3 Dodgers third base trade targets not named Nolan Arenado

A bad year from the St. Louis Cardinals opened up the possibility of them offloading key pieces, which include the likes of Nolan Arenado. This rightfully got Dodgers fans excited, and reignited the hope from 2021, when Arenado was first traded, that he could finally end up a Dodger.

It all makes sense; he’s from Newport Beach, grew up a Dodgers fan, and has wanted to join them in the past. While he may still be at the top of many fans' wishlists at this trade deadline, it can't be anything to bank on. The Cardinals are not going to clean house and want to keep guys they can build around.

Unless they're getting an offer they can't refuse, Arenado is likely staying put. And the Dodgers probably won't hurl a huge prospect package at St. Louis just to inherit $90+ million to their payroll. There has to be some give and take when importing that kind of money.

So it's time to think outside the box for LA looking to upgrade the third base position. Here are some other candidates who could help the Dodgers push for a World Series.

Ke'Bryan Hayes

The Pittsburgh Pirates started the year off extremely well and, to their credit, kept that streak going longer than most would have thought. However, as July is coming to an end, they are back in last place in the NL Central. It seems they are still a handful of years away from actually contending for a division title.

If they were planning on selling some of their valuable assets, Ke’Bryan Hayes would be a great fit for the Dodgers. With Max Muncy at third base, consistency is lacking both offensively and defensively. Muncy currently has a batting average below .200, but, of course, his 25 home runs on the year (which are good for seventh most in the MLB) cannot be overlooked. However, on the defensive side of the ball, he can be considered below average.

Hayes, on the other hand, is one of the best defensive third basemen in the league. Baseball Savant has him in the 99th percentile in outs above average. He doesn’t have the same pop that Muncy has, but Hayes hits .252 with the ability to go yard. If the Dodgers were to acquire him, they would have a long-term answer at third base with the 26-year-old. For the Pirates, who have five prospects in MLB’s Top 100, they could likely further strengthen their farm system while continuing to prepare for the future with the Dodgers as a trade partner.

Yoan Moncada

The Dodgers could look to capitalize on a few White Sox players, especially on the pitching side. But they could also take a shot at trying to fix Yoán Moncada, as he has shown promise in the past.

Is this something the Dodgers really want to take a risk on this late in the season? Possibly not. But if they were willing to take a chance on Joey Gallo last deadline, why not Moncada this year? He too is a switch hitter who might be able to tap into something, and you could possibly get him at a low price since his WAR is currently -0.1. Another issue is that he would be owed $24 million next season (with another big club option for 2025).

Of course, one option is to just ride it out with Muncy and continue to take what you get from him. The Dodgers are in first place with Muncy, and an upgrade is something that isn’t necessarily a must for the Dodgers at the deadline. Nonetheless, it helps if they're looking ahead to 2024 because they'll have to make changes in the offseason if they don't address it by Aug. 1.