The Matt Olson Trade After One Season
After the season Matt Olson had in 2021, and with the Oakland A's running out of time on their controllable core players, the front office deemed it time to stage their latest sell-off before the 2022 season. We're only a year into seeing how this trade will turn out, but let's take stock of how the trade is looking so far.
First off, a refresher on the deal itself: Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for centerfielder Cristian Pache, catcher Shea Langeliers, and minor league right-handers Joey Estes and Ryan Cusick.
Olson had a career year in 2021, launching 39 homers, driving in 111 runs, batting .271, and getting on base at a .371 clip. That was good for an OPS+ of 153, or 53% better than league average. He followed that up after the trade by hitting 34 homers and still crossing the century mark in RBI with 103, but his average slipped to .240 with a .325 OBP, and his OPS+ fell to a still-respectable 122.
Not a bad season by any means, but him coming off his '21 pace does open up the door for the deal to look a little better through green and gold colored glasses, so how did the players the A's received fare?
Cristian Pache made the A's Opening Day roster in 2022 and immediately endeared himself to A's fans with some timely hits and his big personality. While his sterling defense is of no concern, there's still some doubt on how his bat will develop. He finished the year batting .166 with a .218 OBP and a 34 OPS+ overall. He was sent down to Las Vegas on June 30 and returned to Oakland on August 28, and after he got back, he put up a 75 OPS+ in the second half, abeit it in just 46 plate appearances. The A's are going to be patient with Pache, and know that it may take a few seasons for him to reach his full potential.
In the meantime, he may already be good enough to earn everyday playing time in 2023.
Shea Langeliers was the headliner of this group, and there were loud calls within the fan base for him to get a look in Oakland back in April as he was tearing through the Pacific Coast League. He finished his first month batting .301 with 9 home runs and 20 RBI in 20 games played.
It would take until August 16 for him to get that call up to the big leagues, and in the 40 games he played with the A's before the end of the season, he hit .218 with a .261 OBP, a .691 OPS, and six long balls. He is expected to be Sean Murphy's replacement behind the dish, if and when the A's trade him.
As for the pitchers in the deal, neither made their big league debut, and both missed some time due to injury.
Ryan Cusick is currently in the Arizona Fall League gathering up some extra innings after suffering an oblique injury during the season. His 2022 in Midland, which may have been an aggressive assignment after spending 2021 in A Ball, ended with a 1-6 record, a 7.12 ERA, and 30 walks in 43 innings. He was also the Braves first round pick back in 2021, going 24th overall, so keep an eye on Cusick in 2023.
Then there is Joey Estes, who spent the entire season in Lansing, and finished up with a 4.55 ERA in 20 starts, spanning 91 innings. He's still working on developing his pitch mix, but he also just turned 21 on October 8. The A's could promote him to Midland to see how he adjusts, or have him start back in Lansing for a quick refresher before moving him up to Double-A next season.
All in all, this trade doesn't look as lopsided as it could have been if Olson had maintained his 2021 line. The A's still have two young intriguing pitchers that are still developing, a Gold Glove caliber centerfielder, and the club's starting catcher before long.
Given that the A's weren't necessarily trying to contend in 2022, getting Shea Langeliers, who if they ultimately end up trading Sean Murphy is a suitable replacement in the Murphy mold, but they also reset their team control on the catcher position to better suit their next competitive window.
By trading Matt Olson and bringing in Shea Langeliers, it would also allow them to strongly consider moving Sean Murphy in order to bring in even more difference-making prospects that are suited for the A's next competitive cycle. Plus, having a solid defensive catcher in place also resulted in the A's top prospect, 20-year-old Tyler Soderstrom, manning first base 59 times in the minors this season while putting on catcher's gear in 52 games. In 2021, it was a 38 to 9 split in favor of catching for Soderstrom.
Taking all of the moves that have and could happen around the Olson deal into account, this could end up being a pretty decent move by the A's front office in the long run. It'll depend on the Murphy return, and whether or not Soderstrom ends up being Olson's ultimate replacement at first base in the long run, and if he does, how well he performs.