Dodgers Rumors: Insider Proposes Blockbuster Trade to Upgrade LA’s Rotation, Bullpen and Infield
As the MLB trade deadline quickly approaches, the Los Angeles Dodgers have decisions to make.
With an injury-filled pitching staff, the team will be on the lookout for some help on the trade market. President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman isn’t shy about making moves to help the team at the deadline and he surely won’t be this season either.
The team has some good options to choose from but it will depend on who wants to be buyers and who wants to be sellers. Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report proposed a few options for the Dodgers with one getting them help in multiple areas.
"Dodgers get RHP Marcus Stroman, 3B Patrick Wisdom and RHP Michael Fulmer, Cubs get C Dalton Rushing: This proposal also works with $5 million in cash in place of Fulmer, but the Dodgers might as well take the former AL Rookie of the Year as a lottery ticket. Either way, the Cubs would do well to target Rushing. He's the Dodgers' No. 4 prospect and boasts a 1.067 OPS through his first 78 minor league games."
Marcus Stroman would be the headliner of this deal and he would instantly help the Dodgers pitching issues. He would bring some stability to this starting rotation that has had a musical chairs type of vibe all year with players getting injured.
On the season, Stroman has an ERA of 2.76 over 107.2 innings pitched. He also added in 92 strikeouts as well. Stroman is in the midst of one of his best seasons as a professional so it would make sense for the Cubs to possibly move him at the deadline. He also has the ability to opt out of his current deal this winter so it makes all the sense for Chicago to move him while his value is this high.
Getting Patrick Wisdom and Michael Fulmer in this deal would be the icing on the cake but neither are the greatest options going forward. Wisdom could be a platoon player for LA and he could work with hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc to improve his swing. He's only hitting .194 on the season but does have 14 home runs and 28 runs batted in. Wisdom has three more seasons of arbitration left before he would hit free agency.
Fulmer would be a decent addition to the bullpen as he has posted an ERA of 4.50 over 38 innings of work. He would help salvage the issues that the Dodgers have seen in the pen this year. Fulmer has pitched much better of late, only allowing one run over his last 10 appearances. Fulmer is scheduled to be a free agent next season so if things don't work out, LA can let him walk.
Losing a talented player like Rushing would hurt but the Dodgers do have many other catching options going forward. In reality, Rushing may not see time in the big leagues and the team seems set with Will Smith as the starter. He would be the future catcher for the Cubs so it would make sense on the Chicago side to make this type of deal.
This deal could work for the Dodgers in multiple ways but ultimately the front office has deserved the benefit of the doubt in their moves. If they think something like this is worth going after then we need to trust them.
