The Los Angeles Dodgers have had an unbelievable offseason — not just for a team coming off a World Series, but by the standard of any team in professional sports as the Dodgers have retooled a team that dominated the league the previous season.
After bringing back key veterans like Kiké Hernández and Clayton Kershaw this week, Los Angeles may have roster problems that most MLB teams can only dream of having: There’s too much talent and not enough roster spots.
Analysts Robert Flores and Harold Reynolds who co-anchor Hot Stove on MLB Network may have a potential fix to this champagne problem and see the Dodgers finally paired with a longtime target.
“Are they going to trade one of their existing pieces,” asked Flores, “just because there’s no room? Maybe a [Andy] Pages, or a [James] Outman, or someone like that.”
“If you want to go get, let’s say Nolan Arenado,” responded Reynolds, “and you say ‘We need a true third baseman’, you’re set up to go make that move. They traded Gavin Lux and we’re not even talking about it! That’s the depth that they have.”
The longtime Dodgers infielder was moved earlier this offseason as the Dodgers brought in four-time Korean Baseball Organization Gold Glove-winner Hyeseong Kim, and more recently brought back utility man Hernández to the squad.
Arenado would be an interesting play for Los Angeles, however in a conversation with Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain last month, ESPN insider Buster Olney made it sound like a move to L.A. wasn’t going to happen.
“He has been on a platter for teams to make a trade for for months,” Olney said. “And I asked about the Dodgers about six weeks ago. And to protect the source I have to sort of phrase it this way. I was told: ‘If the Dodgers wanted him, they would have gotten him.’
“It’s not like it’s been a secret that he’s been available, and to this point, it doesn’t look like he’s at the top of their list in terms of an interesting player.”
Nevertheless, anything can happen before now and Opening Day, and the Dodgers are very well set up for any move — whether it be for Arenado or another upgrade elsewhere.
