It is no secret that the Milwaukee Brewers are in desperate need of an upgrade at first base. Ever since Prince Fielder left, Milwaukee has trotted out a different player at first base every year. Last season, Keston Hiura was supposed to be the answer, but he struggled to get his bat going and may be on his way to the outfield. Rowdy Tellez and Daniel Vogelbach are both fan favorites, but are either really the answer at first base? An easy assumption is that neither are in the Brewers’ plans as the long-term first baseman. That means the Brewers will be in the market for a first baseman via trade or free agency. One player that is on the trading block is Oakland A’s slugger Matt Olson.
Matt Olson Will Not Be Cheap
Matt Olson has a TON of upside on the trading market. For one thing, he has two years of club control left. What team would not want at least two years of a first baseman who can hit 30+ home runs and drive in 100+ runs? The answer is, of course, none. Many teams will be in the market for Olson, and as a result, the A’s asking price is extremely high. How high? Think about the asking price the Brewers have for anyone calling about Josh Hader.
Why is the price so high? Last season, Olson hit .271/.371/.540 with 39 home runs and 111 RBI. In 2019, he hit 36 home runs and drove in 91 runs. The year before, he had 29 home runs and 84 RBI while winning the American League Gold Glove at first base. In 2017, his rookie season, he hit .259/.352/.651 with 24 home runs and 45 RBI in just 59 games. He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting.
How Matt Olson Would Fit in Milwaukee
Obviously, it would be easy to fit such a power bat into any lineup. Matt Olson has not required many days off (he played 162 games in 2018 and only missed six games last year), so the idea of needing a right-handed first baseman to platoon disappears. Since Olson is a left-handed hitter, one of Rowdy Tellez and Daniel Vogelbach (or both) would likely be gone next season.
As much as Tellez and Vogelbach are loved by fans, there is a reason the Brewers are in the market for a first baseman. Matt Olson would be a massive upgrade both offensively and defensively.
What Would the Brewers Have to Give Up to Get Matt Olson?
One trade scenario tweeted out by a writer at MLB.com had the Brewers giving up Josh Hader, Garrett Mitchell, and Keston Hiura to get Matt Olson.
Garrett Mitchell, of course, is the Brewers’ top prospect. With Lorenzo Cain in the last year of his contract, it is widely believed that Mitchell is the future of the Brewers in center field. To suggest that the Brewers would give him up without the guarantee of more than two years out of Matt Olson is just plain silly.
To get Matt Olson, however, the Brewers would need to part with multiple top prospects. The A’s could very well demand Mitchell be part of any trade that could also include Ethan Small, Hedbert Perez, Antoine Kelly, and Aaron Ashby.
To be frank, a trade that involves Matt Olson to the Brewers is not likely to happen. However, it is fun to think about.
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