LA Dodgers Trade Rumors: Is Yasiel Puig Off Limits In Trade Talks?
LA Dodgers trade rumors now directly address the Yasiel Puig situation. Even though prior Dodgers rumors had indicated the team might be willing to part with the All-Star outfielder, some interesting news has been revealed in a report from CBS Sports. MLB analyst Jon Heyman states that the front office in Los Angeles has told Puig that he will not be dealt before the July 31 MLB trade deadline.
This news ends a lot of speculation that the Dodgers may have seen Puig as a piece that could be used in exchange for another starting pitcher. Typically with news about a team and its players, some wiggle room is given in case the front office changes its mind, but assuring Puig he won’t be dealt seems to set this one in stone. The team obviously feels that Puig hasn’t yet reached his full potential and that dealing him now would be a mistake.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, starting pitchers Johnny Cueto of the Cincinnati Reds and Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies have been at the forefront of LA Dodgers trade rumors. Both Cueto and Hamels are expected to be dealt before the deadline, and it simply comes down to which contender is going to offer the best package of players for them. It was reported by ESPN on Saturday (July 25) that a deal between the Reds and Kansas City Royals had almost taken place until one of the pieces failed a physical.
With the decision to keep Yasiel Puig around, the Dodgers might still need to figure out how to deal one of the current outfielders. The team also has Joc Pederson, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, and Scott Van Slyke vying for playing time. All five outfielders deserve a starting spot on a team, but it might not end up being the Dodgers for all of them. It is expected that a trade involving at least one of them is going to happen soon, with the most likely candidates to leave Los Angeles being Crawford or Ethier now.
Holding on to Puig also means that the Dodgers might have to give up a top prospect in order to get a deal done for an ace starting pitcher. That means Corey Seager or Julio Urias could be on the block, even though the front office has been rebuking offers for them. Without dealing one of them, it is unlikely that future LA Dodgers trade rumors are going to lead to the acquisition of a pitcher like Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels, David Price. Fans might want to expect someone from a lower tier coming to Los Angeles instead.
[Image Source: Jeff Gross/Getty Images]
