MLB Rumors: Matt Olson To Yankees Update—Prized Prospects 'Untouchable'

All of baseball knows that the New York Yankees are extremely interested in acquiring slugging first baseman Matt Olson from the Oakland A's. Also well known is the fact that the Yankees own two prime shortstop prospects in Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza. Now we add to our knowledge base the fact that a trade between the Yanks and A's involving these significant names will be very difficult to achieve.

According to Andy Martino of SNY, general manager Brian Cashman has no intention of including either of those top prospects in a deal for Olson. 

The #Yankees expressed a “strong unwillingness” to trade prospects Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza in a possible Matt Olson trade w/ Oakland before the lockout, per @martinonyc ⬇️ https://t.co/q9IcPyQKmE

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) February 1, 2022'

"Before the lockout," writes Martino, "the Yankees expressed a strong unwillingness to trade shortstop prospect Anthony Volpe (or for that matter Oswald Peraza) to the Oakland Athletics for first baseman Matt Olson, according to league sources." 

Olson is a Gold Glove, All-Star masher that would be a huge boost to the Yankee lineup, but the A's will indeed be asking a King's ransom for him, so the idea of trying to make a deal without Volpe or Peraza included might not be viable.

Olson hit .271 in 2021 with a .911 OPS, along with 39 HR and 111 RBIs.

Other 1B targets for the pinstripes, according to Martino, include incumbent Anthony Rizzo ("a two-year deal seems likely"), or, in a best-case scenario, Freddie Freeman, who "the Yanks did have interest in before the lockout").

As of now, if nothing is done, Luke Voit will go into the season as the first baseman. 

Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports