Los Angeles Dodgers Trade Rumors: Team Approaches Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers About New 2B
Los Angeles Dodgers trade rumors have the team scouring the league for a new second baseman. The Dodgers have contacted the Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays, and even the Philadelphia Phillies about working on a deal. A report by MLB analyst Ken Rosenthal states that the team is casting a wide net and doesn’t want to simply settle on the trade offers that have been made. This may be a strategy to show other franchises that the Dodgers aren’t going to settle on just any deal to acquire a new second baseman.
There have been quite a few Los Angeles Dodgers trade rumors since the MLB offseason began, with most of them focusing on adding a big name to the roster. The Dodgers have had extensive negotiations with the Minnesota Twins about Brian Dozier and the Detroit Tigers about Ian Kinsler, but the pursuit hasn’t ended with those two teams. The Dodgers contacted the Tampa Bay Rays about Logan Forsythe, the Philadelphia Phillies about Cesar Hernandez, the Texas Rangers about Jurickson Profar, and the Washington Nationals about Wilmer Difo.
No deal appears to be imminent, but Rosenthal reports that if the team cannot make a big splash on the trade market, it could lead to the Dodgers turning back to Chase Utley. The problem there is that the Dodgers want a right-handed hitter at second base, which is why the team has been targeting these specific players. Even if the front office decides to pencil in Utley for the 2017 MLB season, fans of the Dodgers should expect the team to make another move. The only question will be how good the prospects are that the team is willing to sacrifice.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Dodgers offered pitching prospect Jose De Leon to the Twins for Brian Dozier. The Twins balked at the idea of doing a simple one-for-one deal and it was assumed that the team wanted another top tier prospect in order to complete the trade. Cody Bellinger, Yadier Alvarez, and Walker Buehler have been mentioned as additional players the Twins would like to receive in a deal for Dozier, but the Dodgers have stalled those negotiations for the time being.
The Twins are pushing hard to deal Dozier before Spring Training begins and the Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t the only possible destination getting mentioned in MLB trade rumors. If the Dodgers aren’t careful in this situation, Brian Dozier could wind up with another team before they have a chance to react. Losing out on the bidding war for Dozier might help the bottom line in Los Angeles, though, as the team is going to be paying some hefty luxury-tax penalties if any additional salary is added for the 2017 MLB season.
The Detroit Tigers would certainly part ways with Ian Kinsler for the right price, as the front office is trying to cut costs. Dealing Kinsler would be an admission that the team is heading into a rebuilding phase, though, so the Los Angeles Dodgers would have to offer the team a good package of players. It could certainly set off a chain reaction of events, as dealing Kinsler could lead to Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera getting dealt next. That would certainly lead to some interesting MLB trade rumors, as Cabrera is still a great hitter who could help a contender.
The Tampa Bay Rays are already looking at a rebuilding process, with chatter that the team could deal starting pitcher Chris Archer at some point in the near future. This could mean that Logan Forsythe is also available at the right price, but that the Dodgers may not have met it yet. While the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to look around the league for a trading partner, the road might just lead back to the Minnesota Twins, as Brian Dozier is available and ready to take his home run hitting abilities to a new city.
[Featured Image by Dave Reginek/Getty Images]
