For the Guardians to remake their lineup with real intent, they will need to swing big at the fast-approaching MLB Trade Deadline, which is why they should try to land the Sacramento Athletics’ Tyler Soderstrom.
Soderstrom is 24 years old and signed to a 7-year, $86 million extension with a team option for 2033 at $12.29 million. Over the past two years, he has a 125 wRC+, 21/10 K/BB/%, while managing a 102 wRC+ against LHP in that time period showing he is not a platoon player. He has a .475 slugging
percentage and has been a good left fielder by Defensive Runs Saved at +14 and slightly below average there by Outs Above Average at -1.
Why would the Athletics trade Soderstrom? It should be clear to the Athletics that they need to leverage some of their major league talent into some prospect help for their upcoming move to Las Vegas. Soderstrom is a good piece but probably worth more to trade now then to hang on to in hopes he will be in his prime when the team reaches Vegas. It will not be cheap to acquire Soderstrom and will require two top 100 prospects given his years of cheap team control… likely will take something like Angel Genao and Braylon Doughty, and probably a lower level prospect thrown in. Expensive, but, in one fell swoop, the Guardians would provide themselves a middle of the order hitter making their lineup something like:
- Kwan CF
- Jose 3B
- DeLauter DH
- Soderstrom LF
- Bazzana 2B
- Angel Martinez RF
- Manzardo 1B
- Bailey C
- Rocchio SS
Is that a lot of lefties? Yes. The majority of major league pitchers are right-handers and most of these lefties can handle southpaws with aplomb. It is worth noting that Soderstrom isn’t a pull-hitter as much, explaining why his 54 career homers look like they’d be 45 at Progressive Field, but getting a few more pulled-balls-in-the-air is something he could potentially work on doing to increase his offensive output in Cleveland.
What do you think about making a big swing for Tyler Soderstrom? Let me know in the comments below.
