Minnesota Twins: 3 proposed trades to upgrade the rotation

Minnesota Twins: Send Simeon Woods Richardson and Drew Strotman to the Oakland Athletics for Frankie Montas.

Are the Oakland Athletics going to rebuild this offseason? After a hot start to the season, they had a disappointing finish to 2021 that saw them miss the playoffs. If their history is any indication, their management might decide it’s time to start over again. If so, they have a lot of potential trade chips, including in their starting rotation.

The biggest name might be Frankie Montas. The 28-year-old right-hander is coming off a season in which he made 32 starts and pitched 187 innings, earning 13 wins while posting a solid 3.37 ERA. He had a strong finish to the season, as he was named American League Pitcher of the Month for September.

At the same time, I can understand why some Twins fans may have some reservations about Montas. The 2021 season was the first in which he made it to at least 100 innings pitched. He was having a great 2019 before he was suspended for violating the league’s drug policy, while he didn’t have a great 2020 season.

It’s because of this that I would be hesitant to give up boatload for Montas. Montas is likely due for a big raise this offseason, so if the A’s see trading Montas as a cost-cutting move, perhaps it wouldn’t take a boatload, either. Simeon Woods Richardson and Drew Strotman are two arms that could contribute in the future, though it’s hard to know who in the Twins’ farm system the A’s would be interested in.

If you’re among those who is hesitant to trade for Montas, perhaps Sean Manaea or Chris Bassitt would be more appealing options. Manaea, 29, is coming off a season in which he made 32 starts and posted a 3.91 ERA. Bassitt, 32, was hit in the head by a line drive and had to miss some time, but when he was on the mound he was solid. He made 27 starts and posted a 3.15 ERA. These two pitchers are both under team control for two more seasons.