Anthony Volpe to Oakland Athletics? – New York Yankees Expressed ‘Strong Unwillingness’ In Huge Matt Olson Trade Deal

The New York Yankees will look to make key roster moves this off-season. Coming off a wild card loss arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox, they will have a World Series on their mind come 2022.And they will need to make the roster moves to match. However, with several high value contracts already on the roster, the Yankees will look to alternate ways to make signings. And their farm system should help them along in making those decisions. Or so you would think. In a recent report however, sources have claimed that the Yankees are hesitant to trade away their top prospects for a short term signing.

The New York Yankees are faced with a unique proposition. They have considerable star power on thier roster. With Cole, Stanton and Judge all coming into their own in 2021, their roster seems to be in need of just a few more pieces. But to get those pieces the Yankees may have to commit financial resources; resources that they would have liked to expend in re-signing prospects like Aaron Judge. Specifically, the free agent signing of Carlos Correa comes to mind. With Correa eyeing a mega deal the likes of Seager, i.e. $300 million over 10 years, the signing looks increasingly unlikely. But what then about the Yankees’ starting shortstop?

New York Yankees’ infield for 2022

The New York Yankees currently field Gio Urshela at shortstop. And while doing a perfectly capable job, it is well known fact that the Yankees are looking for an upgrade. The considerations have ranged from superstar signings like Carlos Correa, to stop gap signings like Trevor Story.

Reportedly, earlier in the season, league sources said that the Yankees were exploring the markets for top shortstops like Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien. And with both free agents signing with the Texas Rangers, the market has shrunk considerably.

Read More: New York Yankees Will Not Sign Carlos Correa Unless Star Makes Huge Drop in Demands, Claims MLB Insider

Another alternative that has been explored is bringing  Matt Olson from the Oakland As to secure the infield. But the Yankees have indicated that this trade would still be a bit harder to undertake. Reportedly, prior to the lockout, the Yankees shied away from trading prospects Oswaldo Perez or Anthony Volpe in a trade for Oakland’s Matt Olson. The As would need to see some value in the trade before biting and that now seems unlikely.

The Yankees manager, Brian Cashman, however, was not deterred. He said that the presence of Volpe and Peraza in the system, would not keep the Yankees away from a superstar signing.  His reason? The team could simply sign one of the big names to play shortstop and later shift them to another position. Players are expected to be versatile in development. Cashman made it clear for the prospects that their position while developing should not block big league acquisitions.

The Yankees sure seem to be building something worthwhile this season, and we can’t wait to see it take shape!