Dodgers: Who, What, and Where, is the Missing Piece?

There have been a few teams who have already expressed their desire to become more competitive in the 2018 season. Teams like the Yankees, Angels, and even the reigning World Series Champion, Houston Astros have made moves.

All the while, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been sitting off to the side. Patiently waiting to either make a move or just waiting for Spring Training to start. No one outside of the organization really understands what the Dodgers’ strategy is, but they may be under the impression that the current squad is more than capable of getting back to the World Series again in 2018. Not to say that their fans are not confident in the ability of the team and organization as a whole; however, this all happens to be relatively uncharacteristic of the Dodgers to not make any significant moves.

While the goal of shredding payroll has been a priority over the past couple of years, there is still potential to move specific ‘high-dollar’ pieces around in order to gain a valuable player or two. Apparently, that has not been the goal, as the trade for Matt Kemp was just a salary dump on multiple players, only to land one who sits close to the same amount of what was given up. It just seems odd that the Dodgers have not budged after seeing the Yankees and Giants go out and acquire big-name players while taking on more money (even after they both claim to be committed to lowering their respective payroll as well).

Is this a bad thing that the Dodgers have yet to bite on any free agents, or test out the trade market for a big name acquisition? Or is this all a small part to a plan in letting other pieces fall into place, while they have a certain move in place that they are willing to make, as soon as players start to be taken off the board. If there truly are any names that come to mind when looking at a potential ‘blockbuster trade’ or free agent signing, the group may only include a select few.

Three big names that might be on the market of interest for Los Angeles could include; Christian Yelich (Miami Marlins), Yu Darvish (Free Agent), and Jake Arrieta (Free Agent).

Though Yelich may appear to be the only candidate out of the three that would generate a lot of hype around Major League Baseball, if he indeed were to be traded from the Marlins to the Dodgers, the other two also carry strong reputations with them.

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Jake Arrieta

Even if Jake Arrieta has not been particularly liked by Dodger fans, after he was apart of the Cubs who defeated us in the 2016 NLCS, he has always been respected for his winning mentality and competitiveness. Whether he is on the bump for a start, or in the dugout on his off-days, Jake Arrieta is always in-tune with the game and seemingly strives to maintain a step or two ahead of the league. Not only is he a physical specimen – who can certainly do more than just pitch, as he provides a tough out at the plate as well, but he is a leader and was one of the key contributors in order for Chicago to lock up the World Series in the 2016 season. Arrieta and his workhorse mentality would fit very well with those in the Dodger clubhouse; as he closely compares to Clayton Kershaw when it comes to having the will to win every game in the schedule of 162. If the Dodgers are able to free up finances and work out a deal with Arrieta, he would come in and log a lot of innings, and provide a strong veteran presence to hopefully help the Dodgers win the World Series.

Yu Darvish

The rumor is that Yu Darvish has a list of few teams narrowed down in which he is deciding to sign with. Reports originally did not include the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Darvish responded via Twitter to include that there was a mystery team still ‘in’ on his free agency:

To go along with these player confirmed reports, there were more hints that the Dodgers could very well be the remaining team that is in on Darvish, as he apparently met with them and hinted again on Twitter by ‘retweeting’ a post that described his relaxed mentality of being a free agent:

And even with the sour taste of a Game Seven loss in the 2017 World Series, it is fair to say that not only do the Dodgers want to get back and win it; but there might be a way to work in Yu Darvish to strike a deal, so that he can hopefully help the team get back and get a second shot at going for it all. Again, if the finances can find a way to fall into place, a Darvish deal could very well be on the rise.

Christian Yelich

The most intriguing of the three (personal thought), Christian Yelich of the Miami Marlins. It would certainly take more to get Yelich than what it did for the New York Yankees to land Giancarlo Stanton. What currently surrounds Yelich is the reality that he may be the only piece left that Miami can try to ‘rebuild’ around. Also, not only has Yelich expressed his interest to be traded, it does also look as though Miami will try their luck in searching for a potential suitor. Could this be the time for the Dodgers to strike gold? Yelich comes with Gold Glove-caliber defense, the potential for a Silver Slugger award in the future, and if all things go right for the young outfielder, he could see himself turn into a future MVP candidate – like his friend and former Marlin, Giancarlo Stanton.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, it would appear that Miami, as well as many other teams, value Christian Yelich as a superstar on the rise, if not already. Therefore, the Dodgers would likely have to give up a big prospect haul and (again) a potential Yasiel Puig, type of player. Is it really worth it to throw some prospects and a young stud or two into Miami’s organization for Yelich? Well, maybe. We know that Yelich gets it done in every aspect of the game, and it would only help to add another solid left-handed bat that can play the outfield – if Joc Pederson is unable to swing it consistently again. So, adding the last big piece in the Marlins’ organization could prove to be a huge win for the Dodgers, but they would definitely be sending a lot in return for the young California native.

Which Direction Will LA Decide to Go?

Whether the Dodgers believe that pitching or position players are a priority to be addressed before the offseason closes out, they may also simply lay low and let the markets take their course and go into Spring Training with a very similar squad, as they had last year. If they are looking to make any sort of a ‘blockbuster’ move though, taking either Jake Arrieta, Yu Darvish, or Christian Yelich into strong consideration would likely have a high chance of turning out a good product for the organization.

Next: Do the Dodgers need Christian Yelich?

Any one of the three options would have high expectations, and it has always been known that the fans of Los Angeles will be behind these guys, through the bad times and the good. The end result of this offseason is likely to catch the Dodger faithful off-guard with whatever happens, whether we end up with a big signing, a trade for a star, or… nothing. We know that the trust will always be in the hands of the organization to make the moves that are truly best for the club. It all just becomes a game of waiting, now.