Could Alexei Ramirez Replace Hanley Ramirez at Shortstop for the Dodgers?

The Dodgers’ new front office team most likely are checking up on any and all shortstops around the Majors this offseason since Hanley Ramirez might not be brought back next season. With Corey Seager in the wings, it would be logical for the Dodgers to temporarily fill the shortstop position without signing anyone to a long-term deal.

Even though the Dodgers do still have both Alex Guerrero and Erisbel Arruebarrena available to play shortstop next year, it doesn’t seem like the Dodgers have much confidence in giving either the starting job anytime soon. While Arruebarrena is defensively superb at short, his terrible looking swing doesn’t really instill much confidence in his potential to be in the starting lineup as of right now. I advocated for the return of Hanley Ramirez with Arruebarrena also getting playing time next season, but if Hanley should sign elsewhere, the Dodgers will need another shortstop.

We haven’t heard an official word on Hanley’s qualifying offer decision which is due by Monday, but the chances he accepts the one-year deal are pretty slim. After all, this is Hanley’s first opportunity to field the free agent market in his career, and he has stated on Twitter that free agency is something he has earned (and rightfully so).

The Dodgers need to cover all bases (no pun intended), so they should be and will be inquiring on many different shortstops this winter just in case Hanley isn’t in the picture for 2015. The Dodgers have been tied to trade rumors surrounding Elvis Andrus, and they have also been linked to Alexei Ramirez as well.

While Andrus doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Dodgers nor the Rangers since he is in the middle of a very long-term contract which would essentially block Corey Seager if traded for, someone like Alexei Ramirez could be more plausible since Ramirez is only signed through 2015 with an option for 2016. He would be a perfect bridge to Corey Seager.

Alexei just won the Silver Slugger Award last week, and he had a solid season for the White Sox in 2014. The All-Star is very reliable, and he has played in 158 games

Another Ramirez at shortstop for the Dodgers? Photo: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

for the White Sox over the past four seasons, which is something Hanley is not going to be able to ever match at this point in his career. Alexei is definitely not as potent of a bat as Hanley, but he’s not too shabby either. With 15 homeruns and 74 RBIs last season, he is surely more than just a glove a la Miguel Rojas or Erisbel Arruebarrena.

While Alexei Ramirez isn’t as good defensively as Arruebarrena or Miguel Rojas (he committed 15 errors last season), his offensive contributions surely balance that out a bit. He hit .273/.305/.408 with 97 wRC+ and 21 stolen bases last season which according to Fangraphs.com is worth 3.3 WAR.

Alexei is affordable, durable and can be offensively productive. Sounds like a great fit for the Dodgers should Hanley be moving on to another team. The problem is that other teams have an interest in him as well like the Mets and Yankees who also need a shortstop. The Dodgers are not looking to trade anyone that valuable for an Alexei Ramirez, and I’m not sure the White Sox want Carl Crawford nor Andre Ethier.

The good news is that the Dodgers have acquired some sharp front office executives who could possibly put together a trade mutually beneficial to both parties. The bad news is that the White Sox may not even want to move Ramirez, and they would have to obtain a new shortstop if they did.

The Mets may have the advantage with available right-handed pitching, and they have been rumored to be highly interested in the 33-year old Cuban shortstop. If the Dodgers are serious about trading for Ramirez, they will need to get creative with an attractive deal for Chicago.

Perhaps Alexei would even accept number 13, and the Dodgers could recycle all the old Hanley jerseys.