Dodgers: Right-Handed Bats That Could Help Solve Lefty Struggles

  JD Martinez

The Tigers’ 29-year-old right fielder might be a nice fit with the Dodgers. He can play either corner outfield spot or come off the bench strictly as a pinch-hitter. He hit .306 against left-handed pitching in 2016, as well as 22 home runs.

He’d not only be starter against lefties but he might just be the everyday left fielder for the Dodgers with how special he is as a hitter. He has hit 83 long balls from 2014-2016. Granted, all this production has come in the stacked lineup that the Tigers have, so these numbers might be inflated just a bit. He has the likes of future HOF Miguel Cabrera and Silver Sluggers Justin Upton and Victor Martinez giving him protection in the linuep.

Nonetheless, he has shown the ability to hit the ball well and often. Not only would he help with struggles against lefties but he could help with the recent struggles the team has had with runners in scoring position. He hit .275 last year with RISP.

JD is in the final year of his contract, meaning one downside of trading for him is that we would have to put together a farm package for a player who will only be with the team for a few months. But  the Dodgers could also have all the leverage in this situation because the Tigers could lose him to free agency for nothing if they aren’t able to make a deal.

The Tigers are an old team that looks like they can be on the verge of blowing up the team for prospect hauls. They hope to learn from the mistakes that the Phillies made earlier in the decade by holding onto their aging stars for much too long and not getting the prospects they wanted because of it. This may be the perfect storm for the Dodgers to acquire the outfielder.