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Many of the Oakland Athletics key players have been the center of trade rumors as the July 31 deadline draws closer. From Ben Zobrist to Stephen Vogt, the majority of the Athletics’ starting lineup has been talked about in the rumor mill. A new name has popped up in the recent days as teams have begun to express interest in closer Tyler Clippard.
Clippard was never suppose to be the A’s closer for the 2015. Sean Doolittle incurred a what seemed like minor injury during Spring Training and was set to return in May. However, upon his return to the MLB, Doolittle was placed back on the disabled list with another shoulder injury after only a one inning outing. Additionally, GM Billy Beane told 95.7 The Game that he does not think that Doolittle will play a big role in the Athletics’ bullpen this season.
Thankfully the Athletics still have Clippard, who is now expected to be the Athletics’ official closer for 2015. However, there is one minor issue. Other teams have been inquiring about Clippard and the possibility of a trade. Teams like the Toronto Blue Jays and the Washington Nationals are in need of some bullpen talent, and Clippard seems like a good option for them. However, the A’s should not and cannot trade this righty closer.
Even though this season has been a little up-and-down for Clippard who currently has a 3.08 ERA, he does have nine saves and only two blown saves so far this season. In all honesty, he has not had that much of a chance to show his closing ability since the rest of the bullpen has blown many leads early on in games multiple times. However, he has been pretty consistent and is one of the more reliable relievers in the bullpen.
Additionally, with Doolittle on the 60-day disabled list, Clippard can now fully accept the closer role. A lot of pressure is put upon the closer during tight games, and he may have not handled the pressure well if he saw himself as just a backup to Doolittle. Now that Clippard is Oakland’s official closer, perhaps he will be able to fill that role more effectively than before.
Even though Clippard will be a free agent at the end of this season and it is unlikely that the A’s will be able to afford him for 2016, Oakland does not have any other closer options. The majority of their bullpen has been terrible so far this season and it would be a big blow to the team to lose one of only two (maybe three) good and healthy relievers. Unless the Athletics are able to make a trade that significantly increases their bullpen’s success, Oakland needs Clippard as their closer.
Samantha Riley is an Oakland Athletics writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow her on twitter @Riless22.
