Dodgers: If No Lux in Francisco Lindor Trade, Dustin May Could be Next in Line
If you heard (or believe) the most recent chatter on the Francisco Lindor trade saga, then it appears we could be in the 11th hour of the Cleveland Indians’ decision on the All-Star’s future. On Friday Ken Rosenthal reported that the club would be accepting final offers for Lindor and reviewing them over the weekend.
Of course, the Dodgers have reportedly been heavily involved in trade conversations with Cleveland seemingly all off-season. It is also pretty well known that Los Angeles has a strong preference to hold on to its number one prospect Gavin Lux.
https://twitter.com/DMAC_LA/status/1209032484567928833
As the Dodgers look to potentially add not only Francisco Lindor but also starting pitcher Mike Clevinger, the understanding is that Cleveland would undoubtedly ask for a big haul in return. Now Pedro Moura — Dodgers reporter for The Athletic — adds his 2 cents while holding a recent Q&A on the site.
Moura was asked his thoughts on a good trade package from Los Angeles in a trade where Lux is “untouchable.”
[adace-ad id=”117991″]It would probably include Dustin May and another top-10 organizational prospect. Alternatively, the clubs could try to construct a deal that included Corey Seager.
In a world where Gavin Lux is “1a” untouchable, Dustin May is “1b” right beside him. “Big Red” is a live-arm righty much like Cleveland’s Clevinger. If the Dodgers’ chief need this off-season is pitching — their play on free agent Gerrit Cole says as much — it would be tough to imagine the club moving May in a deal for Lindor alone.
Moreover, on the Corey Seager front, if Cleveland’s chief off-season goal is to trim its payroll and maintain sustainability, swapping Lindor for Seager saves roughly $10M on the books for 2020, but it may be a tough sell to a fan base that just saw their two-time AL Cy Young award winner traded earlier this month.
While crazier things have happened, it seems highly unlikely that the Indians move the face of their franchise and another elite-level arm fully coming into his own without one or both of Lux and May in return.
NEXT: SportsLine Has Dodgers as Favorites to Land Lindor
I expected LA fans to have unrealistic expectations of trading for multiple star players without parting with top prospects in return. I didn’t expect the media to also live in the same dream world.
Meanwhile, Ryu just signed with Toronto, and Donaldson has four-year offers from the Nats & Twins. How’s your offseason looking now?
Difference with us is we do not HAVE to sign a big free agent. We won 106 last year with a down year from our top 2 relievers. Jansen will be better. Maybe not lights out better, but better. Kelly should be a bit better, too; but expect him to always zig zag. The trump card in our back pocket is our HUGE crop of solid, MLB ready prospects. We will roll the dice on a trade; or roll the dice and keep them. Either way we will be a really good team again.
Wayne I respect your opinion and you have every right to think as you do. But you actually think that the Dodgers can compete with the Yankees,Astros,Red Sox,Braves,Cardinals as of right now? Once again the Dodgers have just downgraded their starting rotation by losing their #2 starter and your going to replace him with 3 unproven rookies? Kershaw is another year older, Jansen is older with a heart problem, Kelly is a space case! Seager, Verdugo,Turner all fight injury issues, Pollock is a complete bust! Friedman downloaded Puig Kemp and Grandal and replaced them with Barnes,Smith and Pollock, and Verdugo. Friedman’s idea of subtraction= more subtraction of player production is dumbfounding! But his subtraction of money going from the talented players back into the pockets of the owners is SPECTACular!!
Here is my take. Lux is gong to be the real deal. Seager will be a notch better. You see what is going on? Turner + Muncy? And a full year of Smith. Pollock with no infection. And Verdugo back? Bellinger,. A tough lineup. And Pederson not mentioned or Taylor, etc. Then we have May. He has electric stuff. And Gonsolin looks like he will be a decent starter. What if we just cut them loose? That is where we have an advantage. If we do not sign anyone; or make a trade; we will still be favorites in the west
Is the dodger fan I still wanna stay realistic. Trading away Corey Seager for Lindor is silly. You’re comparing apples to oranges. The Dodgers are in it every year with Or without Lindor or Betts. Revenue is high the farm system is great and the dodger front office has made sure that the Dodgers are competitive for the next 10 years. Spending money does not guarantee World Series. Ask the Yankees. It wasn’t long ago that the Dodgers were in such a financial math due to ownership that vans could not stand a product put on the field. I surely don’t want to watch players that I’ve grown to like very much be traded away for a gamble, and for players that we might not be able to re-sign. Stay the course and dodger blue will prevail. I took my hat to the dodger organization for making smart move and giving us a chance every year to be in contention.
Forgot to say that Seaver will hit 320 or around that figure 30+hrs,100+rbis and if he moves to 3rd he wl win gold gloves so as a Baselball player Seaver is superior to lindor.
You keep mentioning “Seaver” and projecting some outstanding numbers for him. Wasn’t aware Tom Seaver could hit, particularly at his age.
The Dodgers should be stronger standing pat. Signing pitchers for long term contracts when you have young arms ready to be starters is not smart. Look at what happened with the Pollock signing! Now they have Verdugo as a legitimate starter with DJ Peters, Garlick and others pushing for playing time. Pollock may end up as a platoon player.
Urias, Stripling, May, Gonsolin, Santana, White, Gonzalez are all on the 40 man roster. Friedman has already stated Urias is in the rotation and that Stripling deserved a chance to start. Do the math.
If they have decided to leave Maeda as a starter then Kershaw, Buehler, Maeda, Urias and with Stripling, May or Gonsolin for starters is a very talented group. And cost controlled.
This team has no reason to trade for Seager for Lindor. Many of us fans have faith Seager will have a banner year as he has fully recovered from hip and arm surgery.
Keep in mind tmaxster that Roberts is still here so I am not sure with this current group you mentioned or a different group added would make any difference as far as October baseball is concerned.
I agree with tmaxster. I’d also like to see Joc get more playing time. He can’t hit lefties if he never sees any! I’m 70 years old and I’ve been a Dodgers fan since 1955, so I’m pretty much old-school. I never cottoned to the platoon system. I think a fella’s mind gets right when he knows he’ll be starting every day. I know all the metric stuff may say different, and I’m probably living in the past, but somehow it wouldn’t feel right to say, “That’s Duke Snyder. He used to play outfield for the Dodgers on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
Wayne You’re Not Only A True Fan But Also Something Of A Rarity As You Know Your Team And It’s Assets Beyond Just The Names Of The Stars Like These Other Imposterous Fools, Whom By The Way Are Just Haters Of The Dodgers.
Do You Recognize What They Try And Do? They give you a list of things to defend which aren’t even theirs as they’re just regurgitating everything they’ve heard somewhere else and when you do (which they didn’t expect) another comes with their line of questions to answer and defend but not one of these @** Clowns has bothered to put the team they’re a fan of up there to have to answer and defend their potential and existing shortcomings or holes….
Congratulations Wayne You’re Gold.
The Rest Of You Should Be Embarrassed And Ashamed Because You’re Nothing But Punk Haters, Need A Lesson In Manners And Should’ve Been Spending Your Time Getting To Know Your Own Teams Instead Of Waisting This Man’s Time.
???????????
Geez with Ryu gone, all the top tier starting pitching are gone, and the inactivity of the Dodgers so far this offseason, the Dodgers rotation is much weaker. By trading Dustin May for a batter isn’t going to help either. I don’t care if the Dodgers FO spent money in the past. They are surely being cheap the last couple of years so they better trade their top pitching prospect for another batter.
Well,May is younger and better than clevinger and Lidor’s inflated numbers would drop a lot playing in LA pitchers park,maybe he hits 275 or around that figure with 18 hrs 77 rbis different league while Seaver hasn’t hit his ceiling yet,They can keep Lindor and their average 5th pitcher.cause Kershaw,buhler,Urias,May and Gonsolin are all better than him.
To claim the May is better than Clevinger is a baseless statement. May has a lot of promise and potential, but has proven nothing at the Major League level. The Indians aren’t shopping Clevinger in the 1st place. It’s the Dodgers who came a knocking. Clevinger a star who’s entering his prime and May is a great looking and unproved prospect (and there’s been scores of those over a century who never lived up to the hype)
Here are the two stats the FO uses to make decisions: 3.8 million (tickets sold); $8-billion (TV deal) That’s it. The rest is just fluff for the fans to consume.
Well said. Agree with you 100%. Is amazing how some fans are watching the front office payroll savings as if this was a small market team going into bankruptcy
The eight billion is just the TV deal. That’s eight-thousand millions! Not including the marketing of merchandize, the MLB paying for their coverage, the Dodgers name, and billions of other dollars from other sources such as parking. Even if they blew the eight-billion overnight, they’d have an overflow of money.
In business, it is a very sneaky game. You have to look as though you are barely making it, for tax reasons. Behind Friedman is a giant business machine, who’s focus is on making money no matter what. We go to games and spend whatever it takes to have a good night, away from the stressors of life. Guggenheim is all about the dollars and cents. As long as the loser on the field does not equate to a loser in the pocketbook.
Just pull yourself away from the baseball aspect and it is very clear.
Years ago, my wife and I owned a small clothing company in downtown. How the style looked, we did not care. We made what the buyers wanted. It could be ugly, but it sold. That was the bottom-line.
The Odgers if they wanted a top pitcher missed the boat if free agency. Ryu signing with Toronto virtually makes it mandatory to keep May as the names of available pitchers do not exceed may’s upside. Starters now look like 3 virtual newbies if you add Urias to that bunch. There is always Maeda to return as a starter. Expendables in my judgment should not include Lux, May, Verdugo but should have Pollock at the top of the list. Not sure that Stripling would be missed either. Pitching overall has taken a hit with the loss of Ryu ( looks like the FO really did not want to re-sign)as the relief corp may or may not see improvement with a Jansen and Kelly rebound and a yet to be tested Treinen. If The Dodgers want a bat now maybe Betts is the best option as the Red Sox could be satiated with players not names Lux and May. I agree with several other comments that sticker with Seager is better than renting Lindor for such a short time to give up future stars to get
Guess I shouldn’t type missing reading glasses. Apologies for the several typos. Jim C
Both Lindor and Seager will be FA’s after the 2021 season. But what is hard to take is how much less Texas had to give up in order to get Kluber. Kluber would have cost Dodgers a lot more than what the Rangers had to give the Indians for him.
Reading these comments I always wonder if the people that are so Angry!! are that way in life. Hopefully not but they probably are.
The Dodgers won 106 games and could be stronger next year with Smith, Lux and Verdugo full time. Plus Urias replacing Ryu and a very competitive competition for the last starting spot.
Friedman already stated he would like to give Stripling a chance.
Trading Seager for Lindor looks to be apples for apples. When Seager is completely healthy he is as good or better than Lindor offensively. Seager is eventually moving to 3rd so not as concerned about his defense which is average.
I would not trade Lux and definitely not May as the Red headed phenom looks to be special. You do not trade a potential Buehler type pitcher for an almost even trade. Especially if they want two top prospects….
Stronger regular season maybe but likely similar playoff results in the end. Stripling should be dealt to a team that’s desperate for a starter. He’s so overrated by this team and fans and he always burns out mid season
Only issue with Seager is that didn’t he already say he is reluctant to move off of SS?
tmaster, the same people complain everyday. Their lives are apparently so miserable that they need a Dodgers’ championship so they can accept congratulations for someone else’s accomplishment. I have been a Dodger fan since 1968 and believe this is the best time ever to be following the team. You don’t make trades just to make trades. When it comes to drafting and developing players, the Friedman era Dodgers are as good as it gets. Other teams wish they had this kind of depth, especially in controllable starting pitching talent.
I don’t understand why all these posts keep saying slide Seager to 3rd. He may not want to play 3rd, or he may not be good at 3rd. Just saying.
They get that Dodger arrogance from the FO and ownership. He’s sloppy and awkward at short it wouldn’t be better at third having to deal with hot shots to the left and right of him
And you support your statements how? Your opinion? Unbelievable how people feel they can just throw any old thing out there. Defend it with substance or don’t say it.
Apparently you don’t have eyes or a brain
Wow, Roberts must be a super genius to win 106 games with such a lousy shortstop. Or do you have clueless criticisms of Doc as well?
Clueless? HA! Do you even watch? Apparently you haven’t seen his pitching moves in the playoffs. Some of the worst in history especially this year with our entire bullpen at our disposal but he goes with Kershaw and Kelly.
It matters not if the Dodgers trade Lux or Seager. May could be packaged with Pollock, but the cost for the latter would not be in the interest of the Indians. He is over-valued, which means the Dodgers got stuck again. I don’t see the Dodgers getting any significant player through the trading of players they consider worthy. i see the same old group again next year absent Ryu. Thank goodness they play in the weakest league and division in pro baseball.
Some people forget 106 wins. Hmmm
Good they can go do that again in 2020 and get bounced in the playoffs. Some people just keep thinking the same thing that’s failed for years is suddenly going to work.
The Dodgers nucleus is relatively young. We know that young players tend to get better with experience. The team won 106 games in 2019 and hasn’t lost anyone that can’t be replaced. This includes the oft-injured Ryu, who has logged 2,046 official innings as a professional when including his time in Korea. The Korean innings total of 1,269 doesn’t account for those he accumulated besides the official ones he tossed for Hanwha. There is a ton of mileage on that arm.
Lux and May are unproved prospects that are not guaranteed stardom. Seaver will never reach Lindor’s level. We held on to Petersen and Seager as untouchables for several years and they became good players but most likely will never reach superstar level. If the Dodgers are happy winning the west and making money they are on the right track. If they want to win in the minors, they are on the right track. If they want a World Series, stop playing with the kids and go after the studs. + 4 Million fans deserve it!!
LINOR IS MUCH BETTER THAN SEAGER .Talk all you want ,still need a strong starter, may is not a starter now. LUX IS NOT THE GREAT PLAYER THAT FUDMAN THINKS HE IS, LACKS MAJOR PLAYING TIME . RYU GONE ALONG WITH ALL REST GREAT PITCHERS AS FUDMAN LOOKS ON. AS LONG AS FUDMAN & ROBERTS IS THERE ,= NO W.S.
From your lips to God’s ears. What – you think because you type in caps that some how makes you correct? Sorry my friend, your presentation in writing – and I’m sure to hear you – leaves you with zero credibility and therefore your comments go where they belong – in the trash. Do you actually consider yourself a fan of the Dodgers?
So writing presentation is all that matters eh? What someone is actually saying means nothing i guess. Sorry bum but that was a poor attempt at a counter argument. There’s nothing you can say to refute facts
You don’t have to be so rude just because you don’t agree with him
A lot of Dodger fans seem to not realize how well Corey Seager stacks up when compared to Francisco Lindor. By the numbers:
Seager: .294/.362/.491
Lindor: .288/.347/.493
WAR
Seager: 17.8 in 489 games
Lindor: 28.6 in 717 games
Lindor’;s edge is in WAR, mainly because he has played in 228 more games than Seager. Even up the games and they are neck-and-neck. Lindor is a fine player, obviously. But Seager has just as good a chance at playing at an MVP level. Let’s not forget that Seager finished 3rd in the MVP voting as a rookie in 2016. Lindor’s highest finish is 5th in 2017.
I’ll take Lindor with the much superior defense and stronger mind for the playoffs. That’s what breaks the tie
Stronger mind in the playoffs? What does that even mean? He has had his up and downs in October like any player. For instance, that .111 against the Yankees in 2017. Seager is young and his best years are ahead of him. A 106-win team doesn’t need a major shakeup. And it would be foolish to part with Lux or May in any trade. Remember those people last spring who beat up Friedman for not trading “slap hitter” Verdugo for Kluber? Where are those people now? And how about the ones who criticized the “giveaway” trade with the Reds? The Dodgers netted two outstanding prospects that other teams are asking about. Cincinnati? All they have left is fringe player Kyle Farmer. Kemp is washed up, teams are leery of signing Wood, and no one seems to want the baggage that comes with Puig (who is looking for a one-year deal to rebuild his value). Fans were wrong. But do they post a year later and admit it? Nope. They just find other things to complain about, hoping that maybe one day they’ll be right just once.
Look at the series by series. Lindor had one bad series and some really impressive ones. Seager has had many bad ones and lots of poor at bats. His career fielding percentage is 10 points higher than Seagers. The stats you mentioned are similar enough and that’s when you have to look deeper. The eye test shows Seager is a choke artist and an inferior fielder.
I’d rather give up Lux than May, especially with Ryu gone, unless you get Clevinger in return.
Lindor AND Clevinger for May as the center piece (not Lux), have another drink! That ain’t happening. Lindor is Lindor for 2 years and Clevinger is a star with 3 years of club control and entering his prime. Just look at his stats. No way Antonetti would do that for both, let alone for just one of those players straight up.
Remember Pedro Martinez for Delino Deshields
For full disclosure, I’m and Indians fan. I haven’t followed Seager, so I don’t know as much about how he plays the game. Numbers are for baseball fantasy owners. Lindor makes everyone better. He knows when to steal the base. Take an extra base. Be aggressive, or play it safe. He knows how to play the game and plays a great short. He shows up everyday ready to play. You never have to worry about him in the clubhouse or community. Believe me, you want him and I don’t care about WAR or any other analytics based number. He will be in the HOF if he stays healthy. Can any of you say that about Seager, Lux, May or anybody else you wouldn’t trade for him?
Speed is something I forgot to mention with Lindor in response to the guy saying he is equal to or slightly inferior to Seager. Speed is huge for the reasons you mentioned and should be emphasized on a Dave Roberts led team assuming he’s even leading which we all know he’s just a puppet for the Sabre FO.
Yep. May has electric stuff. He got himself out of jams of his own making last year. A lot of similarities to Kershaw as a rookie. Wait and see. And Lux? Looks like a LH Kris Bryant at the plate. Good fielder too. Both showed high ceilings in limited time. My guess would be like others have said. Lindor would suffer offensively in Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers will never win a championship as long as Roberts is there. PERIOD
Guggenheim is the reason the FO is the way it is and subsequently the way Roberts is. The Dodgers will never win it all with Guggenheim. They are strictly about business and have no care for baseball or fans
My prediction is that our spring training roster will be exactly what it is today. A completely wasted off season.
Keep Smith, Muncy, Lux, Seager, Turner, Bellinger, Verdugo and Pollock – the only need is a right handed bat!
It is very easy for sport writers to criticize the Dodgers for not spending a third of a BILLION dollars of their money on any player that those writers think should be the next Dodger savior. That’s a lot of money! The Yankees spend that kind of money and they didn’t win the World Series. The Nationals won the series by beating the Astros, who did spend big money on acquisitions. The Nationals won even though they chose not to spend on Harper. A few years ago, the Dodgers were cheated out of their rings by the Astros illegal cameras.
The Dodger season was a hoot! I had such a good time following them. Won a 106 games and are built to win for many more years. In an age of purposeful losing by teams for better draft choices, the Dodgers have been consistently good. I appreciate that. No one has the right to criticize a winner for not spending a third of a billion dollars. And with the payroll that the Dodgers have, I wouldn’t call them tight.
I don’t understand Dodgers’ fascination with Lindor. Their biggest weakness is against Left Handed Pitching, because they don’t have enought Right Handed Batters. Lindor is a switch hitter, hitting .258 when batting Right Handed (against Left Handed Pitching). That SUCKS. The Yankees as a team is batting .273 against Left Handed Pitching. So the Dodgers plan is to trade Gavin Lux and Dustin May for a BELOW average hitter against Left Handed Pitching. Yep, that makes a lot of sense.
I’d rather give up Lux than May too. I believe Clevinger is the prize. I’m thinking give them a good young catcher in lieu of pitching. We take their 31 year old catcher to hold us over until Keibert Ruiz is ready. I’m thinking Gavin Lux, Will Smith, Zach McKinstry, Chris Taylor and Kenta Maeda for Francisco Lindor, Mike Clevinger and Robert Perez.
Make Russell Martin a starting pitcher so far no runs He can call his own game
None of this team has gotten us the WS so why not LINDOR give it a shot Maybe he won’t panic in the playoffs..And u can’t keep platoonin all the players. Please no Price Maybe Wood on a invitation could become golden. If it’s money you need I’ll throw in a thousand ?
lots of question Marks for the upcoming season. this is a cash rich team if they should have done one thing its outbid the Yankees for Cole but now they put themselves in a situation that will cost them controlled talent. I mean this Guggenheim Group made the best financial decision in Corporate History when they pulled off the purchase of this team. the stadium will be packed regardless of their actions this Off season. I can’t believe how many Fans are hot on us getting a hitter when its pitching that cost us last year ! do any of you remember how many come from behind wins our Offense produced last year ? Couple that with the Bonehead move Roberts made to Kershaw out of the pen and there goes your season. speaking of Kershaw that same offense bailed him out many times last year ? hope their up to the task 2020 that is if his back allows him to stay in the rotation.
I think Mark hit in on the head. Obviously the FO has made their choice and Roberts is going to be around for a while. This team, coached by Roberts does not need another bat. We have not lost the last few years due to a lack of offense. It’s been pitching. More so a lack of pitching due to overuse by Roberts. Keep Lux and May.
Lux becomes our next utility infielder. Give May the 5 spot in the rotation and see what the kid has. Let’s quit talking about potential and find out. This team as is should win another NL West. Let’s see if May is the next young pitcher to make is mark in the playoffs like Buehler or Welch.