With the top free agents having long signed new contracts, the only opportunity for the Los Angeles Dodgers to add an elite player to their roster lies on the trade market.
The Dodgers are among the teams that have been connected to Mookie Betts and Francisco Lindor. The Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians are both believed to be open to trading their respective face of the franchise due to financial implications.
However, the Red Sox and Indians have also maintained a trade before Opening Day of the 2020 season is not a necessity. Nonetheless, Boston reportedly is mulling over trade offers from the Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
Despite prior indications David Price would be packaged with Betts, it’s not a certainty the veteran left-hander has been part of recent talks, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic
Price is not believed to be part of the Red Sox’s discussions with either the Padres or Dodgers.
Price has three years and $96 million remaining on his deal. It was previously reported the Red Sox were seeking elite prospects and for a team to essentially take on all of Price’s contract in order to trade for Betts.
The 34-year-old is coming off a down season in which he only managed to make 22 starts and posted a 4.28 ERA that was his highest since 2009. If Price is able to get closer to his 2018 form, adding him to the rotation would be a boost for the Dodgers.
Price brings with him a wealth of experience and would minimize how much L.A. currently is forecasted to rely on the likes of Alex Wood, Ross Stripling, Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May.
But what the Dodgers may lack in star power in their rotation, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman believes in strength by numbers. “I feel really good about the depth of our starters,” he said at Dodgers FanFest.
“We’re going to have some guys that don’t break with us as one of five that absolutely could make a case to be. I know that can be frustrating to some initially, but as has been our practice over the last four years, things have played out, things happen, and guys have gotten an opportunity.
“We’ll stress that and preach that, have good competition in Spring Training and kind of go into it with an open mind. But we do feel really good about the number of guys that we have and how talented they are.”
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