With the offseason in full swing, many fans around baseball have been disappointed with the lack of activity in the trade and free agent markets.
But as the Winter Meetings draw nearer, we can expect to see more moves made in the coming weeks.
One player who will very likely be on the move is Oakland Athletics star catcher Sean Murphy.
The A’s have top prospect Shea Langeliers waiting in the wings to claim the catcher spot.
One team in particular appears to have emerged as the favorites for the star catcher.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network notes that the Cleveland Guardians appear to be the frontrunners for Murphy.
Sources: #Guardians among the most active suitors for #Athletics catcher Sean Murphy, the 2021 Gold Glove winner who could be dealt by the end of the Winter Meetings. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 1, 2022
Guardians Well-Positioned To Acquire Murphy
With Austin Hedges a free agent, the Guardians have found themselves in need of a catcher.
Murphy would fit their needs.
The 28-year-old hit for a .250 average and popped 18 home runs, driving in 66 runs and posting an OPS of .758.
Murphy also had a .991 fielding percentage, registered 878 putouts and caught 19 runners attempting to steal.
The Guardians currently have Bryan Lavastida and Bo Naylor at the catcher position.
An upgrade to replace Hedges would be most beneficial for a team looking to build on a 92-win season which saw them claim their first AL Central title since 2018 and reach the ALDS.
The team already possesses a solid nucleus of players that includes Jose Ramirez, Shane Bieber, Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan, and Triston McKenzie.
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