One Struggling All-Star Outfielder the Dodgers Need to Consider Bringing to LA

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ top part of the lineup speaks for itself. Mookie Betts, Shohei, Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman are generational talents who will look to lead the Dodgers to new heights for the next handful of years. However, the team can’t do it alone; they need the others to step up, like the outfield.

The Dodgers outfield is among the worst. The L.A. outfielders are hitting a combined .201, and that’s including their free-agent addition, Teoscar Hernández.

He’s been the only bright spot for the Dodgers, with others like Kiké Hernández, Andy Pages, Chris Taylor, Jason Heyward, Miguel Vargas, Taylor Trammell, and James Outman combining for a -0.5 fWAR. It’s been a disastrous start for the outfielders, which begs the question of whether the front office needs to improve via the trade market.

That’s one route the front office could take, and there are plenty of worthy candidates. Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain mentioned Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Connor Joe as one, but there’s another that has been linked to the Dodgers, like Tampa Bay Rays All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena.

McKain weighed the pros and cons of possibly acquiring Arozarena.

Arozarena is an intriguing name. He was briefly linked to the Dodgers last offseason. Multiple teams reached out to the Rays about him; however, the team was not shopping him. Nonetheless, the Rays have some financial concerns that they could eventually shop him.

While Arozarena has had success in the past, his 2024 season has not been ideal. He’s struggling mightily, slashing .159/.254/.317 with a .571 OPS, eight home runs, 18 RBIs, and 30 hits in 51 games, and 189 at-bats.

Because of his struggles, he was not in the Rays lineup for Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. His last seven games alone have been a microcosm of his season, as he’s recording a .172 average with a 29 percent strikeout, five hits, three runs, and eight strikeouts in 29 at-bats.

Although he is struggling, the price to acquire him may still be high as he still has three more years of team control. The Rays would likely want to have a ton of prospects for Randy, and that may be way too much for L.A., considering the type of season he’s producing thus far.

However, Arozarena has proven time and time again that he is great in big moments, and that alone should be intriguing for the Dodgers. He’s 29 years old and maybe a change of scenery could help the one-time All-Star.

Photo Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

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