“This is the cycle for the A’s. We have to listen and be open to whatever comes out of this.”
Those November comments from Athletics general manager David Forst remain the strongest indication that, when the lockout ends, the team will kick off another rebuild with trades of their best players. And as arguably the most coveted trade piece on the entire market this offseason, star first baseman Matt Olson could bring back to the A’s one of the strongest return packages in a while.
Teams that are going to be looking for an impact player like Olson have a few characteristics: they’re eyeing contention in 2022, they don’t already have a stud first baseman, and they have payroll space and the prospects to make a deal happen.