Atlanta Braves reportedly considering adding Oakland A’s Slugger

The Atlanta Braves are in a tough spot after losing reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season, and JP Morosi told MLB Network what he’s heard about how the Braves could try to replace their superstar in the coming weeks.

Morosi says the team plans to stay in-house initially, but the club could consider external options in the future. One of the options he mentioned was Brent Rooker of the Oakland A’s, who happens to be one of the best hitters in baseball during the month of May. Also on that list were Taylor Ward of the Angels and Tommy Pham of the White Sox. Still, given the recent trade history of the A’s and Braves, would anyone be surprised if another deal for an Oakland slugger was made?

On the season, Rooker batted .280 with a .365 OBP, 11 home runs, and 34 RBIs. In May, he batted .337 with an OBP of .416. So yes, he could help a contending club.

Although Rooker is the A’s best hitter, he is also 29 years old, meaning he may not be part of the team’s long-term plans, especially as the club attempts to cut down on costs ahead of its proposed move to Las Vegas. Rooker has not yet started arbitration, which will begin for him next season. This degree of team control should increase the asking price in any potential trade discussion.

Last season, Acuña hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases, leaving his mark on the game. No player could replace him, whether he was available in a trade or not. That’s what makes the A’s an interesting trade partner for Atlanta this time around. If they really wanted to get creative, they could go after Rooker, who hit 30 homers last season in baseball’s worst offense, and try to bring in Esteury Ruiz, who stole 67 bags for the club a year ago and has been a role player for the team this season.

The problem with any trade involving Rooker is that he is best suited for the DH position, although he could play corner field if needed. Atlanta already has Macell Ozuna plugged into the DH spot, which would lead to one of those two players on the field, and that would ultimately hurt the outfield defense. At the same time, their bats are worth taking that risk.

On the A’s side, if this exchange were to take place, it would be interesting to know if they mix their strategy of favoring quantity over quality in recent transactions with a new approximation supposedly on the horizon and the promise significant expenses in the future. near future. Could Oakland go for a prospect they really believe in among the Braves’ top 10 prospects, or would they look to go with a group of two or three guys in the 10-20 range?

As we’ve said before, if the A’s want to make trades that fans won’t like, like trading Rooker or Mason Miller, they might want to make those moves this season before trying to show it off. they form a team different from their (new) city(ies) in the way they operate. Once they leave Oakland, they’ll have to spend money and retain players, so the 2024 season is their last chance to get away with their old ways.