Although the odds of completing a trade for either Mookie Betts or Francisco Lindor are considered slim, the Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be more focused on that front than in free agency.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts have both said the team is looking to add upper-echelon talent to the roster this offseason, which Betts and Lindor certainly represent.
So too does Nolan Arenado, but some within the Dodgers organization reportedly doubt the Colorado Rockies would be willing to entertain a trade. Much of the trade speculation involving the Dodgers has included moving Corey Seager.
He was said to have been floated to the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox, but both clubs would prefer to instead acquire Gavin Lux. But that’s not the case for the Cincinnati Reds, who covet Seager, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
The Dodgers always could trade Seager to a team such as the Reds, who have shown interest in him all offseason.
The Dodgers don’t face an immediate need to trade Seager as he remains under team control through the 2021 season. However, doing so would help alleviate somewhat of a logjam in their infield.
As it currently stands, Gavin Lux doesn’t have a clear position to play if he’s to be with the team on Opening Day. Presuming Max Muncy remains at first base, Lux could see time at second — where he’s proven to be capable of playing but is not his natural position.
Over recent seasons the Dodgers have shuffled Kiké Hernandez, Muncy and Chris Taylor at second base. When the Dodgers were interested in signing Anthony Rendon, it was with the likelihood of moving Justin Turner to first base and sliding Muncy over.
If Seager remained with the team under that scenario, Lux faced even more uncertainty. While speaking at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, Roberts acknowledged the Dodgers are considering having their top prospect spend time in the outfield.
Aside from Lux’s presence, the Dodgers’ apparent willingness to trade Seager is believed to also be rooted in some part by his aggressive approach at the plate not quite meshing with the overall team’s.
The two-time Silver Slugger had stretches where he hit well last season, but he again dealt with hamstring trouble. Though when healthy, Seager has proven to be one of the game’s better hitters.
The Dodgers and Reds of course have plenty of recent history on the trade front. Most recently in December 2018, when they sent Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Kyle Farmer, Alex Wood and cash considerations to the Cincinnati in exchange for Homer Bailey and prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs.
In April 2018, the Dodgers traded Zach Neal and Ibandel Isabel to the Reds for Ariel Hernandez. Scott Van Slyke and Hendrick Clementina were shipped to Cincinnati in exchange for Tony Cingrani at the trade deadline in 2017, which came two months after sending Darnell Sweeney to the Reds.
And in December 2015, there was the three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox and Reds, that saw the Dodgers receive Micah Johnson, Frankie Montas and Trayce Thompson.
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