Cleveland Guardians 2022 trade target: First baseman Matt Olson

Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson is on the trade block – could the Guardians be in the mix to acquire him?

A lot of words have been written about the sorry state of the Cleveland Guardians’ outfield, which has allowed the team’s issues at first base to fly a bit under the radar. Right now, Bobby Bradley is the de facto first baseman heading into 2022, but the team could be looking for options elsewhere – like, say, Oakland?

The Athletics are likely about to enter a full-on rebuilding phase, parting with just about anyone who has a pulse. First baseman Matt Olson has been the subject of trade rumors for a while now, but is it possible the Guardians swoop in and make a deal for the 27-year-old once the lockout ends?

Getting to Know Guardians Trade Target Matt Olson

Olson has always displayed significant power in the majors, but last season is where he truly put it all together, hitting .271/.371/.540 with 39 home runs, 35 doubles, and a beautiful 146 wRC+. That’s not to say he hasn’t been great throughout the rest of his career, though. From 2017 to 2019, Olson hit .256/.344/.518, averaging just under 30 home runs, 20 doubles, and a 139 wRC+ over those three seasons. Clearly, he’s one of the best offensive first baseman in the American League, if not the majors. Not to mention he also won back-to-back Gold Gloves in 2018 and 2019.

As fas as the advanced metrics go, Olson has maintained some lofty percentiles (exit velocity, hard hit rate, xwOBA, and xSLG for starters), but what’s most promising recently is that he’s maintained a walk rate above 13% the past two seasons. And in 2022, Olson reduced his strikeouts to just a shade under 17%. He’s seeing the ball better than ever, taking his walks, striking out less, and maintaining his power through it all.

Like a number of other players, Olson did struggle during the shortened 2020 season, hitting just .195 in 210 at-bats (and the full 60 games). Still, he managed to hit 14 home runs that year, and last season showed that 2020 was really just a tiny blotch on an otherwise sterling resume.

Oh, and for what it’s worth, Olson has hit .324/.432/.568 in in 44 career plate appearances at Progressive Field.

What Would It Take to Acquire Matt Olson?

Cleveland.com beat writer Paul Hoynes has attempted to answer this very question, starting with an Olson-for-Bradley swap. Though Bradley hit just .208/.294/.445 and struck out nearly 36% of the time last year, he did hit 14 home runs and maintained a 99 wRC+. He’s also under team control for six more seasons, and should he figure it out a bit more at the plate, he could be a great contributor.

With the middle infield depth and seemingly endless amount of starting pitchers that Cleveland has in the minors, the Guardians would likely have to include those types of pieces as well in any deal for Olson. Would Gabriel Arias and maybe Cody Morris (or, more likely, a pitcher lower in the system) do the trick? It might seem like a lofty price since Olson is a two-year rental and that’s it. He’s due to make $12 million in arbitration this year, though that’s less important than whether the Guardians think they can realistically contend in the next two years, before Olson inevitably moves on. With him in the lineup and a healthy starting rotation, it’s certainly a possibility.

Would This Trade Actually Happen?

Matt Olson going to the Guardians is more of a possibility than you might think. The only things holding it back are Olson’s impending salary bump and the fact that there are numerous other teams inquiring about him, which could certainly drive up the price. If the Guardians are also looking at notable outfielders they can trade for, they might consider a more under-the-radar name at first if they aren’t completely sold on Bradley – a name like Yankees first baseman Luke Voit, who is quickly finding himself as the odd man out in New York.

Still, Cleveland has numerous tantalizing minor-league trade chips the Athletics would be happy to have. It’s doubtful this trade materializes, but if it did, it would almost certainly catapult the Guardians into the discussion to win the American League Central in 2022.