Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Rumors: 3-Player Package from LA for Bryan Reynolds a ‘Fair Trade Proposal’

Bryan Reynolds of the Pirates has made it known he’d rather play for a good team, and the Dodgers have a need (or at least an opening) in center field, so the two teams are naturally being linked together in a trade. L.A. has a very deep farm system, so many consider them the favorites to land Reynolds.

Over at The Athletic, former Reds and Nationals general manager Jim Bowden and Pirates beat writer Rob Biertempfel took trade proposals from readers and assessed their merit. One proposal involved Los Angeles:



Reynolds to Dodgers for RHP Bobby Miller, OF Jose Ramos and LHP Maddux Bruns — Dan N.

Dan N. says: Two outstanding pitching prospects and a very good young outfielder. This is a reasonable asking price.

Bowden’s take: This is a fair trade proposal — or at least a good starting point toward a final package — and one I think would be considered by both sides.

The Pirates would get a huge righty arm in Bobby Miller and a solid southpaw prospect in Maddux Bruns. Jose Ramos is a special outfield prospect; if I’m the Dodgers, I would try to substitute lesser outfield prospect Ryan Ward for Ramos to close the deal.

Biertempfel’s take: The 29th pick in 2020 out of Louisville, Miller, 23, is a top-of-the-rotation arm. He spent most of last season at Double A (20 outings, 4.45 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 11.6 K/9) and also made four starts at Triple A (3.38 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 11.8 K/9).

If I’m Cherington, I find as many opportunities as possible to mention the Dodgers’ crushing loss to the Padres last year in the National League Division Series. Would Reynolds be the missing ingredient that gets L.A. to the World Series in 2023? Who knows, but maybe stirring up those bad memories would spur the Dodgers brain trust to act.

I’m not convinced the Dodgers would include Miller in a trade for Reynolds, even if it’s “fair.” They haven’t come out and said Miller’s untouchable, but they haven’t traded him to anyone else who has asked for him, so right now — when he’s finally just about ready for the big leagues — would be an interesting time to pull the trigger on trading him.

Biertempfel’s take is just silly, of course. “Remind Friedman that they lost, and then he’ll do something crazy!” As the kids say, tell me you know nothing about Andrew Friedman without telling me you know nothing about Andrew Friedman. If Ben Cherington tried to pull that, Friedman’s reply would be, “Yeah, we lost in the NLDS with Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Trea Turner. Maybe it wasn’t about the roster composition.”

It’s hard for me to see any of the Dodgers’ top four prospects (Miller, Diego Cartaya, Miguel Vargas, or Gavin Stone) going to Pittsburgh in a Reynolds swap. L.A. might overwhelm the Pirates with quantity, but I’m not convinced Reynolds is enough of a game-changer to justify that type of quality.

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Jeff Snider

Jeff was born into a Dodgers family in Southern California and is now raising a Dodgers family of his own in Utah. During his previous career as an executive at a technology company, he began writing about baseball in his spare time. After leaving corporate America in 2014, he started doing it professionally. Jeff wrote and edited for Baseball Essential for years before joining Dodgers Nation. He's also the co-host of the Locked On Dodgers podcast, a daily podcast that brings the smart fan's perspective on our Boys in Blue. Jeff has a degree in English from Brigham Young University. Favorite Player: Clayton Kershaw Favorite Moment: Kirk Gibson's homer will always have a place, but Kershaw's homer on Opening Day 2013 might be the winner.

26 Comments

    1. Way too much. Pepiot, a lower OF prospect and maybe Bruns should be the most. Miller and Pages is a non starter

  1. They don’t need to give up elite talent for Bryan renalds- that would be foolish- next year they can be out form under luxury tax and spend spend spend and they will have all their cheap young talent

    1. And, I do think that is exactly the plan. There’s a lot of money coming off the books for ’24. Besides, a year from now, all the young guns could be budding stars.

      #LetTheKidsPlayLA

  2. I wouldn’t include any top prospects in a deal who could be the next Bellinger of 21 22 lol

  3. They need to trade a big contract or they ll be over the tax again. Hurts to say it but Taylor or Muncy

  4. Trading any of the top prospects should not be included. Pepiot, Busch and Pages! Throw in Trevor Bauer!

  5. I would like to include J D Martinez in the Pirate trade — obviously not gonna happen. What is the Dodger plan when Will Smith takes a day off from catching? He won’t be the DH because Martinez is there. I’m probably over thinking this.

  6. The Dodgers don’t need a center fielder! They need pitching! Trading 2 good upcoming pitchers is just a very dumb, dumb move!

  7. Reynolds is a good outfielder, but he is not necessarily a long-term center fielder. Also, he is above-average at the plate, but not elite. Lastly, he will be expensive and would clearly bump LA over the luxury tax levels. Maybe trade Martinez and/or Bauer (picking up some of his salary).

  8. If the Dodgers decided not retain Bauer, then trade him for Reynolds, straight up. The Pirates probably would want a front line starter anyway.

  9. Keep the kids !!! Let the kids show their stuff. Reynolds isn’t worth that talent loss.

  10. How about the Dodgers bring up the candidates from the minors that are so good . These writers always think stars , just like the Lakers , how is that working out ?

  11. Add Trevor Bauer to the roster and play the young talent while Mookie and Freddie are in Dodger Blue!

  12. I agree. No Miler. How about introduce Bauer and some cash, instead. If I am right Pittsburgh just sign R. Hill for $8M. Would it work?

  13. Dodgers get Bryan Reynolds & Jared Trilio.
    Pirates get Bauer + $16.5 mil. of his salary paid, Jose Ramos (or Andy Pages), Emmet Sheehan (or Maddox Bruns), Victor Gonzalez & Andre Jackson.
    Reynolds isn’t that much above being just an average outfielder. Another key piece to any if this is signing Reynolds to a long term contract. Tired of the Dodgers trading prospects for established stars and then seeing them leave at the end of the season or a year later!

  14. Dodgers have a bad record when it comes to being patient with young talent they are gonna win they already have shown that they have fixed other players that other teams have given up on like Turner ,Taylor. Muncy don’t be like Fred Claire

  15. Give them Michael Busch, Ryan Pepiot and and Jose Ramos. Not Miller or any body else. Reynolds is very good but three for one, and mostly all players who will fill minor roles for the Dodgers for the next several years in more than enough for a player of Reynold caliber…

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