Three Dark Horse Trade Candidates for Athletics This Summer
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It's finally June, which means the summer months are kicking off, leaving us with two months before MLB's trade deadline. Out of all sports, baseball's deadline always has loads of the craziest trades, and the A's might be part of some blockbusters this year.
As it stands heading into the club's upcoming road trip in Chicago, the A's are 28-31, which is tied for second place in the American League West division. The slumping Mariners are finally starting to get hot and currently lead the division.
Since the A's are just 2.5 games out of the division lead, they could make some deals to improve their current roster and make a run at winning the AL West.
Lawrence Butler
The 25-year-old outfielder headed into the 2026 season hopeful of being the everyday right-fielder and of playing like the star he was in 2024.
Butler currently holds an abysmal .164 batting average in 146 at-bats, with an OPS of .508.
His name certainly won't make him a popular trade candidate with his numbers, but his impressive second half of 2024 earned Butler a nice contract extension. His extension was for seven years and $65.5 million, and he's just into the second year of that deal.
MLB Worst WAR pic.twitter.com/fi5TAfPRBj
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) May 31, 2026
His struggles this year won't attract any contenders, but a team out of contention could look to give him more at-bats in hopes of returning Butler to his star form.
It's also worth mentioning that Carlos Cortes has easily earned himself the spot in right field for the A's. Cortes holds a .328 average and a .933 OPS in 137 at-bats. Against right-handers, Cortes has been the A's leadoff hitter- and he's done an incredible job at it.
If the A's can get Butler's contract off the books and open up a spot for a cheaper and younger option in the outfield, there's a good chance we see this trade happen.
Denzel Clarke
Just like Butler, Clarke is part of the crowded A's outfield when he isn't injured. It was announced that the A's will wait to reevaluate Clarke until after the All-Star break, which means he won't see time on the field for a while.
The issue is that when he returns, his spot in center field is essentially gone. 22-year-old Henry Bolte has taken the spot and has run with it. The speedy Bolte is batting .288 and has displayed good defense, like Clarke, but also hits, unlike Clarke.
DENZEL CLARKE OMG! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/2QJBAkmZqN
— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2025
There's no doubt that Denzel Clarke is likely the best defensive center fielder in all of baseball. He's also got some speed. There's a serious issue in his game, which is his bat.
In 53 at-bats for the A's this season, he holds a .170 batting average and a brutal .417 OPS. Even though his defense is truly unbelievable, his bat makes him borderline unplayable.
Like Butler, he probably won't be a super attractive name for a contender, but with his great defense and speed, he's just one tool away from being a superstar in the league.
Max Muncy
The A's have a bunch of infield prospects that are set to debut this year. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Tommy White have been mashing their way up the A's organization. Max Muncy is set to return to the big leagues from his rehab assignment any day now.
When he returns, it could mean that Darell Hernaiz or Zack Gelof won't be getting everyday playing time. This means Muncy will slot back in at third base or will take over for Hernaiz at shortstop.
Max Muncy drills a two-run homer in his first at-bat with the Las Vegas Aviators amidst his rehab assignment. 👀 #Athletics pic.twitter.com/c5qVXVkPIF
— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) May 31, 2026
The A's selected Muncy in the first round back in 2021, straight out of high school. He debuted for the team last season and has shown flashes of being an everyday player at the big league level.
However, the A's will likely be promoting Kuroda-Grauer and White within the next few months, and this means that Muncy might not have a clear path as a future starter for the A's.
Because of his potential, teams could look to acquire the infielder and continue giving him consistent at-bats, which he might not get later this summer with the Green and Gold.
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Dylan Quinn grew up playing baseball, and also enjoyed watching and writing about his favorite team, the A’s. Being a diehard A’s fan from New Jersey is certainly not common, but he loves the team and all of the current and former players so much. Quinn currently attends school at Penn State Scranton where he plays baseball.
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