Dodgers Rumors: MLB Insider Suggests Dansby Swanson As Replacement For Trea Turner

The Dodgers have several options when it comes to shortstop openings for next season. They could either ride out with current players like Trea Turner and Gavin Lux, or they could venture outside of the organization by free agency or a trade. 

MLB insider Jon Heyman wrote in the New York Post that Braves Dansby Swanson might be L.A.’s best fit in regards to adding new shortstop talent.

Dodgers people love Carlos Correa as a player, but there appears to be some reluctance there over the Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal, which could cause them to more seriously consider the other three star shortstops on the market.

They obviously like their own free agent, Trea Turner, very much, but there’s an issue there as well. Though Turner has said he loved playing for the Dodgers this year, but will consider any team, they are under the belief Turner would prefer to play on the East Coast, all things being equal. That’s no shock considering his agents initially tried to prevent the trade to the Dodgers at the 2021 deadline.

That could possibly leave Dansby Swanson as their best option, though the belief around the game is Swanson — like his famous former Braves teammate Freddie Freeman — might prefer to stay home in Atlanta.

The Atlanta Braves reportedly offered Swanson a deal worth roughly $100 million, but that won’t be enough for him to stay home. 

Swanson has been an above average hitter over the last three seasons and has been an elite defender. Statcast placed Swanson as the second-best defender at any position in 2022, in terms of Outs Above Average and by Runs Prevented. 

It’s safe to say he had a dominant 2022, ending the season with 5.7 WAR, an All-Star appearance, a top-20 MVP finish, and a Gold Glove award. 

If the Dodgers sign him instead of Turner or Correa, that could be a better deal financially for the the team, as Swanson would presumably be a bit cheaper compared to the two of them. 

It’s a good thing that Swanson seems to already have some close ties with a few players on the team. Along with Freddie, Swanson is also friends with Walker Buehler after they were roommates together in college. With two of his buddies already in LA, maybe that will have some influence over Dansby and his decision.

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