Yankees rumors: What’s holding back Matt Olson trade?
By John Buhler
The New York Yankees are interested in trading for Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson.
Expect for the New York Yankees to make a big splash at first base this offseason, possibly trading for Matt Olson in a blockbuster deal with the Oakland Athletics.
Even though the Yankees dealt for Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs at the deadline, he felt like a short-term rental for the Bronx Bombers. While he could return on a new deal, it feels like the Yankees are honing in on making a deal for Olson, or hoping the Atlanta Braves screw up the Freddie Freeman contract negotiations. So why have the Yankees not traded for Olson already?
This is all about figuring out who the A’s would be getting in return for their star first baseman.
The Yankees have made inquiries about Matt Olson with the A's, but I'm hearing there hasn't been any detailed conversations about which players would be involved in a potential deal. Obviously, that can change with one call or one text. Yankees are definitely interested.
— JackCurryYES (@JackCurryYES) November 16, 2021
Yankees rumors: New York is very interested in trading for A’s1B Matt Olson
The A’s will have a new manager this year and the move away from the Bay Area feels inevitable. As long as the current ownership is in place, the A’s will be the quintessential small-market franchise. This means any star player in his late 20s will be dealt by the ball club before he becomes too expensive to retain. The Yankees historically have the deepest wallets out there.
The good news for New York is the Yankees have time to fully feel out the first base market, free agency or by way of a trade. Even if they do not end up trading for Olson this offseason, he could still be available ahead of the deadline if the A’s have another challenging season. He is arbitration-eligible this year and next. Olson will not hit free agency until 2024 ahead of his age-30 season.
Expect for the Yankees and the A’s to continue their conversations about a trade involving Olson.
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