Last month it was reported the Los Angeles Dodgers were focused on starting pitching, a bat and their bullpen ahead of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. Since that point the bulk of trade rumors have tied the club to starting pitchers.
Included in that was Los Angeles reportedly being among the teams to inquire on Tampa Bay Rays starters, which included scouting Chris Archer in his recent outing. There’s an additional layer to a potential trade between the two clubs with Andrew Friedman now in Los Angeles after ushering Tampa Bay to previously unreached heights.
A Rays official recently said he didn’t believe Friedman’s history with the organization was a benefit or deterrent to a possible trade with the Dodgers. That bridge was crossed in some regard when Friedman acquired Adam Liberatore and Joel Peralta soon after taking the helm in the Dodgers’ front office.
Another deal may be brewing as the Dodgers and Rays are said to be engaged in trade talks, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com:
The Dodgers and Rays are engaged in trade discussions, sources say, and that is not surprising: Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, was the Rays’ general manager for nearly a decade. He was fond of many Tampa Bay players at the time he acquired them. Presumably, he remains fond of them now.
Morosi added it doesn’t appear Evan Longoria is part of those talks at this time:
Based on information from sources over the past several days, I believe there’s a low probability of the Dodgers acquiring Longoria before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline.
But we can’t rule out the possibility of Longoria returning to his native Southern California — perhaps as early as this offseason.
Given that, the focus of talks between the Dodgers and Rays figures to center around starting pitchers and the versatile Logan Forsythe:
So, we can expect the Dodgers and Rays to continue talking — about Tampa Bay’s pitchers and Logan Forsythe, an underrated player who can play the infield and outfield. In all likelihood, the discussion of Longoria will be more worthwhile in November.
The Dodgers previously elected against acquiring a third baseman — Todd Frazier — instead putting their faith in Justin Turner. After a slow start to the season, Turner has rounded into the form he displayed in 2014 and 2015.
Where Longoria provides a difference is in stability beyond this season. Whereas Turner is eligible for free agency after 2016, the 30-year-old Longoria is under contract for six more years. He was selected third overall out of Cal State Long Beach by the Rays in the 2006 draft.
One solution could be moving Turner to second base where he would take over for Chase Utley, who is also set to become a free agent after 2016. Meanwhile, Forsythe is having another productive season for Tampa Bay and brings with him the versatility that the Dodgers have attempted to stock their roster with.
