3 most difficult decisions Dodgers must make before end of spring training

Trade Miguel Vargas

Vargas, the Dodgers' No. 5 prospect in 2022 before he was called up to the majors that year, used to be an apple of LA's eye. After signing as an international free agent in 2017, he jumped up through MLB Pipeline's rankings every year as he mashed his way through the minors. Before his call-up, his batting average never dipped below .300 and he hit 49 home runs, giving the team a lot to look forward to. However, his landing in the majors wasn't graceful, and he hit .170/.200/.255 in 18 games before being sent down again.

He made the Opening Day roster in 2023 as the Dodgers' second baseman. He played in 81 games by the end of the year, but his numbers hardly improved. This year, he's reporting to spring training as a left fielder, despite not playing the position at all in 2023. Moving to left would put him behind both Teoscar Hernández and Chris Taylor, possibility limiting his playing time even further if he even makes the 26-man.

If the Dodgers aren't going to use him, they really should consider moving him in a trade the same way they did with Michael Busch, who had a disappointing showing in the majors with the Dodgers and wouldn't have gotten much playing time with them in 2024. They might value Vargas' positional versatility, but they could also trade for a more experienced utility man with a bigger bat to pair with Taylor.