Dodgers: A Changing NL East Could Bring Big Pieces to LA

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But it’s not just NL East players that could make their way over to LA. With the Mets trying to take some of the last of the Mariners’ major pieces to jump out of the cellar in the NL East, the Dodgers should try to take advantage of the fire sale.

Michael Wittman brought up Seattle’s stellar shortstop Jean Segura as a potential trade candidate:

"Segura is another second base trade candidate who would give the Dodgers the best leadoff hitter they’ve had in years to go along with plus speed.  While Segura has stolen as many as 44 bases, a safe expectation is 20-25 stolen bases a year.  Add that to his .287 career average and 10-15 home run potential and the Dodgers would have an enormous upgrade if they acquired Jean Segura. More from Dodgers Rumors Don’t hold your breath on Dodgers making Justin Turner decision soon Dodgers have lost the plot if Trevor Bauer hearing is restricting offseason spending Dodgers Winter Meetings: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Dodgers get last laugh over Padres getting owned by Trea Turner, Aaron Judge Dodgers News: Tommy Kahnle leaves, Clayton Kershaw contract, Trea Turner aftermath"

Besides Segura, the Mariners have some vestiges of pitching that will most likely be available to the Dodgers. Felix Hernandez and Mike Leake are both likely to be shopped around this off-season. Leake has been connected to the San Diego Padres according to MLB Trade Rumors, but if the Dodgers wanted to add an innings eater, Leake could be had for relatively cheap in terms of his prospect cost.

Hernandez would be more of a reclamation project and a way to potentially add a viable experienced arm to the rotation. His role would probably be more to help younger players rather than to back up Kershaw and Buehler at the top of the rotation, but he still does have the potential to be an asset on the mound.

Hernandez showed signs of breaking down last season, as he threw 155.2 innings with a 5.55 ERA overall. But there were bright spots hidden beneath that swollen ERA. In June, Hernandez went 3-2 in six starts, with 34 innings and a 3.71 ERA, backed up by 30 strikeouts. And as a reliever, Hernandez had a 3.18 ERA, albeit it was a limited sample size.

Though Hernandez has been a liability on the mound for much of the last few seasons, his $27 million guarantee for 2019 means the Mariners would not mind dealing him. If the Dodgers stay quiet this off-season on the free agent side of things, Hernandez could make sense as a flyer that could be valuable as a veteran out of the bullpen.