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MLB Trade Rumors: Dodgers could flip Alex Wood to Cubs

By Kyle Franzoni

Jul 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Alex Wood (40) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Alex Wood (40) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Dodgers just landed Alex Wood in the 13-player trade with the Marlins and Braves. However, they could still trade him before the deadline.

Alex Wood was a surprise pick-up for the Los Angeles Dodgers when the team landed him in the three-team trade with the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves earlier this week. However, many thought his stay would be short in L.A., with the Dodgers possibly using him as a piece for a bigger trade involving David Price or Cole Hamels. Now with both of those arms off the market, logic would say that Wood would slot into the middle of the Dodgers’ rotation, right?

Well, not necessarily.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Dodgers are discussing sending Alex Wood to the Chicago Cubs for a yet unknown return. However, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sport feels that a match would be a longshot.

Wood, who is 7-6 with a 3.54 ERA and a 3.40 FIP in 2015, makes all sorts of sense for Los Angeles to keep. At 24-year-old, still a year away from being arbitration eligible, and controllable through the 2019 season, Wood would be one of the few players on the Dodgers roster that isn’t blowing up their payroll and would give them more roster flexibility moving forward.

A trade to the Cubs would be difficult. Chicago also has its eyes on landing a big piece and is not likely to send the marquee name the Dodgers would be looking for in return. Additionally, the deep Los Angeles farm system doesn’t truly do anything by landing any of Chicago’s top prospects, unless they were looking to get a third team like the Padres involved. San Diego has the marquee players in Tyson Ross and Craig Kimbrel, but it would be hard to imagine a scenario where Theo Epstein doesn’t want one or both coming to Chicago.

Next: Baseball's Untouchable Prospects at the MLB Trade Deadline

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