The Los Angeles Dodgers are bound to be one of the more aggressive teams at the trade deadline. They’re loaded with talent, but injuries have destroyed them as much as any team in the sport.
The Dodgers desperately need help in their outfield and on their pitching staff. They could look to add one of the best sluggers in the game ahead of the trade deadline.
FanSided’s Jake Elman recently pitched a mock trade that would send Athletics slugger Brent Rooker to the Dodgers in exchange for Bobby Miller, Logan Wagner, and Maddux Bruns.
“As we know, the Dodgers have long since accepted they need to spend money to win championships. Rooker signed a five-year, $60 million extension in January, and the deal also contains a club option for 2030,” Elman wrote. “However, the A’s signed Rooker with both sides intending for him to remain a full-time DH, and he’d likely need to play left field upon potentially joining the Dodgers.
“Rooker has only played 17 games in the outfield in the last two years, 13 of which came in left field. Although that isn’t ideal, remember that the Dodgers’ current left fielder is Michael Conforto, along with his .184 average and -0.6 bWAR.”
This trade would come as quite a shock. The Athletics just signed Rooker to a massive $60 million contract extension, so it’s hard to imagine they’d want to cut ties with him so soon.
But if he’s available, the Dodgers would be the best landing spot in baseball, as long as the slugger is able to transition well to the outfield as an everyday position player rather than a designated hitter.
Rooker is one of the best sluggers in baseball. Adding him to a loaded lineup like the Dodgers would make them even more dangerous than they already are.
This trade seems like a long shot, but if the Athletics shop Rooker, it would make a lot of sense for the Dodgers to thrust themselves into the sweepstakes.