The Los Angeles Dodgers could decide to lay low the rest of the offseason and still consider it a massive success. The additions of pitcher Edwin Diaz and outfielder Kyle Tucker have filled their two biggest needs.
However, the Dodgers are never truly done making moves. One area they might still want to upgrade is at second base. Tommy Edman is expected to be the starting second baseman, and he’s solid at that spot, but he can also play in the outfield.
There’s been talk that the Dodgers want to trade Teoscar Hernandez. If they do that, they can move Edman back into the outfield, but that would leave second base open.
The Dodgers could look to external options in that scenario. Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner could be on the trade block, as he’s entering a contract year. The two-time Golden Glove Award winner hit .297 at the plate last season. He’s a player who could upgrade the defense, while also being a dependable bat.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report pitched a trade that would have the Dodgers trade outfielder Mike Sirota to the Cubs for Hoerner in an even swap.
“It’s probably a bit of an overpay by the Dodgers—but what isn’t? And if they can get a year of Hoerner without giving up any of their top three outfield prospects, they probably leap at the opportunity. They traded Gavin Lux for Sirota last January and just might move him again,” Miller wrote.
Sirota Is Top 100 Prospect
Sirota could be a player to watch this season. He’s only 22 and has shown some big-time potential. He landed at No. 60 on the MLB’s top 100 prospects list.
“Sirota, 22, was ranked No. 60. Part of the return from the Reds in last winter’s Gavin Lux trade, Sirota opened eyes in his professional debut, slashing .333/.452/.616 with 13 homers, 16 doubles and 54 RBIs. A right knee injury limited him to 59 games, but in that limited sample, he showed why the Dodgers had been keen on him,” Sonja Chen wrote.
The Dodgers have better prospects, but Sirota has been rising since getting traded to Los Angeles.
Dodgers Are Destination Spot
The Dodgers have clearly become the most appealing team in baseball for players to join. They have been able to convince many top stars to join the organziation, and it’s not always about money.
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently spoke about how the Dodgers have become a destination spot.
“We’ve talked about this a lot, of trying to create a destination spot, where our own players want to stay, where players from other organizations want to come,” Friedman said, via The Athletic. “We’ve started to feel that more and more over the years.
“It’s all-encompassing in terms of our organization, and the destination spot is where players and their families feel incredibly well taken care of. If they’re playing in front of 7,000 people, they don’t feel that as much. Playing in front of 50,000 people and seeing the passion and how much people live and die for the Dodgers each summer and each October, I think, adds to the experience and the allure of playing here.”
Proposed MLB Trade Has Dodgers Land $35 Million Award-Winning Infielder