Cody Snavely
Per Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors, the Red Sox may explore the possibility of trading former Dodgers prospect Alex Verdugo this offseason and listed the Dodgers as a potential matchup.
As unusual as it would be for the Dodgers to trade for Verdugo just four seasons after including him in the package that brought Mookie Betts from Boston to LA, Verdugo would be an excellent fit for the Dodgers
via Nick Deeds MLB Trade Rumors
Verdugo, who was the main piece in the Mookie Betts trade, has spent the last four seasons in Boston, and despite a fresh start with an opportunity to start every day, Verdugo has not panned out to be the “star” the Red Sox had envisioned. Now that Chaim Bloom is out as the president of baseball operations and replaced by former Red Sox Craig Breslow, it seems the club may revisit trade talks this winter.
What value would Verdugo bring?
With David Peralta and Jason Heyward hitting the free agent market, the Dodgers are now two left-handed bats short. The Dodgers love to construct their roster based on matchups, and those are two bats that the team will have to replace this winter. With David Peralta having flexor tendon surgery and Heyward likely playing himself to a potential multi-year deal with another club, the Dodgers could take a chance on Verdugo, who is in the last year of arbitration due to an estimated 9.5 million.
In 2023, Verdugo was, at minimum, a league-average player, having an OPS+ at 100, slashing a .264 average with 13 HR and 54 RBI. In any potential trade, it would likely see Verdugo return to the bench as a left-handed platoon against right-handed pitching, where he has better numbers. Verdugo (27) is also significantly younger than both Heyward (34) and Peralta (36), and despite Peralta being a Gold Glove Finalist this year, Verdugo brings a better glove, having 9 DRS in RF this season.
However, the ultimate reason I am on board with a potential Verdugo trade and why I think it makes sense is Verdugo would not only be a great bench piece but would likely bring a competitive and firey attitude to a team that is desperate for a spark come October. Let’s be honest: Verdugo had enormous pressure when he was shipped to Boston, and having a change of scenery could be a significant boost, and coming full circle on a return to LA could be precisely what he needs.
What would it cost?
Currently, on MLB Trade Values, Verdugo has a trade value of around five million; this is because, as mentioned, he is in his last year of arbitration and will be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. So, for the Dodgers, it would be a relatively low buy for a team that has been rumored to be trading Verdugo since this past July. The Red Sox, who have plenty of outfield depth, may look at the Dodgers’ surplus of young pitchers to help solidify their rotation for 2024 and beyond.
Other options?
Regarding left-handed bats, there are not many internal options that the Dodgers have except for Michael Busch, who is primarily an infielder. Most of the Dodgers minor league bats are right-handed names like Andy Pages and Jonny DeLuca, who will be in contention this spring for potential bench spots and do not bring the same lefty thunder that Verdugo would bring.
In terms of the free agent market, the Dodgers could bring back Jason Heyward, who had a productive bounce-back year in 2023 but is due for a big pay raise from LA, who only had to pay him 750,000 after his release from the Cubs. Another bat that I have mentioned on the Bleed Los Podcast was a name the Dodgers were interested in last offseason, and that is Kevin Kiermaier. Kiermaier put together a very nice season for the Blue Jays in 2023 and has been one of the best defensive players in baseball over the last eight seasons.
Kiermaier, who has a market value of around seven million, would be a cheaper alternative than Verdugo, who, in his third arbitration, is estimated to get nine million. The former Ray also connects to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Freidman, who drafted him in 2010 when he was running the Rays.
Conclusion
The Dodgers will need to replace the LHP platoon bats of Heyward and Peralta this offseason, and Verdugo is a great option moving forward. Over the next few weeks, expect to hear the Dodgers involved with several guys as they look to retool their roster for the 2024 season.
