The Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians have been connected on a potential trade that would send four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the West Coast for much of the offseason.
The Dodgers have made it a priority to add top-tier talent to their organization this winter, but after failing to sign big-name free agents Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon, they are now forced to look to the trade market if they want to get that done.
Lindor is a switch-hitter with two years remaining of club control, making him a perfect fit for a Dodgers organization that has the desire of competing for a World Series now and in the future. The Indians don’t have to deal the face of their franchise this offseason though, meaning they could be very particular with what they want in return.
From the Dodgers’ farm system, that seems to be top prospect Gavin Lux, who L.A. has been hesitant to part with to this point. It seems that is still the case and talks between the two teams have stalled because of it, via Jon Morosi of MLB.com:
But as the New Year begins, sources say discussions between the Dodgers and Indians remain in roughly the same place they’ve been throughout the offseason: The Indians want infielder Gavin Lux to be part of the Lindor trade, and the Dodgers have refused to include him in any offer for Lindor alone.
If the Dodgers are unwilling to include Lux, then it doesn’t seem that Lindor will be suiting up and playing shortstop for them this season. That could change if one of the Indians starting pitchers, such as Mike Clevinger, is on the table as well though, and the two sides have reportedly had discussions about that.
That presumably would come at a significant cost, of course, but adding players like Lindor and Clevinger would represent the upgrades it could take to get the Dodgers back to the World Series in 2020 and beyond.
In addition to the Indians, other clubs are believed to have inquired on Lux as well. He was recently identified as the Dodgers’ most coveted prospect this offseason.
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