The word out of Oakland is the Athletics are gearing up to trade defensive center field wizard Denzel Clarke this upcoming offseason, and it’s all about needing pitching help for their big move to Las Vegas. While A’s fans might hate to see a fan favorite go, the facts are pretty stark.
The “Why” Is All About the Mound
Let’s be real, the A’s are rebuilding from the ground up for their Vegas relocation, and their pitching staff needs a total overhaul. Sure, they’ve got some fun young position players, but serious upgrades on the mound? That’s probably going to come from the trade market. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand spilled the beans, saying Oakland’s strong outfield depth gives them a perfect opportunity to deal. Clarke won’t even hit arbitration for another year, making him a cost-effective, controllable option for any team desperate for center field help. With Lawrence Butler, Henry Bolte, Carlos Cortes, and Tyler Soderstrom all in the mix, Clarke becomes the odd man out when pitching is the absolute priority. You just can’t keep five good outfielders when your rotation is crying for help.
Defensive Genius, Offensive Struggle
So, what are teams getting with Clarke? A 26-year-old outfielder who arguably plays some of the best defense in all of Major League Baseball. He’s locked up under club control through the 2031 season, meaning he’s going to be super cheap on the books for years. That’s golden for any team looking to fill a massive defensive hole. But here’s the kicker, the one major issue with his game: Clarke just isn’t a good hitter. In his two MLB seasons, across 75 games, he’s barely scraped together 0.4 bWAR. His offensive numbers are brutal: a .207 batting average, a .565 OPS, and a 56 OPS+ in the big leagues. We’re talking 87 strikeouts to just 11 walks, with only three home runs, two triples, nine RBIs, eight stolen bases, and 44 total hits in 213 at-bats. Yeah, that’s a net negative on offense, no sugarcoating it.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for A’s fans, but trading Clarke makes a ton of sense for them to grab some much-needed pitching help. He’s a top trade candidate this upcoming offseason. On a quick Mariners note, it looks like they’re not likely to pick up that $9 million option on Victor Robles this offseason.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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