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Dodgers Rumors: Puig Not On Trade Block; Ethier Is

There’s been a lot of news made lately about the Los Angeles Dodgers trading either Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford. There was also news late last season, and even in the early stages of the offseason this season, about the team possibly moving Yasiel Puig.

If you are to believe the reports coming out on Twitter, then the Dodgers are not at all interested in trading for Puig. In fact, the team is telling other organizations that the talented right fielder is not even even available in trade talks.


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From Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) of USA Today:

As fantastic as that news is, Nightengale didn’t stop there. He put out this tweet a couple hours before that:

So, that’s very interesting. Nightengale suggests that the Dodgers do not want to deal Yasiel Puig, but “would love to move” Andre Ethier. And it makes sense since Ethier’s 10-and-5 rights are going to kick in sometime around April 21st. After all, there is a potential deadline with moving Ethier.

There’s obviously no word on what the Dodgers could fetch in an Ethier trade, but if Nightengale’s report is right and the White Sox and Dodgers have no signs of a “potential match”, then it could be harder for Los Angeles to find a trade partner for the left-handed hitting outfielder.

Maybe a match with the Los Angeles Angels or Cleveland Indians could be in the cards, but that’d be just pure speculation at this point. As of now, the team looks content with holding onto Puig while fielding calls for Ethier, and that makes total sense.

Ethier is coming off of a 2015 where he OPS’d .852 and hit 14 home runs in 445 plate appearances. Teams who need a left fielder should be looking into him. Ethier has two more guaranteed years left on his deal for a grand total of $35.5 million, as well as a 2018 player option for $17.5 million ($2.5 million buyout), so the Dodgers might have to eat some money if they move him.

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7 Comments

  1. They should talk to Baltimore. The O’s need a right fielder and pitching help. Package Ehtier with Wood and see what they could get.

  2. The Dodgers need to keep Ethier and dump Crawford and his contract (paying the whole thing if necessary) on whomever is willing to take him. Ethier is the more valuable player – is less susceptible to injury and has prove himself more over the years – in addition, he has the better arm, is more versatile in playing any of the outfield positions and would be a good option as a left handed backup for Gonzalez. I’m sure Ethier’s athletic ability would enable him to learn 1st base fielding.

  3. MikeandRenaKane  Understand something. NOBODY wants Crawford and his albatross contract. Absolutely no one. Ehtier has some trade value so he is the run who will go. Get used to it.

  4. MikeandRenaKane  The back up first baseman is Scott VanSlyke, and the lefty backup is Chase Utley who already has some experience there. They were going to try Ethier there a few years ago, but it did not work out. Carl Crawford’s injury history and his contract, which is larger than Ethier’s make him Impossible to trade unless the Dodgers eat almost all of the close to 40 million he is owed over the next 2 seasons. Also, even though Ethier bounced back last year after 2 mediocre seasons, expecting him at 34 to have the same kind of production as last year is wishful thinking. You are not going to take a 10 year veteran outfielder and teach the guy how to play first base in 6 weeks of spring training. The big difference this year is that the team is loaded with outfielders, and there are still some pretty good ones out there as free agents. And do not forget Thompson. The kid had a pretty good debut last year with the Sox.

  5. Jagman63  I would trade Lee before I would trade Wood. If someone goes down, Wood is better suited to step in.

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