Dodgers: Logan Forsythe’s 2018 Return is a Tough Call

When the Dodgers were looking for second base options the last offseason, many saw Logan Forsythe as a perfect fit. However, his Los Angeles career has been a roller coaster thus far which, mostly, is no fault of his own. After the season he has a club option for $9 million, which begs the question, will he be a Dodger in 2018?

When the Dodgers traded for Forsythe I was happy that the team only had to part ways with righty Jose De Leon. Jose has had a terrible start to his Tampa Bay career as he has been mostly dealing with injuries throughout the season. While it’s sad to see the young starter deal with injuries, I am glad the Dodgers were able to avoid that bullet, especially with the Urias news.

As for Forsythe, he has also dealt with an injury of his own, a fractured big toe. This has limited him to 57 games this season in which he has been very average. He currently owns a .254/.364/.340 line with three home runs and a 98 wRC+. Basically, everything about his stat line screams average, but to his credit has been hitting much better in July.

The answer to the Dodger question will probably not lie in Logan’s stats; the answer will lie in the roster space.

As we all know, this Dodger team prides themselves on depth, and there are reinforcements waiting in the minors. Alex Verdugo and Willie Calhoun are already knocking on the door to the majors, and if they are not traded this season or in the offseason, they will be due for a spot next year. We also have to take into account that Andrew Toles will be back at some point next year and will want his spot back.

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Right there we have three possible spots that will be filled up on the roster next season. But, how will room be made in order to fit these players?

It is more likely than not that Chase Utley retires after this year. After all, he will be 39-years-old this winter. It also looks like the Franklin Gutierrez experiment has been a failure and will be discontinued next season. Andre Ethier has yet to play this season and might not play as a Dodger again. Lastly, Sergio Romo’s and Brandon Morrow’s contracts will come off the books, but that doesn’t help Forsythe, as he doesn’t pitch.

So we’ve cleared up two position player spots and added three. The math isn’t really working in Forsythe’s favor.

As much as I would love to have Logan on this team next year, he may not have a spot on this team. However, nine million dollars is not a lot of money for the Dodgers and it would be foolish to not consider brining him back.

In a perfect hypothetical world, the Dodgers trade one of Verdugo or Calhoun, which clears up one spot and would give Forsythe his job back. As much as he would love to be a starter and build his resume, he might be stuck with a utility player role who only starts 3-4 times a week.

This Dodgers FO loves guys who can play multiple positions, which may have been the top selling point when they made the move for him. In his career, Forsythe has spent time at every position except center field, catcher, and pitcher. It would be hard to find a spot for Forsythe on this team, but his versatility makes it a little easier as he can spell players every now and then.

Next: Under the Radar Targets

Yes, the Dodgers will go into next season with a surplus of players again, but do we not expect them to manipulate the DL again and make room for guys. My first instinct is to say that Logan Forsythe doesn’t get his club option picked up. However, my head is telling me that his cheap contract and versatility earns him a spot on the team for the 2018-2019 season.