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Possible Trade Destinations for Dodgers’ Alex Guerrero
As Vin would say, Cuban signee Alex Guerrero started out 2015 “like a house of fire.” After a winding, yet dominant road through the minors to the major leagues, Guerrero went on to triple slash .423/.429/1.077 with 5 home runs and 13 RBI in the first month of the season on his way to finishing with a .233/.261/.434 line for the season.
That end of season slash line is a result of a steep drop in production, which, combined with the Dodgers bench depth, and the perception by some that he is better suited for a DH role reportedly has the Dodgers looking into trades according to MLBtraderumors.com. It’s not all doom and gloom for the Dodgers though, as the upside he showed in April 2015 and his experience playing defense (poorly) at both third base and left field could help net something in return.
So where does the man affectionately nicknamed by some fans as Ali-G end up?
Here are a few options…
Next: Down the Freeway
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
What do you get when you mix together a few ill-advised contracts with a barren farm system? I’ll give you a hint: the 2016 Angels. The Josh Hamilton fiasco has left the Angels both financially tapped out and without an obvious left fielder for the upcoming season.
Trading for Guerrero wouldn’t cost the Angels the top flight prospects that they don’t have and it’s possible the Dodgers could kick in some money to cover part of the $15 million salary over the next two years. Due to a stipulation in his contract, Guerrero is able to opt out of his deal one year after being traded, possibly making his contract an even shorter commitment.
An added bonus is that Guerrero could back up new addition Yunel Escobar at third base, who many believe performed over his head last year. Obviously with the Angels being an AL team, they could possibly stash him at DH to hide his defense on days when Albert Pujols plays the field. In short, Guerrero gives the Angels upside on a short term deal at a position of need.
Next: Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay could try to add some firepower to their lineup by acquiring Guerrero and slotting him at DH, a spot currently occupied by Logan Morrison. After posting a .685 OPS last year in Seattle, Tampa shouldn’t feel comfortable entering 2016 with Morrison at DH.
It might seem strange to swap out one sub-.700 OPS hitter with another sub-.700 OPS hitter, and you’d be right, but this is the Rays we’re talking about here. Teams like the Rays pay the bills with upside plays that can be had for cheap like Alex Guerrero. Morrison’s long track record of ineffectiveness since his second full season in 2011 doesn’t give much hope for a turnaround from him. Seeing as how Guerrero would be the third highest paid player on the Rays, expect the Dodgers to have to throw in some money in a deal.
Next: Cleveland
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland is on this list for some of the same reasons that the Angels are. A hole in left field left by All Star Michael Brantley’s offseason surgery could be filled while Brantley is on the mend for the first month or two of the season.
Upon Brantley’s return, Guerrero could be shifted to a utility role or take over as the third baseman if current third baseman Giovanny Urshela doesn’t improve on his 2015 season. A DH role with Cleveland looks to be out of the equation due to the presence of old friend Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli, so this isn’t quite the same fit as the Angels or Rays.
Next: Conclusion
Conclusion
In the right trade, snagging Guerrero could be a cost effective gamble for any of the three AL squads. Guerrero’s production and the fact that he can opt out of his contract if traded limits any prospect return in the trade. The Dodgers could expect to free up a little bit of payroll, stockpile the organizational depth that Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi love, and get open up an oh-so-valuable roster spot for new manager Dave Roberts.