After an offseason that has seen him purge the Oakland Athletics of their Major League talent, general manager Billy Beane has apparently pulled off a rather big trade.
According to multiple media reports, Oakland has acquired All-Star Ben Zobrist and shortstop Yunel Escobar from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for John Jaso and two minor league players.
This move fills a ton of holes on the A’s roster. Zobrist, who can play pretty much everywhere in the field, hit .272 with a .354 on-base percentage in 2014. He led the American League with a 8.7 WAR in 2011 and put up a solid 5.0 last season.
Meanwhile, the A’s needed to find a shortstop to replace Jed Lowrie, who signed with the Houston Astros in free agency. Escobar has hit in around the .250 mark in each of the past three seasons and is considered an above-average defender, something Lowrie wasn’t last season.
As it relates to what the Rays received, Jaso goes back to where it started. He played in Tampa back in 2010 and 2011. Seen as an above-average hitter, Jaso boasts a career .259 average and .359 on-base percentage. A left-handed hitting catcher, Jaso is also a rarity at that position.
SS Daniel Robertson is indeed in the Zobrist deal, I can confirm, and I can report that OF Boog Powell also goes to #Rays. #Athletics
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) January 10, 2015
Shortstop Daniel Robertson and outfielder Boog Powell are also heading to Tampa in the deal. Robertson, who was among the A’s top prospects, was made available after the team acquired Marcus Semien from the Chicago White Sox in the Jeff Samardzija trade.