Dodgers Rumors: Puig Not On Trade Block; Ethier Is

There’s been a lot of news made lately about the Los Angeles Dodgers trading either Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford. There was also news late last season, and even in the early stages of the offseason this season, about the team possibly moving Yasiel Puig.

If you are to believe the reports coming out on Twitter, then the Dodgers are not at all interested in trading for Puig. In fact, the team is telling other organizations that the talented right fielder is not even even available in trade talks.

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From Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) of USA Today:

Teams that inquire about Yaisel Puig_and not Ethier_are being told by the #Dodgers that he is not available, at least not now.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 4, 2016

As fantastic as that news is, Nightengale didn’t stop there. He put out this tweet a couple hours before that:

The #Whitesox still would like offensive upgrade, and the #Dodgers would love to move Andre Ethier, but no signs of potential match.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 4, 2016

So, that’s very interesting. Nightengale suggests that the Dodgers do not want to deal Yasiel Puig, but “would love to move” Andre Ethier. And it makes sense since Ethier’s 10-and-5 rights are going to kick in sometime around April 21st. After all, there is a potential deadline with moving Ethier.

There’s obviously no word on what the Dodgers could fetch in an Ethier trade, but if Nightengale’s report is right and the White Sox and Dodgers have no signs of a “potential match”, then it could be harder for Los Angeles to find a trade partner for the left-handed hitting outfielder.

Maybe a match with the Los Angeles Angels or Cleveland Indians could be in the cards, but that’d be just pure speculation at this point. As of now, the team looks content with holding onto Puig while fielding calls for Ethier, and that makes total sense.

Ethier is coming off of a 2015 where he OPS’d .852 and hit 14 home runs in 445 plate appearances. Teams who need a left fielder should be looking into him. Ethier has two more guaranteed years left on his deal for a grand total of $35.5 million, as well as a 2018 player option for $17.5 million ($2.5 million buyout), so the Dodgers might have to eat some money if they move him.

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