Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The trade deadline is in a week. We’ve already looked at the starting pitchers whom might interest the Dodgers, so let’s move onto position players.
For a team with the quintet of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith, one would think offense wouldn’t be an issue. But injuries have hit the Dodgers particularly hard — Betts is currently on the injured list and isn’t expected back for another 4-6 weeks — which could lead to them making a move. Max Muncy‘s slower-than-expected recovery from an oblique injury has hampered the bottom-half of the Dodgers’ lineup. Well, that and the under-performance of a lot of guys and relying on non-premiere rookies to step in.
The thing is, the Dodgers don’t have a ton of openings as currently constructed. If they’re counting on Betts and Muncy returning, that’s two of the three non-first base infield spots spoken for. So, you’re either looking at a middle infielder who has to be better than a Gavin Lux–Miguel Rojas–Chris Taylor hydra or an outfielder who is a substantial upgrade over the likes of Jason Heyward, Andy Pages and Miguel Vargas.
I’ve already touched on Randy Arozarena and Bo Bichette — both of whom would fulfill the criterion listed above (at least, that’d be the hope) — though at this rate Arozarena seems much more likely to be dealt due to Bichette’s lingering calf injury.
Let’s take a look at some names.
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CF/2B Jazz Chisholm Jr., Marlins
The Dodgers haven’t been connected to the 26-year-old, but he could help fill a need at second base or center field. His batted ball metrics don’t much align with what the Dodgers usually look for in a hitter. He has a lot of blue in his Statcast ledger, as his average exit velocity is 88.8 MPH, down from 90.3 last season. He struggles a bit against left-handed pitching as well. He’s also not good enough, defensively, in center field to justify giving up what it’d take to get him, as his price is sure to be higher than the value he provides. There’s also likely another reason the Dodgers haven’t been connected to him…
SS Paul DeJong, White Sox; IF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Blue Jays
DeJong’s 17 home runs are nice, especially from the shortstop position. What isn’t nice is his sub-.300 OBP, -8 DRS and ugly 3.8 BB% against a 31.8 K%. The power is about the only thing he does better than Rojas. Still, I could see him being a throw-in on a bigger deal with the White Sox, should the Dodgers not be able to land another infielder ahead of the deadline.
Kiner-Falefa, on the other hand, it enjoying a career-best offensive season. He’s hitting .292/.338/.420 with a 117 wRC+. He’s not benefiting from an abnormal BABIP and is even walking at a career-low rate. He has reduced his strikeouts (13.2%) while increasing his power output (.128 ISO). He’s doing that while being a slightly above-average defender at shortstop. His 85.1 MPH average exit velo is a bit scary, but the Dodgers could do worse when it comes to infielders.
OF Tommy Pham, White Sox
Everyone’s favorite! The Dodgers have been linked to Pham a number of times over the last couple years, yet they’ve still never pulled the trigger on him. He’s hitting just .269/.338/.386 with a 107 wRC+. His power has been sapped a bit and he’s almost more of a liability on defense than he’d be worth, offensively. Honestly, I’d just give the playing time to Vargas and Heyward, or see if Taylor can figure it out.
CF Luis Robert Jr., White Sox
The biggest prize when it comes to position players at the deadline, Robert is an enigmatic player. He has all the talent it the world and is coming off a 2023 season that saw him hit 38 home runs and steal 20 bases. He’s the type of power-speed guy the Dodgers have in Ohtani. He consistently barrels the ball and, even without top-tier exit velo numbers, produces — when healthy. And that’s the thing with Robert. Health has always been the issue. He played 145 games last season. His previous best was 95 games. He did play 56 of 60 game sin the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but even this season, he has played in just 47 of the White Sox’s 102 games. His 33.7 K% is a bit alarming, but you can’t teach the .243 ISO that comes along with it.
And while he won’t be mistaken for prime Jim Edmonds in center field, he’s plenty good enough to handle the position. He’s under team control through the 2027 season with two $20 million team options the next two offseasons. At best, you’re getting nearly 3 1/2 years of Robert for the $62.7 million (roughly $7.7 million he’s owed for the remainder of the year, $15 million in 2025 plus the two option years). At just 26 years old, the talent is intriguing enough that I wouldn’t be upset if the Dodgers gambled on it (plus maybe Garrett Crochet?).
OF Brent Rooker, Athletics
We looked at Rooker last year, and he’s only gotten better since then. He’s hitting .290/.368/.571 with a 165 wRC+. He does strike out his fare share (31.9%), but he also draws walks (10.9%) and hits dingers (22). If you look at his Statcast ledger, well, you can see why all teams (not just the Dodgers) would have interest in him.
He’s only played 102 1/3 innings in the field this season, so sticking him in left field would probably be the play (with Hernandez manning right field). He’s not a free agent until after the 2027 season, so the Oakland (West Sacramento? Las Vegas?) Athletics may not be super eager to move him. But for the right price, he’d be gone.
OF Seiya Suzuki, Cubs
This is an interesting candidate. Suzuki, 30 next month, signed a 5-year, $85 million deal with the Cubs Before the 2022 season. He has been a solid performer in all three MLB seasons thus far, compiling a career .272/.344/.462 batting line with a 122 wRC+.
With the Cubs struggling and looking to retool (but not rebuild), they could look to move off Suzuki’s remaining $12.9 million this season and $38 million in 2025-26 to free up some cash to do some things in the free agent market next winter. He has red all over his Statcast profile, including 93rd percentile exit velo (92.4 MPH) and 90th percentile HardHit% (49.5). He’s traded in some of his line drives and ground balls for fly balls this season, with similar overall results. It’d be interesting to see what the Dodgers’ brass would tinker with (if anything) to unlock more of his potential. He’s mainly a right fielder who could play left without much issue. He’s a bit of a darkhorse trade candidate. He’d also be a nice insurance policy against Hernandez leaving after the season.
OF/3B Matt Vierling, Tigers
Vierling, 27, could be a bit of a late-bloomer after showing some potential in 2022 with the Phillies. He’s a versatile defender (can play all three outfield spots, as well as third base and probably even some second base) and he’s improving his batted-ball data. He doesn’t walk a lot (4.6%) has some swing-and-miss in his bat (23.8%), but he’s in the 71st percentile in exit velo (90.5 MPH) and actually doesn’t chase a ton (84th percentile). Getting him in the Dodgers’ lab could help him unlock the potential that is present. He’s going to be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, so the Tigers absolutely don’t have to trade him. Then again, they don’t have to trade Tarik Skubal, and they’re at least listening on him. So, who knows.
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Like with the starting pitchers, this is how I’d rank them in terms of being a realistic acquisition (considering the Dodgers’ needs), not what I would do:
- Kiner-Falefa
- Pham
- DeJong
- Robert
- Suzuki
- Rooker
- Vierling
- Chisholm
I could see Kiner-Falefa being a solo acquisition, but I don’t think DeJong and Pham (either solo or together) would totally be in the Dodgers’ plans (i.e., they’d come as part of a bigger deal). If it were up to be, my Top 3 would be Robert, Suzuki and Rooker. Robert’s potential is out of this world, Suzuki’s present numbers are strong and the best of Rooker could still be on the way.
The Dodgers are going to add at least one bat before the deadline. We’ll see if it’s one of these guys above — either in a package or solo — or someone else entirely. We’re a week away from knowing.
