With only 51 games of major league experience, including 32 this season entering play on Monday, Moll is the type of up-and-coming reliever who could be a key arm in the next great A’s bullpen. He’s under team control through 2027 and has struck out 11.1 batters per nine innings this year, which ranks among the game’s elite.
So why would Oakland trade him? At 30, Moll is already past the “prospect” stage of his career and while he’s been the A’s most reliable reliever, it’s hard to envision him making significant improvements in future seasons. With his trade value likely higher now than it will ever be in the future, Oakland could move the left-hander at this year’s deadline to a team in need of bullpen help and pick up a solid prospect or two in return to help strengthen future A’s clubs.
Irvin’s name makes the list, however, because contending teams almost always need starting pitching depth. Clubs that won’t want to part with the assets needed to acquire Montas may check in on Irvin, who probably won’t pitch big innings in the postseason but can pitch five-to-six innings every five days to help a team get to October.It hasn’t been a memorable year for Kemp, who entered Monday with a .205 average and .549 OPS.
Perhaps Kemp needs a change of scenery to regain the form he showed last season, when he set a career-high with an .800 OPS. Perhaps the A’s would prefer to move Kemp to give more playing time at second base to prospect Nick Allen, or another young infielder acquired via a trade this summer. Perhaps a trade would benefit both parties.