Dodgers: 4 players that could be traded in salary dump deals

2. A.J. Pollock

A.J. Pollock is a $12 million tax hit for the Dodgers.

I was never a huge fan of the A.J. Pollock signing. While I understood the intrigue of bringing in a right-handed bat that excels against southpaws, Pollock’s injury history was too extensive to ignore and he really only had one great year in Arizona.

Injuries have held Pollock back once again (he’s played in just 141 games since the start of 2019), though his 2020 was pretty tremendous (he appeared in 55 games). However, Pollock is not an everyday player and $12 million is a lot to play for someone who has been platooning, though that could change since Joc Pederson is now gone.

Pollock was OK in 2019 and just did not show up in the playoffs, going 0-13 with 11 strikeouts in the 2019 NLDS. He was really solid in 2020, leading the team in home runs with 16 in only 210 plate appearances. His .881 OPS was actually the highest of his career.

But again, Pollock face-planted in the playoffs. He went 9-for-41 with two RBI and barely played in the World Series.

This salary dump is unlikely for several reasons. First of all, Pollock has three more years left on his deal and that’s a lot for a team to take on. Secondly, he provides a right-handed bat, something the Dodgers are currently in need of.

Who knows, maybe they can sell another team on his performance during the regular season, but a guaranteed $36 million over the next two seasons is a steep ask.