Matt Olson Trade Rumors: Athletics 'Shooting for the Moon' in Talks for Star 1B

The Oakland Athletics are reportedly "shooting for the moon" in Matt Olson trade discussions, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. It does not come as a surprise given the fact that the first baseman has two years remaining on his contract.

The news comes after Heyman reported A's general manager David Forst is willing to listen to trades for every player.

SNY's Andy Martino also reported earlier this month that Olson is among "several A's players who will likely be on the move" this winter. The former first-round pick has two years of salary arbitration remaining and won't become a free agent until after the 2023 campaign.

The A's are looking to shed payroll and rebuild the franchise this offseason, and one of the best ways to do that is to part ways with star players like Olson, Frankie Montas and Matt Chapman.

Olson, a two-time Gold Glover, boosted his trade value during the 2021 season, slashing .271/.371/.540 (.911 OPS) with a career-high 39 home runs and 111 RBI. He also earned his first All-Star nod and participated in the Home Run Derby.

In addition, the 27-year-old led all American League first basemen in defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs, but lost out on snagging his third Gold Glove to Houston Astros infielder Yuli Gurriel. He finished eighth in AL MVP voting.

Olson has already been linked to the New York Yankees this winter, which comes as no surprise as the franchise looks to upgrade at several positions ahead of the 2022 campaign.

The Yankees relied on Anthony Rizzo and Luke Voit at first base last season, but Rizzo is now a free agent and Voit is eligible for arbitration. The Pinstripes have also been linked to several other players this winter, including free-agent first baseman Freddie Freeman, according to Heyman.

It's unclear which other teams might be interested in Olson. However, B/R's Zachary D. Rymer lists the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox and Yankees as the best landing spots for the Georgia native.