Adrian Medina
With the trade deadline still 66 days away, it is never too early for the Dodgers front office to make a mid-summer move that could be the piece to finally put the team over the hump. What seems to be priority number one over the last few weeks is the lingering uncertainty of the shortstop position. Mookie Betts‘s showing a rare candor about his difficulty playing the position full-time has definitely raised some concerned eyebrows. So, what is a move that the Dodgers could pull to ensure that their infield is the best it could be heading into October?
This is where Toronto Blue Jays Bo Bichette comes in.
Posting a .234/.295/.351 slash line with a .646 OPS, Bichette is having himself a mediocre year to his standards from previous seasons. A liftime .295 hitter, Bichette has put up good to great numbers since his 2019 debut. Regardless any current struggles, he is a perfect fit into this Dodgers lineup, and here’s why.
In need of a shortstop
First, as mentioned earlier, the Dodgers require an experienced shortstop and Bichette could fill that role easily. Where does Mookie Betts go? he reverts back to second base and plays there comfortably for the remainder of the season.
Struggling Blue Jays
Bichette needs a change of scenery. According to MLB insiders, it is not likely that Bo will sign an extension with the Jays come the end of the season. Currently, Toronto holds the last-place position in a competitive AL East. It looks as though the Jays are going to go through the month of June with the high hopes of making it past .500 and still being in the playoff race.
What this trade would look like
So if all goes south for Toronto come trade deadline time and it is time to pull the trigger on Bo, the Dodgers are in the driver’s seat to give Toronto what they desperately need: pitching
What could the Dodgers possibly offer? It might look something like this: SS/2B Gavin Lux, RHP Kyle Hurt, and LHP Jackson Ferris.
This could be the way to go about things for the Dodgers as Gavin Lux could fill in that everyday role as a SS in Toronto nicely and the Jays also receive 2 of the top 10 pitching prospects in the Dodgers organization. A win-win scenario, the Dodgers get their shortstop, and Toronto can finally have some depth in the pitching landscape.
New Infield post Bichette trade
This is how the infield layout would look like for the Dodgers if they were to trade for Bo Bichette:
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Mookie Betts
3B: Max Muncy
SS: Bo Bichette
C: Will Smith
A solid infield configuration that could make some noise during the postseason and make the grade as one of the most well-put-together defenses in all of baseball.
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