Dodgers: Pros and cons of trading Joc Pederson (again)

Con (Keep Him!): Pederson fits perfect platoon role

Finding the perfect pairing for a platooned position can be challenging. The presence of Joc Pederson, along with AJ Pollock, gives manager Dave Roberts a dynamic duo to man left field at Dodger Stadium.

While Pederson set a career high in home runs last season, all 36 of his long balls came against right-handed pitching. You could cite this as a reason the Dodgers need to move on from the left-handed power hitter, who is reduced to a platoon role; but for roster fit purposes, you could argue he is a great piece as someone who provides excellent output while allowing space for others to find playing time in the lineup.

If Pollock can stay healthy, he is the perfect complement to Pederson’s power swing from the left side of the plate. As a right-handed hitter, Pollock has fared well against left-handed pitching over his career, batting .281/.332/.503 in nearly 900 plate appearances. This makes up for the anemic output from Pederson, who is a career .188 hitter against southpaws.

Ideally, the Dodgers can keep Pederson’s impressive power numbers in the lineup on most nights, since opposing pitchers are predominantly right-handed, and whenever a southpaw makes an appearance, they have Pollock to offset.

The combination of Pederson and Pollock is surely more productive for the Dodgers than Pollock on his own.