s acquired both Jon Lester and Jeff Samardzija it seemed as if they were well equipped for a World Series run.
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That dream quickly turned into a nightmare though as a historic collapse was book-ended by a heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Royals in the American League Wild Card game. Now with Lester expected to depart via free agency, there are questions looming regarding the future of Jeff Samardzija in green and yellow. Might the Oakland A’s decide to trade away the ace pitcher who will be entering the final year of his contract?
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports seems to think its possible.
"But Beane acquired Samardzija with the idea that the A’s would be strong again next year. Now that prospect looks iffy, and Beane might at least consider going in reverse.Samardzija, a free agent after next season, would be one of the best starting pitchers available in trade. Donaldson, under club control for four more seasons, would be a dramatic entry into a market starved for offense."
Without a big budget at his disposal, Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane is often forced to trade his star talent for youth. It might be more of the same for the franchise as they aren’t likely to afford Samardzija who could be on the move if the Oakland A’s aren’t in playoff position come next July (if not earlier).
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