The Oakland Athletics are virtually out of playoff contention. With just 28 wins through 102 games in the 2023 MLB regular season, the A's have reasons to become among the busiest sellers ahead of the MLB trade deadline in August. Two names worth paying attention to on that front are starter Paul Blackburn and reliever Sam Moll.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic mentioned Blackburn as a potential trade bait for the Athletics “in a market starved for starting pitching.” Blackburn is a year removed from an All-Star campaign in 2022 and while he's just 1-2 this season, that record can sound more remarkable when considering the fact that he's pitching in front of an anemic Oakland offense. He's already come up with that record through 10 appearances (nine starts). Blackburn also has a 3.91 FIP to go with a 5.06 ERA.
The 29-year-old Blackburn has two more years under club control, making him an enticing target for pitcher-hungry teams.
Moll, on the other hand, is said to be generating interest in the trade market, per Rosenthal.
“The A’s are drawing some interest in Sam Moll, a left-handed reliever. Moll, 31, is holding left-handed hitters to a .536 OPS, but righties against him are at .781. He is earning $725,000 and would come with four additional years of club control.”
Moll, who was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the 2013 MLB Draft, has made 42 appearances on the mound this season and owns a 0-3 record with a save, a 4.50 ERA, and a 3.20 FIP.
Last week, the Athletics traded relief pitcher Shintaro Fujinami to the Baltimore Orioles.
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