Potential Post-Lockout Roster Additions, Part I: Rangers Trade For Matt Olson
The Texas Rangers have dropped over half a billion dollars on free agents that will undoubtedly make next season more enjoyable than the last. Believe it or not, they're still not done.
The current lockout has all Major League business frozen. That means no free agent signings or trades of players on 40-man rosters. It also means clubs and their employees cannot speak with players. So, any more additions to the roster will have to wait until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB and the Players Association is in place.
Once MLB is back open for business, clubs will go on shopping sprees that dwarfs anything seen on Black Friday. It will likely be a very short amount of time for 141 big-league free agents to look for the right contract and clubs to sort through needs that can be filled via free agency and/or trades.
Even after landing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien in free agency, the Rangers still plan to add more pieces to the 2022 roster. Another starting pitcher and outfielder top the list of priorities, but the Rangers could find other ways to improve the club in 2022 and beyond.
The Rangers casted a wide net in the free agent pool at the beginning of the offseason, and still plan to attack the market on multiple fronts. In turn, we're going to begin a series here on SI's InsideTheRangers.com of what moves the Rangers might make once baseball's ninth work stoppage comes to an end. In this first part, we'll begin with an unlikely-yet-possible scenario: a trade for Matt Olson.
This is a pipe dream for Rangers fans. The middle infield is secure for at least the next seven years, and many are buying into the hype that top prospect Josh Jung will be the next stalwart at the hot corner. What a better way to cap off an already massive winter with a blockbuster trade to secure the future of the entire infield.
Yes, it is a pipe dream. However, it is—at least, it was prior to the start of the lockout—an actual possibility. The Dallas Morning News reported the Rangers had at least contacted the Oakland Athletics about what it would take to land Olson. With how aggressive the Rangers have been this winter, any news of a player they are interested in is worth of attention.
The primary hurdle is the demand for Olson will be extremely high. Not only will there be other suitors, the A's are demanding an extremely high price tag. After all, Olson is a highly productive 27-year-old first baseman with two Gold Gloves and two remaining years of club control. The A's are going to ask for the sun, moon and stars, and nobody can blame them for it.
Among those suitors are the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. The Yankees were uncharacteristically silent prior to the lockout, and need a left-handed-hitting first baseman. A reunion with Anthony Rizzo isn't out of the question, but Olson would provide a huge upgrade. The Yankees might be looking to make a splash once the lockout ends, and they have the necessary assets in their farm system to pull off a trade.
The Braves still seem primarily focused on bringing back Freddie Freeman. If they do, it will likely take them out of the running for Olson. But if Freeman opts to sign elsewhere, the defending World Series champions could become very aggressive and bring in another All-Star first baseman. The Braves don't have the same farm system they had even a year ago, but they still have enough trade capital, including four prospects in MLB's Top 100.
The Rangers have the necessary assets in their organization to match any offer from a rival suitor. The additions of Seager and Semien have made some of the middle infield depth on the farm—including Josh H. Smith, Ezequiel Duran, Davis Wendzel and top-100 prospect Justin Foscue—more expendable. They also have enough pitching depth to offer a guy like Ronny Henriquez without depleting their stock.
Nathaniel Lowe, who has five remaining years of club control, could also be a crucial piece in a trade package for Olson. The A's would need a new first baseman, and Lowe checks a number of boxes of a prototypical Oakland Athletic—he's cheap, controllable, projectable and he gets on base (insert Billy Beane Moneyball GIF).
Ultimately, I still find it difficult to see this trade coming to fruition. While it is certainly possible, it may be counterproductive for the Rangers to already begin offloading prospects for star players when the new-money players haven't even logged an inning in a Texas uniform. Young prospects like Josh Jung and Cole Winn, who will be in the big leagues at some point in 2022, and many other young Rangers players also need to prove themselves so the club has a better idea of how and where to make more additions next winter.
Remember, 2023 is the unofficial beginning of the contention window. Any moves made this offseason will be made with the future in mind. A trade for Olson without a strong possibility of signing him to an expensive contract extension makes little sense.
If the Rangers are confident they can acquire Olson and sign him beyond 2023, they can't be ruled out as suitors. If they don't pull off a trade, they still have a very capable hitter in Nathaniel Lowe, who could strongly benefit from the additions of Donnie Ecker and Tim Hyers to the coaching staff.
Considering all of the variables, in addition to the other potential moves the Rangers will pursue, a trade for Matt Olson doesn't seem to be very likely. However, in this offseason, never say never.
Make sure to like SI's 'Inside The Rangers' on Facebook
