Oakland Athletics Playing Both Sides of Rich Hill Talks

The Oakland Athletics looked to have another free agent steal on their hands with the way Rich Hill was performing earlier this season, but now injury concerns have teams wary of giving up as much talent as Hill would have necessitated at one time.

A blister could be the determining factor between the A’s acquiring some top level talent and remaining in the cellar for a few more years. With that in mind, it’s a curious decision by Oakland to not want to move forward with a conditional deal, which could net more talent for the club. Of course there are factors that go into a deal like that, like a potential new team’s ballpark factors, if they’re in a different league, etc., and having the A’s still on the hook for Hill’s performance after he had been moved is not really what the trade deadline is about.

Because of this, the Oakland Athletics are going in a potentially different direction. According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Oakland is now talking to the left-hander about a potential contract extension while also continuing trade discussions with other teams.

This is an interesting wrinkle if it’s more than a ploy to get bidders to up their offers. If Hill were to sign an extension to remain with Oakland, the price tag likely wouldn’t be too high because, well,  it’s the A’s, which could make him a great trade candidate again this winter, or at next year’s trade deadline if the club is once again performing poorly.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

On the other side of that, the rest of 2016 should see an influx of youth from the A’s farm system, which is what they are banking on for their next run to the playoffs. Having a veteran like Rich Hill to pair with Sonny Gray and impressive rookie Sean Manaea in the rotation could set up the rotation nicely from one through three for 2017.

If the A’s don’t sign him to an extension, and don’t trade him by 1 PM on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle says that the team would consider extending Hill a qualifying offer. Same goes for their other key trade target, Josh Reddick. Slusser says that the Dodgers and Blue Jays have been interested in both players, while the Tigers, Orioles and Rangers were in the mix for Hill alone.

Next: Top Players Left on the Market

Ken Rosenthal reported that the Astros and Pirates were also said to be interested in the southpaw ahead of the deadline.