Oakland Athletics
Shane Bieber, SP
The A’s are in a similar to position to that of the Marlins. They have a second baseman who is performing well, Jed Lowrie, and are looking to trade him for farm system depth. So, they will probably be targeting a trade with the Indians who need second base help desperately.
Now, the Indians have Shane Bieber who may be exactly the undervalued player that the A’s like to pounce on and turn into gold. In 2017, Bieber led minor league baseball in walk rate and walks per 9 innings. He doesn’t need to be taught how to throw strikes or strikeout batters as he strikes out about 8 batters per 9 innings.
In his 1 start in the MLB, he threw 5 and 2/3 innings giving up 4 runs and striking out 6 batters. Not a stellar start, but one in which he showed all the ability he has on the mound. MLB.com’s evaluation of him states that he “shows all the components needed to become a No. 4 starter”. It appears that he has the raw ability to do more than just be a No. 4 starter and that is exactly what the A’s are looking for. They can capitalize on his abilities by making a trade for him where they send the Indians Jed Lowrie.
To me, the worst case scenario for Bieber is someone who eats up innings and does a solid job, he’ll have a spot on an MLB roster, the A’s should make it theirs.