The Oakland Athletics have been a team worth watching as of late, given the rumors that they were looking to trade their star catcher in Sean Murphy.
Top catching prospect Shea Langeliers is knocking on the door, and the A’s sought to clear a path for him.
One team that was in talks to acquire Murphy was the St. Louis Cardinals.
With Yadier Molina gone, the team was in need of a catcher.
However, the Athletics were demanding a hefty return, one that included Rookie of the Year finalist Brendan Donovan and fan favorite Lars Nootbaar.
Ultimately, the Cardinals chose to pivot to Willson Contreras.
The proposed asking price from the A’s for Sean Murphy ⬇️ #STLCards pic.twitter.com/bsdxhzbt5U
— Alex (@bluesdeke12) December 8, 2022
A’s Asking Price For Murphy Revealed
This would have been quite a blockbuster deal if it had happened.
St. Louis obviously possesses a wealth of young talent that could potentially be used in trades to address other roster needs.
Ultimately, the Cardinals were probably smart to hold onto Donovan and Nootbaar.
Had the deal happened, the Athletics could potentially have taken a step towards contention, adding two promising young players, one of whom was a Rookie of the Year candidate.
They also would have finally had a spot open for Langeliers behind the plate.
Obviously, the Cardinals moved on and chose Contreras to fill Molina’s shoes.
Now, the question is whether or not the Athletics will end up trading Murphy.
If the Cardinals found their asking price to be too high, then perhaps the same could be said for other teams.
The Cleveland Guardians, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox were said to be in play for the catcher.
