The Oakland Athletics' rebuild will continue this offseason amid their future uncertainty. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the A's will likely trade catcher Sean Murphy.

“A trade of (Sean) Murphy, however, still appears likely, and for the right reasons,” Rosenthal recently wrote.

The Atheltics will not be inclined to trade Murphy from a financial standpoint. But they are in the midst of a rebuild and would be able to enhance the farm system via trade. Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, and Frankie Montas are just a few of the players Oakland dealt away in the past year.

Sean Murphy profiles as a productive offensive catcher. He slashed .250/.332/.426 with 18 home runs in 2022. He is estimated to make around $3.3 million this season, and has multiple years of arbitration remaining. Murphy will not hit the free agent market until 2026. His team-friendly financial situation will increase the interest of potential trade suitors.

The Cleveland Guardians were linked to Murphy ahead of the 2022 trade deadline. Teams such as the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, and others could also attempt to acquire the catcher. Sean Murphy is one of the last remaining star-caliber players on the Athletics' roster.

The Athletics feature minor league depth at the position. A trade of Murphy would allow them to add depth at other positions. And given the lack of quality hitting catchers around MLB, Oakland should be able to receive an impressive package in return.

We will continue to monitor the Sean Murphy trade front and provide updates as they are made available.