Brent Rooker, Mason Miller Will Headline Athletics’ Trade Deadline
Trade rumors continue to swirl around Brent Rooker and Mason Miller, but they aren't this team's only trade chips.
Well A’s fans, here we are again. Another summer of frustration and disappointment highlighted by stories about which of your favorite players will be wearing different uniforms by the end of the month. It’s Oakland Athletics trade rumors season.
As the A’s near their move to Sacramento before their next, and hopefully final stop in Vegas, several players will likely get a ticket out of this mess John Fisher has created.
However, the Athletics don’t have as many trade chips as Fisher and company might have hoped for. Veterans Paul Blackburn, Ross Stripling, and Alex Wood, all are injured and unlikely to be moved. But, we are here today to focus on who will be dealt.
Stats updated prior to games on July 23.
Athletics Trade Deadline: The Mason Miller Discussion
By now, you have surely heard of Mason Miller. The A’s closer has a fastball that sits 101 mph paired with a slider that moves more than a military family. It’s a lethal combination that has resulted in a 15.49 K/9, a 2.21 ERA, and a 1.70 FIP.
Miller is undoubtably the top young bullpen arm in baseball.
A talent of this level will upgrade any bullpen. Every contender would salivate over the idea of adding an automatic three outs to the end of their game. Indeed, The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal reported back in May that numerous teams were calling the A’s to inquire about the right-hander.
Yet, trading for Miller will be more than a little complicated. The 25-year-old (26 in August) is still in pre-arbitration and will not hit free agency until after the 2029 season. Such a special talent on a cheap contract with several years of control will call for a king’s ransom in return.
As is the case with all trades, you have to consider team trends and recent history to help paint a picture of what the A’s might target as a return for Miller.
When they moved Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, and Chris Bassitt (amongst others), the front office targeted players who were either major league ready or very close to it. Those types of players have always been the preferred return, and I expect that to continue.
The A’s trading Miller is far from a sure thing. With so much control, they do not have to rush into a deal in the next few days.
What’s more, in addition to the sheer prospect capital it would take to complete this trade, you also have to consider contenders’ other needs. Does a potential suitor have other, more important needs that will require the same trade chips they would have used to acquire Miller?
To that point, FanSided’s Robert Murray reported on Friday that rival executives are doubtful a Miller trade will materialize.
With so many layers to the situation, I lean toward the Baltimore Orioles or nothing. Too many other contenders have bigger needs, and perhaps only Baltimore has the capital for a luxury like Miller.
The New York Post‘s Jon Heyman reported last week that the Orioles are rumored to be interested in trading for Miller.
Athletics Trade Deadline: Brent Rooker Has To Be Dealt
Brent Rooker has been a terrific find for Oakland. After bouncing around teams due to his mediocre defense and high strikeout rate, the A’s gave Rooker the opportunity for everyday at-bats, and he has blossomed into a fantastic power hitter.
Many thought Oakland would move Rooker last season, but I understand why other teams might have been skeptical of a small sample size and did not offer a package attractive enough.
Well, the sample size is now more than a season, and the number have held true. After posting a 127 wRC+ with 30 home runs last season, Rooker has a 165 wRC+ and 22 bombs this year. Time to cash in.
Like Miller, Rooker is good enough to garner interest from a long list of teams. He’ll enter his first year of arbitration in 2025, giving an acquiring team control through the 2027 season. That opens up the list of possible suitors to include teams like the Guardians or Brewers who usually do not target the top talent due to contractual and/or financial constraints.
The Phillies are in a position to go all in and have the top prospects to pull off a trade like this. Indeed, USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale reported earlier this month that Philadelphia is rumored to be “keeping a close eye” on Rooker.
The Brewers have not been formally linked to Rooker, but they fall in a similar category to the Phillies.
The Padres and Mariners both seem desperate enough that the A’s could convince them to part with a slightly better package than anyone else. With so many teams that fit, Oakland has to take advantage of this opportunity and move Rooker to the highest bidder.
The Rest of the Options
After Miller and Rooker, there’s a pretty significant drop off in trade appeal among the team’s remaining assets. We’re mostly talking about bounce-back players, bullpen arms, or younger pieces that I think have a lesser chance of moving.
However, this is the A’s we are talking about. I cannot rule anything out considering their unique future situation.
Miguel Andujar – .303/.325/.421, 115 wRC+ – Andujar has been a reclamation project for a couple of teams, and things had not clicked until this season in Oakland. While his .303 average looks great, Andujar has shown little power (four home runs) and his batted ball data suggest the turn around might not be as true as the surface-level numbers show. I doubt many teams will be moving anything other than a lower-tier prospect on this flier.
Lucas Erceg – 3.89 ERA, 3.58 FIP – Erceg could be a sneaky good pickup for a team. He posted a 3.31 FIP last season and has followed that up with a 3.60 FIP this season. Erceg is another flamethrower who touches 100 mph on his four-seamer and sinker with a slider to work off his velocity. As a pre-arb player with lots of control, he could bring back a surprisingly good return.
Abraham Toro – .256/.299/.381, 96 wRC+ – The idea of Toro has always been better than the actual production. A switch-hitter who can play all over the infield is often a need this time of year. Toro is likely a “plan C” option for a contending team, but he is still worth moving so the A’s can roll with Max Schuemann, Zack Gelof, and top prospect Jacob Wilson (once healthy).
Scott Alexander – 3.20 ERA, 4.47 FIP – Alexander is a veteran lefty who has somehow managed to stick around California. After years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a stop with the San Francisco Giants, and now a stint with the Athletics, he could be on the move elsewhere. This type of trade would be for future considerations or a non-prospect, so the acquiring team can at least plug an injury hole and get through the rest of the regular season.
Shea Langeliers – .210/.265/.433, 96 wRC+ – Before anyone thinks I forgot, I didn’t. There’s little to no chance Langeliers is moved in my eyes. The A’s catching situation outside of Langeliers is poor, and as a player they recently traded for who is performing well, he stays.
JJ Bleday – .238/.319/.438, 117 wRC+ – I put Bleday last for a reason. I highly doubt the A’s move him after specifically targeting him in a trade just last season. He’s a decent player on a solid trajectory but far from a “plan A” target for most teams. The return at this point in time would not be significant enough to move him when the A’s can continue to play him daily and see how he develops.
Conclusion
As much as I hate to say it, ownership and the front office have their focus on the next home of the Athletics.
I know that’s not breaking news, but rather the sad reality most fans have become numb to. And with a good chance the team’s two best players are traded, A’s fans will not have much to watch the rest of the way.
Feelings aside, Oakland (or whatever we’ll call this team) does have an opportunity to boost its farm system, or the major league roster, with a legitimate amount of talent at the deadline. The A’s farm system needs help, and I imagine they will get some in the coming days.
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