Three Platoonable Second Base Options that fit the Dodgers

Kike Hernandez and Chris Taylor are extremely valuable in that they can play not only any of the three outfield positions but also can play up the middle on the infield at shortstop or second base, and have done so both in the regular season and in the postseason. While this may feel normal, outside of the Dodgers these uber-successful super-utility men are rare. The Dodgers should try to hold onto these cheap, cost-controlled players for as long as they remain viable.

And they may be able to use one of them to help fill the gaping hole currently occupying second base. Both Kike and Taylor can hit left-handed pitching, that isn’t the problem. The problem is that the Dodgers don’t currently have a second baseman who can field the position AND hit righties well.

That’s where these players come in. In this article, I will provide three potential players who could take the bulk of the ABs at second base this season in a platoon with Kike Hernandez.

Asdrubal Cabrera has been around for quite some time now, with 2018 being his 12th big league season. But don’t let his veteran status fool you, Cabrera would provide the Dodgers with more than just a clubhouse presence (not a knock on Chase Utley’s last few Dodger seasons just a fact).

The former shortstop may be the best second basemen from 2018 on the market. Last season Asdrubal slashed .287/.345/.539 against righties, good for a top-20 OPS for a single season over the last three years. Cabrera also had a top-15 WRC+ and top-15 BB% amongst the last three seasons of second basemen against righty pitching last season.

Cabrera has bounced around a lot since leaving Cleveland behind, going from the Nationals to the Rays to the Mets to the Phillies, and has been able to remain a professional hitter wherever he’s landed.

Last season Cabrera really seemed to turn things around, putting up a career-high hard contact rate at 38.5%, but he also had his worst K% of his career at 20.5%.

His entire 2018 was solid, but especially his time with the Mets. In his 98 games in New York, Cabrera hit 18 homers with a .277 average while playing 785 innings at second base.

A lot of you may read this name and think, “Ryan Who?”, but Ryan Schimpf actually was a presence in the NL West just a few years ago as a powerful left-handed hitter.

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Another former-Padre, when he came up with San Diego in 2016, Schimpf only hit .217 but with 20 home runs in 89 games. His lack of average hurts, but Schimpf really was a righty killer. In his 221 plate appearances against righties that season, Schimpf had a .388 ISO, which leads all second basemen over the last two seasons against right-handed pitching (minimum 100 PAs).

The lefty hit .246 against righties that season with a 14.9% walk rate, good for sixth best amongst second basemen hitting against righties over the last two seasons, with a top-30 OBP and a top-50 BB/K ratio among second basemen.

Schimpf struggled last season, playing in just five games in the majors with the Angels and 30 games in their Triple-A affiliate, so he should be inexpensive and therefore worth a shot.

If Schimpf could hit around .240 with this much power, he could be a very inexpensive flyer option for the Dodgers to invite to Spring Training. He could end up providing Muncy-like value in a best-case scenario, and worst case he gets released after Spring Training.

One thing is certain, the Dodgers cannot suffer from some added depth to the roster. With Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez being used in other roles outside of second base, a third and pure second baseman should be welcomed.