While the Los Angeles Dodgers battled through and ended respective six-game losing streak, memories of their poor offensive showing during the skid linger on. The fact that their win to end the losing streak came on a Clayton Kershaw RBI single and complete-game shutout effort, doesn’t help matters.
The Dodgers did score 10 runs on 13 hits in their series-opening win against the Tampa Bays Rays on Tuesday, and bounced back with five more runs on Wednesday, albeit in a loss. Adrian Gonzalez and Howie Kendrick began to show some signs of breaking out of their respective slumps, which would certainly be welcomed.
The Dodgers currently rank 19th in Major League Baseball with a .241 team batting average, 21st with a .690 on-base plus slugging percentage, and 20th with a 93 wRC+ (excluding pitchers).
If the Dodgers at some point decided to pursuit another bat, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has them on his list of teams approved to trade for him, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
Teams that can trade for Braun freely have changed; I had wrong list yesterday. List now is LAA, LAD, MIA, AZ, SD, SF. Can block other 23.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 1, 2016
Trading for Braun would of course come under the assumption the Dodgers are able to package one or two of the outfielders currently on their roster. In 24 games this season, Braun is batting .372/.443/.605 with five doubles, five home runs and 21 RBIs.
Braun of course has some history with the Dodgers and their fans as he was named the 2011 National League MVP ahead of Matt Kemp. The Brewers slugger later came under fire when he was suspended in 2013 after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, and admitted to using PEDs during his MVP season.
Braun is owed $76 million over the next four seasons, not includding a fifth year, which is either a $15 million mutual option or a $4 million buyout.
