The Los Angeles Dodgers front office figures to be busy this offseason as they look to build off a 2016 season in which they were two wins away from reaching the World Series for the first time since 1988.
That was in spite of the Dodgers placing a Major League record 28 different players on the disabled list throughout the course of the season. Atop the Dodgers priorities this offseason is addressing the closer and third base positions, as Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner are both free agents.
Re-signing both players is of course the ideal scenario, but it’s also easier said than done. Unlike the scenario with Jansen and available closers, there aren’t viable free-agent options at third base beyond Turner.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently said the club is respecting the fact that Jansen and Turner are both going through free agency for the first time in their respective careers.
Los Angeles reportedly discussed a trade with the Chicago White Sox for Todd Frazier and Chris Sale.
But according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, the Dodgers are said to prefer re-signing Turner as opposed to trading for Frazier:
The Dodgers would be interested in Frazier as a fallback should they not sign their own star free-agent third baseman Justin Turner, whom they prefer.
Preferring to re-sign Turner certainly makes sense as it would not require to part with any players/prospects in a trade. Additionally, Turner had another strong year in 2016, batting .275/.339/.493 with 34 doubles, 27 home runs, 90 RBIs and a 124 OPS+ over 151 games.
Frazier had a bit of a down year as far as average goes, batting just .225/.302/.464, but he did have a career-high 40 home runs, 98 RBI and a 109 OPS+ in 158 games. Frazier is eligible for salary arbitration the next two seasons before becoming a free agent after the 2018 season.
Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said the club would explore trade options in the event Turner was not re-signed. Along with Frazier, another speculated option is Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria.
Last December, the Dodgers passed on acquiring Frazier as part of a three-team trade involving the Cincinnati Reds and White Sox, because of confidence in Turner.
