It makes sense for a depleted, cheap organization to trade him. Does anyone see the As competing in the next 3 years? The closer that Oakland gets to the end of that control, the more difficult it will be to get value for him. And we all know there is 0% chance they are able to extend him, so that 5 years of control is really more like 3 because they'll be compelled to trade him before his higher arbitration figures kick in, because they're not going to want to have a reliever count for 1/5th of their entire payroll. Are they anywhere close to being a contender? Will they be in 4 years? If a star player isn't helping you reach the postseason, or fill the stands, or really be monetized in any way, then in a practical sense what good is he to you? And you're always playing a dangerous game with these max-effort pitchers, if he needs TJ in another year then that value takes a huge hit. They're going to hope that he stays healthy, they can stretch him out and he gains value as the years go on, and that's far from a certainty. There are always tradeoffs and risks, and there are legitimate reasons why the As should consider a trade if a return package better suits their timeline.