MLB trade rumors: Dodgers should make these 5 moves

These five moves could help the Los Angeles Dodgers win their first World Series title since 1988.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won four straight National League West titles, and it’s clear L.A. once again is the class of the division.

Yes, the Dodgers trail the surprising Colorado Rockies by one-and-a-half games. But a closer look shows the boys in blue have the second best run differential (+50) in all of baseball while Colorado is just 14th at +6 (credit their superior record to an unsustainable 9-0 record in one-run games).

The Dodgers are likely to overtake the Rockies and win the West with ease.

But capturing another division title will not be enough for the Dodgers, who despite the biggest payroll in MLB have failed to win a World Series title (or even a pennant) since 1988. The club desperately wants to win it all while generational talent Clayton Kershaw is in his prime, and this could be the year.

Here are five moves Andrew Friedman & Co. should consider to put the Dodgers in position to play deep into October.

5. Release Chase Utley

The Dodgers are facing a roster crunch. One way to ease it is to jettison the veteran second baseman, whose days as a productive hitter seem to be over. Utley, 38, is hitting .115/.220/154 with one homer.

The L.A. brass loves what Utley brings to the clubhouse, and he is seen as a mentor to young star Corey Seager. But facts are facts: The Dodgers cannot afford to waste a spot on a player who can’t contribute on the field.

When Logan Forsythe returns, Utley must go. That is a much better option than sending hot-hitting Chris Taylor back to Oklahoma City. And it will help make things easier when Adrian Gonzalez and others return from DL trips.

Utley is on a one-year, $2-million deal, so releasing him won’t cost much.