MLB trade rumors: One player each team should target

Los Angeles Dodgers: Justin Verlander

The Dodgers have been gun-shy at the trade deadline under Andrew Friedman. They had every opportunity to trade for Cole Hamels in 2015, but passed and made a smaller deal that brought them Mat Latos and Alex Wood. Latos turned out to be an absolute disaster, while it took Wood two full seasons to establish himself as a dominant starter. Had the Dodgers been aggressive and nabbed Hamels, they may have won the World Series by now.

Verlander is expected to become available at some point in the next two weeks with the Tigers floundering. The Dodgers are an ideal fit for Verlander, who can block any trade. He is comfortable with the Hollywood lifestyle thanks to his relationship with Kate Upton. The Dodgers are also one of the few teams in the hunt with the ability to take on the $56 million owed Verlander over the next two years. After years of pitching in the American League, the right-hander should jump at the chance to finish out his career in the National League.

Friedman and his front office need look no further than what the Cubs did last July in trading their top prospect Gleyber Torres for Aroldis Chapman, a move that paid off in a World Series. The potential to wonder “what if” will always be there, whether or not the trade ends in a World Series or regret over losing out on an All-Star shortstop. Friedman has built a farm system that rivals any in baseball. Use it now to go out and get an established ace who was the runner up in the AL Cy Young vote last season.