Fansided

Which Outfielder Should the Los Angeles Dodgers Trade?

By Aaron Ferguson

Apr 21, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders Carl Crawford (25), and Matt Kemp (27) and Andre Ethier (16) celebrate after a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Dodgers defeated the Orioles 7 - 4. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders Carl Crawford (25), and Matt Kemp (27) and Andre Ethier (16) celebrate after a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Dodgers defeated the Orioles 7 - 4. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Los Angeles Dodgers have assets in the outfield — who should they trade?

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a talented, but crowded and outfield and they appear to be engaging in talks to trade one of their outfielders.

Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier have all been used in a platoon role in the outfield with Yasiel Puig and Scott Van Slyke.  Now one of Kemp, Crawford or Ethier may be on their way out of Hollywood and calling a new city their home.

Puig is a franchise player and the Dodgers covet the potential he has after spending his first full season in the major leagues.  However, it is highly touted prospect Joc Pederson who is forcing the hand of president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to move one of the veterans.

Coming from the Tampa Bay Rays, Friedman is used to working with a small budget and healthy contracts.  It is clear that Friedman and new general manager Farhan Zaidi want to get younger and lower the payroll.  Trading an outfielder, specifically Kemp, Crawford or Ethier would do certainly that.

According to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com, “It’s believed [the Dodgers] are most likely to trade Andre Ethier, who was virtually unused in he last few months, or Carl Crawford.  Yet Friedman said he wouldn’t rule out moving Matt Kemp, who led the majors in slugging [percentage] after the All-Star break.”

Sep 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford (3) celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson (65) after hitting a 2-run home run in the twelfth inning of the game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium. Nationals won 8-5 in fourteen innings. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford (3) celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson (65) after hitting a 2-run home run in the twelfth inning of the game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium. Nationals won 8-5 in fourteen innings. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s obvious to see why the Dodgers would want to hang on to Kemp, he hit .287 with 25 home runs and 89 RBI’s.  Those are his best numbers since his MVP-caliber season in 2011 when he hit .324 with 39 home runs and 126 RBI’s.  Kemp has had his share of injury problems, but was able to play 150 games this season.  After his slump early in the season, Kemp turned his game on in June and looked like the 2011 Kemp that finished second in the MVP race.

Kemp’s name came up in conversations as the trade deadline neared in July.  The Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners were both in on the Kemp conversations before.  Seattle could use another power bat in the middle of their lineup to protect Robinson Cano and spark an offense that 19th in runs scored last season.  Kemp is owed $107 million over the next five seasons.

Crawford was highly pursued when he hit the free agent market in 2010.  Since Crawford signed his seven-year deal with Boston, he has been off the field with injuries frequently.  Crawford hasn’t played in more than 130 games since signing his most recent contract.  The Dodgers’ starting left fielder played in 105 games this season and hit .300 and showcased his speed by stealing 23 bases at 32 years old.  Crawford is owed $62.25 million over the next three seasons, putting him at 35 years old at the end of his contract.

“The Dodgers could look to trade one bad contract for another in order to address an area of need, such as the bullpen or rotation.” -Mark Saxon”

Ethier was used sparingly and in a pinch-hitting role late last season.  Ethier totaled 341 at-bats this season, which is the lowest total since his rookie year when he had 396 at-bats in four fewer games.  Ethier, a fan-favorite, hit .249 last season which is well below his .285 lifetime clip.  While his at-bats were down this season, Ethier’s power also declined hitting just four home runs this season, the first season in his career in which he didn’t have 10 or more.  He is owed $63 million over the next three seasons, which is a high price for a left-handed hitter who hit just .222 against southpaws this season.

It is unclear who will be traded at this point, but Kemp looks like the most appealing option for the 29 other teams around the league.  If a team is going to take on a larger contract, Kemp is the best option after performing at the top of his game last season and after the All-Star break, more specifically.  Crawford may be the best option for the Dodgers to get rid of a serviceable, but injury-prone player and they would get to keep Kemp with the option to play Puig and top prospect Pederson as the everyday starters.  Regardless of who moves, it appears that the Dodgers’ outfield will look different next year after one of their platoon players will be moved this winter.

More from FanSided

Home/Los Angeles Dodgers