5 offseason pivots Dodgers can make after Shohei Ohtani injury

Inquire About Mike Trout Trade

If the Angels are losing Ohtani and have completely cratered since buying at the trade deadline ... what's their end game in keeping Mike Trout? Just to remain the home for one of the best players in the sport (who, by the way, has been more injured than not the last three seasons)?

After this year, Trout will have seven more seasons of a $35 million AAV salary remaining on his contract. This would more than likely be a move if the Dodgers pivot away from Ohtani, because Trout plus a top pitcher would probably hit the budget for Andrew Friedman and Co.

The trade package probably wouldn't be too crazy given the money attached to Trout and his recent ailments that have kept him off the field. The Dodgers can shift Outman to left field in this scenario to make room for Trout in center for the next few seasons. If acquired, the Dodgers would be getting Trout for his age-32-through-38 seasons, so they'd need a plan to adjust for his latter years.

In the short-term, a trio of Trout, Betts and Freddie Freeman in the middle of the Dodgers lineup would be objectively lethal, as long as Trout can stay healthy. Probably not likely, but something to consider if the well runs dry for big-time impact moves.