The Philadelphia Athletics said goodbye to one of the most iconic players in franchise history today in hopes that they also are saying hello to his immediate heir apparent.

Completing a blockbuster deal, Athletics GM Matt Veasey sent longtime starting third baseman Anthony Rendon along with powerful third base prospect Josh Jung and the third overall pick in this coming summer's WFBL Minors Draft to the Alabama Farmers.

In exchange, the Athletics receive 24-year-old third baseman Alec Bohm. The second-year big-leaguer was the seventh overall pick by the Farmers in the 2018 WFBL Minors Draft. The A's will also receive Alabama's second pick in next year's 2022 WFBL Majors Draft.

Rendon was the Athletics first round Minors Draft pick all the way back in 2009. Traded away to Boston in 2013, he was re-acquired in a June 2014 deal. Rendon has been the Athletics starting third baseman ever since.

In 2008, Rendon caught fire in the postseason and was named as the Most Valuable Player for the A's WFBL championship run. He leaves with 742 hits, fifth on the club's all-time list. Rendon is also sixth in runs scored and RBIs, and is seventh on the all-time Athletics home run list.

Currently on the Injured List due to a groin issue that is expected to keep him unavailable for another week or so, Rendon and Jung will become in Alabama what they were expected to be here in Philly - the present and future at the hot corner.

In Bohm, the Athletics are hoping they have a worthy successor to Rendon. "We've pursued Alec for awhile now," said Veasey after the deal was announced. "I knew it would require surrendering Anthony and a top third base prospect. It just required working out the particulars and hoping that Jeff (Alabama GM Crisler) would be willing to pull the trigger."

With the trade, there is no expectation that the Athletics are punting the present for the future. Just as with the deal sending Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda to Spokane for Nate Pearson, the A's believe they can continue to compete for a 2021 pennant and championship while also better positioning them for long-term success beyond the next year or two.