The New York Yankees were unwilling to send shortstop prospects Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza to the Oakland Athletics in a deal for All-Star first baseman Matt Olson before the lockout, sources told Andy Martino of SNY.
New York was also reportedly not keen on signing a star shortstop to a long-term contract early in the offseason because it preferred to wait for Volpe and Peraza to be major-league ready. The former is considered the 15th-best prospect in baseball by MLB.com, while the latter is ranked No. 58.
The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in Olson since the Athletics reportedly put him on the trade block in early November to slash payroll.
Olson hit 39 home runs with 111 RBIs and a .911 OPS in 156 games last season. The 27-year-old is also a two-time Gold Glove winner and is projected to make around $12 million through arbitration in 2022. He isn't eligible to test free agency until 2024.
The Yankees are currently projected to start Luke Voit at first base.
