Dodgers: In Hindsight the Dodgers Missed Out on Christian Yelich

The Dodgers have gotten all they could have wanted and more out of Matt Kemp, but in hindsight they missed out on Christian Yelich.

The Dodgers and Matt Kemp have had a successful reunion and the Dodgers have gotten all they could have wanted and more from Kemp.  Still, in hindsight the one trade that the Dodgers missed out on was not Giancarlo Stanton, rather it was his former teammate Christian Yelich.  While Stanton would have been a good power bat, the Dodgers have received plenty of power from Max Muncy.

Matt Kemp has been good this season, but he is still signed for 20 million next season and there is no telling how he shows up next season at 34 years old.  The Dodgers will probably try to get rid of Kemp this offseason as well as Max Muncy since they would fit better in the American League where they can DH.

Yelich on the other hand, received plenty of interest from the Dodgers when the Marlins had him on the trading block.  Not only is Yelich only twenty-six years old, but he is under contract for the next four years with his salary topping out at a very reasonable fifteen million in 2022.  The Brewers have a steal of a deal in the National League MVP candidate.

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Yelich has helped lead the Brewers to the brink of a playoff berth.  After last night’s victory in which Yelich drove in a big insurance run, the Brewers lead the final wildcard by three games with only five games left and they are right on the heels of the Chicago Cubs.  At worst, the Brewers should be in the wildcard game.

The Dodgers like to utilize their platoon lineups but Christian Yelich would have been a perfect number two hitter in the Dodgers’ lineup regardless of who started against the Dodgers.  This season, Christian Yelich has hit .321 with 32 home runs and 98 RBI’s.  Yelich has a rare combination of speed and the ability to hit for a high average.

Yelich would have also given the Dodger offense an added dimension of speed.  This season Yelich has stolen 21 bases and been caught stealing just four times.  The Dodgers don’t have much if any stolen base threats in the order other than Yasiel Puig who tends to be hit or miss in stolen base attempts.

The Dodgers have plenty of young outfield talent in guys like Alex Verdugo, DJ Peters, Jeren Kendall, and Cody Thomas, so they may not look back at a missed opportunity for Christian Yelich in the end.  Hopefully after the next few seasons, the Dodgers’ outfield ends up being a strength and they won’t have to look back in hindsight at a missed opportunity for Christian Yelich.