A’s lefty reliever Sam Moll has drawn trade interest and could be moved before next week’s deadline, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Outside of the organization’s best prospects and young players, virtually any player on the Oakland roster figures to be fair game in a potential trade. That’s particularly true of someone like Moll — a 31-year-old reliever who’ll finish out the season with two-plus years of service time (and thus four seasons of club control remaining).
Over the past three seasons, Moll has pitched to a 3.61 ERA with with a 25% strikeout rate, 11.2% walk rate, 50% ground-ball rate and 0.70 HR/9 in 89 2/3 innings out of the Oakland ’pen. He’s had a rougher showing from an ERA perspective in 2023, turning in a 4.50 mark through 36 innings. Moll has been plagued by a .337 average on balls in play, however, and this year’s 27.3% strikeout rate, 10.6% walk rate and 50.5% grounder rate are all career-bests.
Notably, Moll hasn’t been the same pitcher for much of the 2023 season that he has throughout his prior career. After a five-run drubbing at the hands of the Rangers back on May 14, the lefty has dramatically changed his pitch mix — and subsequently begun to enjoy better results.
Prior to that outing, Moll was primarily a sinker/slider reliever. He’d thrown a four-seam fastball less than two percent of the time in 2023 and didn’t throw a four-seamer at all in either 2021 or 2022. Since then, he’s thrown a traditional four-seamer nearly a quarter of the time, averaging 94.7 mph on the pitch.
Since adding the four-seamer to his repertoire, Moll has pitched to a 3.68 ERA with a 2.19 FIP and 2.79 SIERA. He’s fanned a hefty 31.7% of his opponents against a 6.9% walk rate — both vast improvements — without sacrificing many grounders. He’s still induced grounders at a strong 48.3% clip, even after lessening his reliance on a sinker.
Moll looks like a vastly better pitcher with the four-seamer in his arsenal than he did before. It’s certainly possible that teams will adjust their plans of attack now that he’s altered his, but the early results are strong and Moll has pitched well dating back to 2021, even with his prior pitch selection.
The majority of contenders throughout the league are seeking bullpen upgrades, and lefties — particularly controllable ones — who average nearly 95 mph with plus strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates aren’t exactly in abundance. Moll isn’t a household name by any means, but thus is the life of a late-blooming setup man on a historically bad team. Even if he’s a relative unknown to most fans, big league front offices are surely aware of his overall track record since 2021 and the recent strides he’s made since mixing up his approach on the mound.
Sounds like there’s a…Moll in OAK’s front office.
Anyone with trade interest should be sent packing
Sammy spin rate. Need to find another Hernaiz.
He’s gone.
Do you think AA has called yet? Does Oakland even answer his calls anymore lol
Not just AA that’s fleeced the A’s in a Braves trade. Braves basically stole Tim Hudson away from the A’s too for nothing.
Funny how last off season when Murphy’s name came up about trading him every fan of the other teams said he was not worth a top prospect. Braves were the smartest team to trade for him. Shows more how the other GMs are too afraid to make trades. Every team should know they can trade prospects that are not their top to A’s for real players.
That was partially a favor to Hudson who specifically requested to go to Atlanta, who definitely have excelled at obtaining some embarrassing deals from desperate teams and nice second basemen that really wanted to stay in the area.
Never thought I would see him as a potential relief depth.
I would not be surprised to see Shea. Langeliers included in a deal. The guy can’t hit, but he could be a solid back up. Catcher with a little pop from time to time.
Agreed. Shea Langeliers has not lived up to expectations thus far…
You can’t expect him to be Murphy defensively. Murphy was the top defensive catcher in his draft and through out the minor leagues. A’s Gm is such a idiot for trading Murphy away.
The Oakland, A’s, traded, Chris Bassett, Matt Olson, and Matt Chapman for Shea Langeliers, and a bunch of guys who wish they could hit, as well as the guy in the wheelchair in the bad news, Bears movies. I think it’s safe to say at this point that those trades were a bust!
maybe Oakland’s favorite trade partner, the Orioles? how about third baseman Max Wagner for him? those still need a table setter for canoe and Batista in addition to Fuji, and despite Perez’s save last night against the Phillies, I still don’t trust him
Enough of this drawing interest crud, let’s get some trades done already!!!
Sam Moll > John King and Alex Speas
If starters actually went the 9 innings they are supposed to be going instead of 4+ innings, you wouldn’t need all these failed SPs pitching one inning per night and getting 10 days rest. Player development has really hit a low point in MLB when we’re more focused on guys who can throw really hard for a few innings and then needing TJ surgery every 5 years.
Meh. I think the 3.8% HR/FB should revert quite a bit, and his career H/W splits are 2.81/5.60.
So what your saying is, if anybody grabs this guy, it will be just a petite Moll seizure.
He should’ve copyrighted that reality show, The Moll.
Moll is just a gánsters arm candy
Well, we’re the A’s… so the only return we’re asking for is a promise to pay the rest of his salary so ownership can pocket the difference.