Despite a surprising 92-win season in 2022, the Cleveland Guardians didn’t get much out of the catcher position. Semi-regular starter Austin Hedges hit a mere .163 with a .489 OPS. Backup Luke Maile didn’t do much better with a .221/.627 split.
Enter into the equation Oakland Athletics Gold Glove winner Sean Murphy, who could reportedly be had at the right price this offseason.
Murphy, 28, was the subject of rumors leading up to the in-season MLB trade deadline. The rebuilding A’s have former top prospect Shea Langeliers ready to take over at catcher. They are also still in cost-cutting mode after blowing up their roster ahead of the 2022 season.
As for Murphy, he’s a top-end option for catcher-needy teams for multiple reasons. Outside of his brilliant defense, we’re talking about someone with the capability of hitting 20 homers in a season. The 2021 Gold Glove winner is also under team control through the 2025 season, making him an attractive option for a mid-tier market team such as the Cleveland Guardians. It’s in this that they have reportedly been among the “most-active” suitors for Murphy this fall.
With all of that said, Oakland is not going to sell low on Murphy. It can retain him through arbitration if a high asking price is not met. Below, we look at how a Sean Murphy trade to the Guardians might look.
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Cleveland Guardians prospects heading to Oakland in potential Sean Murphy trade
The Athletics are going to want a MLB-ready prospects in return for Murphy. With the lowest attendance in baseball, the team can’t justify trotting out another 102-loss team. That’s magnified with potential relocation to Las Vegas on the horizon.
With Murphy under team control for the next three seasons, Oakland’s asking price is going to be high. That’ll likely start with one of the Guardians’ top-five prospects.
Assuming No. 1 prospect Daniel Espino is not available, someone like outfielder George Valera could make sense. The 22-year-old outfielder is currently Cleveland’s No. 2 prospect. He entered the 2022 season as MLB’s 47th-ranked prospect. Splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A last season, the New York native hit .250 with 24 homers and 82 RBI. He’d fill a major need in the outfield in Oakland.
Starting pitcher Gavin Williams could also be an option if the Cleveland Guardians push back against moving Valera. The former first-round pick out of East Carolina pitched to a 1.96 ERA and 0.95 WHIP while striking out 149 batters in 115 innings in his first minor league season. He could be fast-tracked to the Majors with Oakland.
- Sean Murphy stats (2022): .250 average, 18 HR, 66 RBI, .759 OPS
As you can see, Murphy is a net-positive at the plate. Add in his ability in the field, and there’s every reason to believe he’d draw a nice return.
As for the Guardians, adding someone like Murphy fits in with their mid-market status and rather pedestrian payroll as the team looks to build off its successful 2022 season.