5 moves to make the Yankees World Series champions
By Tim Boyle
3) Yankees move to make them World Series champions: Trade for Matt Olson and others with the Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are expected to sell every player not nailed to the locker room floor. This includes several starting pitchers, a few relievers, and practically their entire starting lineup. First baseman Matt Olson might be the most prized of all of the players. An alternative option to signing Freeman, Olson could be just the start of the Yankees plundering the Athletics for talent.
Capable of hitting 30+ home runs and now with a Gold Glove on his resume, Olson is a player we could see explode in the right situation. Although the Athletics have been a pretty good team in some recent seasons, they haven’t been able to build a powerhouse club. Put Olson in the right situation and he could thrive. He already belted 39 home runs and drove in 111 runs last season. Imagine him on the Yankees.
The Yankees could also look to add Ramon Laureno or even Tony Kemp in the deal. Laureno could provide them with some outfield depth while Kemp could be used as a utility man. They’re much less impactful than Olson yet important to building a World Series champion.
The Athletics will have many suitors for Olson and their other trade pieces. The Yankees, with a good farm system and a history of making blockbuster trades, could be the ones who push out the best offer.