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Oakland A’s trade rumors: 3 potential landing spots for Sean Murphy

By Eric Treuden

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 23: Sean Murphy #12 of the Oakland Athletics bats during the game against the Seattle Mariners at RingCentral Coliseum on June 23, 2022 in Oakland, California. The Mariners defeated the Athletics 2-1. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 23: Sean Murphy #12 of the Oakland Athletics bats during the game against the Seattle Mariners at RingCentral Coliseum on June 23, 2022 in Oakland, California. The Mariners defeated the Athletics 2-1. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) /
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Oakland A’s trade rumors: 3 potential landing spots for Sean Murphy

The last-place Oakland Athletics are once again sitting on one of the game’s more intriguing trade chips as we near this year’s deadline. Last year, it was a tale of two Matts in Olson and Chapman that the A’s had to sell. This year, it’s catcher Sean Murphy.

Murphy, 27, is emerging as one of the game’s best defensive catchers with a bat that is slowly beginning to come around as well. So far this season, he has 88 games under his belt with 11 home runs, 40 RBI and an OPS+ of 117 and an as of now career-best oWAR (per Baseball-Reference) of 2.2.

With the A’s struggling the way they are (35-63, 30.0 GB of AL West lead) in the standings, they would be wise to unload anything of value on their big league roster and keep an eye on the future instead. Murphy represents one of the bigger trade chips they have alongside staff ace Frankie Montas.

This is all without mentioning the presence of uber-prospect Shea Langeliers, who is nearing his first shot at some big league action. This year’s Futures Game MVP has been lighting up the opposition in Triple-A and is younger than Murphy with more of a bat. He is the No. 1 prospect in Oakland’s system and will not be able to be kept down in the minors for much longer.

Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins immediately jump off the page as a fit for Murphy’s services, as they are currently rolling with a combination of Gary Sanchez and 27-year old rookie Caleb Hamilton behind the plate after Ryan Jeffers went down with an injury.

Sanchez and his defensive limitations have been well-documented over the years and he is not much more of a designated hitter at his core. Hamilton is an as of now unproven rookie who the club wouldn’t have an issue cutting bait with. Enter Sean Murphy, who would represent an immediate upgrade both at the plate and behind it.

An acquisition of Murphy would require a pretty hefty return sent back to Oakland, but a pairing behind the plate of Murphy and Jeffers looks a whole lot better than Jeffers and Sanchez moving forward.

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