Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!
Anthony Franco at MLB Trade Rumors posted a list of the top 50 trade candidates ahead of the August 1 deadline. Just one Athletic is included: Paul Blackburn at number 16. Per Franco, an effort to balance trade value and the likelihood of being dealt was made in compiling the rankings.
Franco describes 29-year-old Blackburn as a dependable back-of-rotation starter when healthy, positing that last year’s lone A’s All-Star may be “the most valuable trade chip on a stripped down A’s roster.”
According to Baseball Trade Values, Blackburn has a median trade value of $6.