5 Trade Candidates The SF Giants Should Pursue with the Universal DH in mind

5 Trade Candidates The SF Giants Should Pursue with the Universal DH

Matt Olson, Oakland Athletics

Whew, so there are OTHER players on this list, believe it or not. Our next player is right across the bay. Olson is the youngest player on this list (spoiler) and joins a laundry list of current and former Athletics who have been subject to trade rumors once they get remotely close to free agency. (See Matt Chapman as well).

Not intentionally trying to once again pitch Luke Voit to you, but the Yankees have been tied to Olson for what seems like forever, and the Giants likely would not want to meet Oakland's huge asking price in return. Olson -- 27 -- will not be a free agent until 2024, and the left-handed-hitting first baseman is coming off a season where he had career highs in home runs (39), RBIs (111), batting average (.271), WAR (5.8), and on-base percentage (.911). Since Olson is still in the arbitration years of his career, his salary is still very minimalized at $12M for the 2022 season, not a bad salary for someone who made the All-Star team.

Although from afar it feels like Olson hasn't been in the league for very long, he has still smashed 142 career home runs and driven in 373 runs, and it does not feel like Olson has reached his true potential yet.

After a down 2020, Olson was able to forget about it (wouldn't we all?) and put forth a herculean performance for the Athletics. As previously mentioned, Olson would be coveted by MANY teams. Off the top of my head, I can think of the Yankees and Red Sox being at the top of the list, and then in some way or another, the Brewers, Braves, and Mariners are also likely to be interested--which means for the Giants that there will be quite the bidding war.

One more stat that will make Giants fans happy: If the already patient Giants lineup were to add Olson, they would be adding a guy who finished top six in the entire league in walks with 88. He only finished behind Shohei Ohtani (96), Robbie Grossman (98), Bryce Harper (100), Joey Gallo (111), and Juan Soto (145).

Quick aside: When looking at this list again, or just any offensive statistic from the 2021 season, it just furthers the point of Soto belongs in a stratosphere of his own, and the unimaginable bidding war that would happen for him if he becomes available via trade or later in free agency.