Two Ideal Trade Targets if Athletics Become Deadline Sellers

Heading into the All-Star break, the team has already made a couple of moves to hopefully see some improvement in the second half. The team has fired its pitching coach, Scott Emerson. The pitching staff has been really bad over the last few seasons, and the organization seems to be pointing the blame at Emerson.

The team also elected to claim a hot bat off waivers from the Angels in Donovan Walton. Because the team has yet to finalize roster moves before Friday's game against Washington, we are not sure if he will be on the big-league roster.

With the trade deadline just weeks away, the A's could look into trading a few upcoming free agents.

The A's Could Deal Jonah Heim

It's been discussed that the A's might not have a future with Shea Langeliers, as he is set to be a free agent after the 2028 season. His agent, Scott Boras, prefers that his clients enter free agency, so his future in the Green and Gold is uncertain.

If the A's hold onto Langeliers, the team could look to trade Jonah Heim. The team landed Heim with the impression that he'd serve as the backup catcher, but he's hit his way into more playing time at both DH and first base since Kurtz has been injured.

Heim holds a .745 OPS this season since joining the A's and has been one of the most clutch hitters in all of baseball.

Since Heim is set to hit free agency at the end of this season, the A's could look to deal him to a contender that needs catching, such as the Rays, Dodgers, and Yankees.

Aaron Civale Could Interest Teams at a Cheap Price

A's veteran starter Aaron Civale could also join trade discussions in the next few weeks. Civale missed some time with an injury, but was really solid before hitting the IL. Civale was DFA'd on Wednesday and can be acquired by any team in the next seven days.

While his 5.42 ERA is very unimpressive, he's shown flashes of being a mid-rotation starter and had a lot of success in the bullpen last season. While the A's would likely not gain a huge return for Civale, he could have a bit of trade value.

It's worth noting that Civale is set to enter free agency after this season, as he only signed a 1-year $6 million contract with the A's this past offseason.

Whether or not the A's decide to become buyers or sellers at the trade deadline could have a lot to do with how the team plays these next couple of series. If the team continues to struggle and does not give management a reason to buy, they could sell off some of these impending free agents to add to their farm system.