Athletics Trade Sam Moll and Jace Peterson

July 31, 2023

The Oakland Athletics made their second and third moves of the trade deadline period. The Athletics traded Sam Moll to the Cincinnati Reds and Jace Peterson to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In exchange for Moll, the Athletics will receive Joe Boyle. In exchange for Jace Peterson they will receive Chad Patrick. This move follows the trade they made earlier in the month when they dealt Shintaro Fujinami to the Baltimore Orioles. With nothing left to play for this season, expect for the A’s to try and continue to build up their farm system by dealing any player of value. Aside from JP Sears, Luis Medina, Esteury Ruiz, Zack Gelof, and Tyler Soderstrom, everyone should be available for trade.

Sam Moll

Sam Moll has had a journeyman career. Moll has been drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the third round of the 2013 first year player draft. In 2017, Moll got traded to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for cash considerations. He was then signed off of waivers by both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Seattle Mariners that same season. The 2018 season came around and again Moll was designated for assignment, and signed off of waivers – this time by the Toronto Blue Jays. He toiled in the minors until the 2020 season when he was signed to a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants. Later that season he signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Finally, in 2021 he was traded back to the Athletics again in exchange for cash considerations.

In three seasons with the big league club, he’s threw 91 1/3 innings with a 3.65 ERA, 108 ERA+, and a 1.325 WHIP. This season with the Athletics, Moll has been an average pitcher for them. He’s thrown 37 2/3 innings with a 4.54 ERA, 90 ERA+, and a 1.407 WHIP. He has an electric arm which can be un-hittable at times, and uncontrollable at other times. Moll’s 9.9 K/9 show how un-hittable he can be. While his 4.5 BB/9 show his lack of control.

Joe Boyle

Joe Boyle was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 first year player draft. He has a dominating presence on the mound, standing at six feet seven inches tall and 240 pounds. He fits the prototypical player mold this Athletics’ front office has been targeting. Electric arm with high K/9. Boyle is even more of an all or nothing pitcher than Moll is, but he needs time to develop better pitch control before he is promoted.

This season, Boyle has been in Double-A Chattanooga. In 19 starts, he has thrown 84 innings and has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.643 WHIP. 120 strikeouts in 84 innings, which is incredibly impressive. Yet, his 75 walks in those 84 innings can be a cause for concern. His 13.9 K/9 would be near the top of the league and would put him on the same rank as players like Jacob deGrom. Conversely, there aren’t many pitcher with an 8 BB/9. His control issues are why he is averaging 4 2/3 innings per start. If he wants to be successful at the next level, he needs to learn to control his pitches and go deeper into starts.

Jace Peterson

Jace Peterson was the top player on the Athletics many thought they needed to deal at the deadline. He was one of six players making over $1 million for the season. He signed a 2 year/ $9 million deal in the offseason. According to spotrac, Trevor May, Aledmys Diaz, Tony Kemp, Paul Blackburn, and Ramon Laureano are the other players making over $1 million this season.

On the year, Peterson has been taking the majority of the reps at third base. He is slashing .221/.313/.324 giving him a .637 OPS and a 84 OPS+. According to baseball savant, he is in the bottom 8% of the league in batting average, Exit Velocity, HardHit%, xBA, and xSLG. While being bottom 20% in the league at Barrel%, Arm Strength, and K%. One area he grades out very well in is Outs Above Average (OAA) where he ranks in the top 20% of all third baseman in the league.

Chad Patrick

Chad Patrick has spent the season in Double-A Amarillo for the Diamondbacks. In 19 starts this season, Chad has thrown 91 2/3 innings with a 4.71 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He has much more control than Joe Boyle with 36 walks in those 91 2/3 innings. This helps him go deeper into games, averaging five innings per start. The Athletics continue to add young pitchers to their organization. This should help them with depth in the future, and also gives them more trade pieces to use in the future as well.

Other Trade Options

With two moves down for the Athletics dealing Fujinami, Moll, and Peterson. Who else do they have left they would consider dealing? We will take a look at the remaining players on the roster who would make good trade candidates.

Paul Blackburn

Paul Blackburn was the Athletics 2022 All-Star after a very good first half of the season. Since then, he has struggled with injuries keeping him off the field. his 2022 season ended when he had a flexor tendon injury in his pitching hand. He had set back after set back which led to him also missing some of the start of the 2023 season.

Blackburn has been average since his return this season. Thus far, he has thrown 54 innings this season, with a 4.83 ERA, a 1.574 WHIP, and a 84 ERA+. He has continued to take strides forward this season, recording the highest K/9 of his career at 9.3. He also has the lowest BB/9 on the Athletics pitching staff at 3.0. Despite having bottom 10% fastball velocity, he excels at missing barrels and forcing soft contact. He is in the top 10% of all pitchers in Avg Exit Velocity, HardHIt%, and Barrel%.

Brent Rooker

Brent Rooker was one of the best bats in baseball at the beginning of the year. Rooker had nine home runs, 22 RBI, and a 1.262 OPS, all league leaders in the month of April. It has been a struggle for Rooker to find consistency since April. Rooker was the Athletics’ lone All-Star despite these numbers.

On the year, Rooker is slashing .248/.341/.476 with a .817 OPS and a 132 OPS+. He has been one of the above average hitters on the A’s roster this season. He has 13 doubles, 17 home runs, and 47 RBI to go with a 1.3 bWAR. Rooker can provide great offense to a team who needs a power hitting out fielder. He ranks in the top 25% of all hitters in Avg Exit Velocity, Max Exit Velocity, HardHit%, xwOBA, xSLG, Barrel%, and BB%.

Trevor May

Being the highest-paid player on the roster, Trevor May is the top candidate to be traded. He signed a one-year, $7 million contract in the off season. The idea was to sign him and deal him for prospects later on. After returning from the IL with anxiety issues, May has taken over the closer role and has excelled.

In 27 innings this season, May has a 4.55 ERA and a 90 ERA+. Since moving into the closer role for the Athletics, May has completed all seven of his save opportunities. He could provide veteran arm with playoff experience for a team who is lacking bull pen arms and are in a playoff race.