In a rare intra-division trade among rivals, the Athletics addressed their shortstop situation Saturday in a trade with Texas that brought over Elvis Andrus, catching prospect Aramis Garcia, and $13.5 million in cash. Going the other way in the deal was outfielder/designated hitter Khris Davis, catcher Jonah Heim, and right-handed pitcher Dane Acker.
Andrus’s 12-year-run with the Rangers comes to an end and he effectively waves any 10-and-5 rights with the move to the Bay Area. Nonetheless, he became expendable for the Rangers given the emergence of Isiah Kiner-Falefa this season who was primed to take his job at short. In any sense, Andrus gets the opportunity to maintain his position amongst the infield with Oakland after the A’s lost, Marcus Semien in free agency to the Blue Jays.
Not that Andrus will be any kind of complete replacement for Semien who finished third in MVP voting back in 2019. His slash line of .260/.306/.378 over the past three seasons falls short of the offensive production Semien gave the A’s but should still provide a decent glove at short.
Contract-wise, Andrus puts Oakland on the hook for $14 million in 2021 and 2022 while a $15 million dollar mutual option for 2023 now becomes a player option. That could effectively become a vesting option if the 32-year-old Andrus can amount either 550 plate appearances in 2022 or 1,100 appearances in 2021 and 2022. Andrus saw 111 plate appearances last in a 2020 COVID season, 648 in 2019, and 428 in 2018 so there’s certainly a chance Andrus becomes a free agent after 2022.
