Dodgers: Three Reasons They Should Not Trade for Ryan Braun

Trade rumors linking the Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers’ outfielder, Ryan Braun, have been circulating since last season. Despite continuing to struggle against lefties, Los Angeles should not look to trade for Ryan Braun at the moment.

Many will disagree that the Dodgers don’t need Ryan Braun, including some of my colleagues. But, let’s look beyond names, big bats, and big stats for a minute. The Dodgers’ front office has been known for not making big acquisitions ever since they took over the reigns right after the 2014 season had ended.

The only thing close to a blockbuster trade was the one made last year, which brought Rich Hill and Josh Reddick over to Los Angeles. This does not include re-signing players though.

So far, the sealed wallet, dry ink method is working. The Dodgers have managed to stay competitive, while also rebuilding their farm system and cutting down on payroll each of the last three seasons.

However, Los Angeles was close to getting Braun last season. Apparently, a deal involving Yasiel Puig was lined up last August, but it never came to fruition. The rumor mill about Braun to the Dodgers started up again last month, but recently, the rumors have come to a stand still which is a good thing for the Dodgers, and here is why.

Trust the Youth

The first reason why LA should not trade for Braun has been made clear in the last week. The Dodgers’ youth is strong. Julio Urias proved to be a future ace late last season and has only confirmed that status so far this year. He’s struggled with command, surrendering eight walks, but in 10.2 innings he holds a 0.84 ERA.

Cody Bellinger is the main reason why the Dodgers don’t need Braun. It’s only been 11 games, but the Dodgers’ number one prospect has exploded onto the scene. He’s hitting a scalding .357 with an outrageous OPS of 1.199. He’s quickly surged to tie for the lead in home runs on the team with five and is fourth in RBI with 14.

Despite doubts about his contact rate due to his long swing, he’s only struck out eight times in 42 at-bats. These days, that’s relatively low. Another bonus is that he seems to do equally well against left-handed pitching. In a small sample size of 12 at-bats, he’s collected four hits. If Bellinger continues to rake, the Dodgers would have an extremely crowded outfield, assuming Adrian Gonzalez returns to first.

Chris Taylor earned a spot on the team in Spring Training but was left off because he couldn’t play center. Well, since his call up he’s proved to everyone why they were wrong to send him down in the first place. He’s hitting in the .350s while collecting a couple of homers and posting a 1.077 OPS. Again, it’s a small sample, but he’s shown improvement in hitting since March. He’s also 6-12 against lefties. Now, Taylor won’t be a starter, but he could be a good counter move to a left-handed reliever.

A Braun for Puig swap doesn’t seem likely either. The Brewers will want more to build upon. The Dodgers have one of the best farm systems in the MLB, but that was with Bellinger and Urias in the minors. Now that they’ve made their debuts the Dodgers will need to continue to build their system and not deplete it.

Roster Space

This one is common sense, but the Dodgers only have three spots for potentially six outfielders. Joc Pederson, Andrew Toles, Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger, and Andre Ethier are already competing for three spots. Ethier will return sometime midseason, and Pederson has already been activated. If Braun is added to that mix, there are too many suitable starters to keep happy.

Pederson must stay because he’s the only true center fielder. Toles may be an option to trade, but the Brewers may want someone younger with more power potential. Bellinger is off limits, and Ethier is too old.

Puig is the best option to trade, but is it worth trading a 26-year old who has shown his capabilities for a 33-year old who will cost much more? Puig’s struggled with hitting, defense, injuries, and off-field engagements during the last two years but let’s not forget he was dynamic in his first two seasons. Late last season, he’s seemed to turn things around too. Of course, Dodger fans are tired of hearing this, only to be let down, but he seems to be coming back to his former self.

Players go through ups and downs, and former Dodgers’ star Matt Kemp is an example. After his MVP-candidate season in 2011, he went through two-and-a-half injury-plagued years. However, he’s been consistent and productive since the second half of 2014. He’s no longer an MVP-candidate, but he’s still a middle of the lineup bat.

Plus making room for another player is not what the Dodgers need to be dealing with. They are already in a tough situation as it is.