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Dodgers Rumors: MLB Teams Still Looking to Trade Late Into Offseason

The effervescent Ken Rosenthal released an article today detailing which “teams [are] talking trades later than usual this offseason.” On that list were some teams that you might recognize as engaging in some discussions with the Los Angeles Dodgers. For instance, the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox.

But they weren’t alone. The Dodgers were also on that list by Rosenthal thanks in large part to their ongoing trade talks with several teams throughout the league for some of their outfield talent. The Dodgers have too many outfielders, and trading one would free up some of that gluttony.




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From Ken Rosenthal at FOX Sports dot com:

Ethier, who will play this season at 34, also gains full no-trade rights on April 21, seemingly adding to the team’s urgency. Problem is, Ethier was one of the Dodgers’ best hitters in the second half of last season.

That’s the Catch-22 with all of this trade chatter. The Dodgers might need Ethier’s services for the upcoming season, even at the risk of him gaining his 10-and-5 rights on April 21st if he’s still on the roster. It’s a grim reality, but a reality nonetheless.

Ethier was highly valuable towards the latter half of 2015, and the Dodgers need to come to a decision soon about whether or not they think he can replicate that 2015 or if he’s just dead money at this point. The team is willing to eat some of the salary, but teams who are interested in him have a slight problem.

Some potential suitors also are concerned about Ethier’s $17.5 million vesting option for 2018. The option will vest if Ethier reaches 550 plate appearances in 2017 or 1,100 plate appearances combined in ’16-17.

That definitely seems fair for them to be concerned about. Ethier’s averaging 413 plate appearances per season over the last two years, but the team who takes him on might play him more. And that’s the crux of the issue. While the Dodgers can pay some of his remaining tab, not all teams are going to want him.

As the offseason continues to slowly unfold, the team will have a decision to make soon. It sounds like they want to trade Alex Guerrero first, but if a suitor comes calling with a respectable offer for Ethier, the team might have to just jump all over it.

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13 Comments

  1. Come one, come all ! All you other GM’s offer all your broken down, cheap washed up players to the Dodgers and Firedman and Farty will scoop ’em up!!

  2. blue0622  He was being platooned a lot in the first half. He took off when the injury’s oiled up and he was playing most of the time…he played more after the all star break.

  3. We need him. We have a potential disaster in the outfield and no one to pick up the slack especially in left and center field. We are gambling on joc and CC and that is very dangerous situation to be in. Behind eithier we have platoon players. We are in exactly the same situation as last year and probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs without him.

  4. nodrog60  There are 8 guys on the MLB roster listed as OF’s. With Hernandez listed as an OF, but basically the super sub. Guererro is listed as an OF too, but he is really not in the loop. So that leaves 6. Puig, Pederson, Ethier, Crawford, Thompson, and SVS. Thompson and Joc are mainly CF…..Ethier and Puig are RF. SVS and Crawford are best in LF. SVS is Gonzo’s RH backup at first. Now they will probably carry 5. Ethier becoming a 10-5 guy is huge for this front office because when he does that on 21 April, he will be able to veto any trade. That hamstrings the FO from making adjustments mid season. He has more trade value and interest than Crawford. CC when he stays healthy is a catalyst type of player. And contrary to what a lot of fans think, he has played over 100 games with the Dodgers twice in 3 seasons. Puig and Joc definitely need to up their game as it were, but I think we need to see how they respond to the new coaches. Guererro for all practical purposes is gone. He is actively being shopped. Thompson showed skills with the Sox, and is a pretty good defender. And remember this, OF’s are easy to find at the trade deadline, and at the end of spring.

  5. Michael I think you just said what I said only it took way more words. Nobody in their right minds would want to fall back on a outfield of CC, SVS  and thompson if worse comes to worse (in injuries, joc in the minors etc). Even last year’s Puig is OK by me but there could be 2 very big holes beside him. By the way I’m not a ethier fan but he may be the best of the bad.

  6. I will be brief here;  Ethier was the most productive OF for Dodgers in 2015 in light of the fact that Puig, Pederson, and Van slyke all had their problems last year. Once and for all the OF the Dodgers MUST MOVE no matter what it takes is that broken down aging piece of glass known as Carl Crawford. He has been injury prone ince Dodgers took him on in 2012 in order to get Adrian Gonzalez, and is the oldest OF on the roster, and is limited to LF and has a noodle arm.  Enough said!

  7. pauldodgerfan1965  I will be brief too. Crawford is untradeable. His contract and the fact that he has not been healthy for a full season in 5 years make him untradeable. Ethier has value, he will be 34 this season. He also becomes a 10-5 guy in April, and they do not want him to have the ability to veto a trade.

  8. Michael Norris pauldodgerfan1965
    Dodgers spent close to $ 90 million for players to be elsewhere last year so dumping CC and his salary would not hurt them much.  CC is still the oldest and least valuable of all OF candidates and is a wasted roster spot.

  9. pauldodgerfan1965 Michael Norris  I repeat, they are NOT going to EAT 41 million dollars. To think they would is ludicrous. Now they might dump Guererro or someone like that, but there is no way they eat both years of Crawford’s contract, weather they are able to or not….

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