Dodgers Stopgap Plan (Pt 1)
Solving the Mookie Betts issue. Yes Dean, you do have a West Coast Writer
This week in Dodger Nation has been devastating. Mookie Betts goes down with a fractured wrist on a HBP, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto hits the 15-day IL with a rotator cuff strain. We saw Corey Seager go down with a similar injury in 2021 and missed nearly 2.5 months. I anticipate something similar for Mookie because why rush him back if the issue could persist in the most important games of the season? The silver lining is that he won’t require surgery. With Yamamoto, I’m a little less optimistic. 15-day IL stints are hardly that, and they won’t play around with their golden goose, especially this time of year and with a rotator cuff issue. I will break this into two parts, this one being exclusively dealing with the Mookie Betts injury.
Let’s start with a quick note: as a lifetime Dodger fan, I fully understand they are no stranger to the big-time trades/signings like they’ve done so many times in Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, and the obvious, Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman. However, they are notorious for grabbing cheap players, turning their careers around, and letting them walk for a significantly larger price tag. The most recent example is Tyler Anderson, and I anticipate Cavan Biggio will follow suit. So, with some injury issues and question marks, let’s dive into how I think the Dodgers should approach the trade deadline and why they need to act fast.
Moving Mookie to SS was a major concern, as his lower half or back could break down over the course of a full season. The end goal is to still have him platooning at various positions rather than being an everyday guy at a premium and physically demanding position. He’ll get some solid rest while he’s out with the wrist, but there is work to do to replace that. Filling the SS will not come internally. Gavin Lux has yet to prove much of anything at the pro level and definitely isn’t capable of playing everyday SS, or any SS for that matter. Miguel Rojas can certainly glove it, but the 35-year-old doesn’t offer much value at the plate. I love what he offers off the bench. He never throws away at-bats with an 8.3% K%, but they’ll need more in the long run. Especially with Chris Taylor hitting .108 and posting a -1.0 WAR. It’s clear the Dodgers have prioritized offensive production on the left side of the infield, and Rojas doesn’t completely fit that mold. The minor league shortstops they do have in Joendry Vargas, Trey Sweeney, and Emil Morales definitely don’t offer more than the collection of Rojas, Lux, Muncy when he’s healthy, and the new addition of Cavan Biggio, who, to me, is the new Chris Taylor, while current Chris Taylor’s career slips away. None of these guys are the long-term answer for the Dodgers at the premium position, so they’ll have to go get someone.
With the long-term goal of finding a replacement SS, I think they may look for a heftier price for SS rather than a cheap option. Only because the goal isn’t to have Mookie Betts play 100 games at SS year after year. There are three realistic options for me, and I would love one of them. Let’s start with a realistic but not the one I’d like to see.
Paul DeJong
This one is kind of gross, but if the Dodgers are looking for a short-term stopgap, ride the hot hand. While he hasn’t posted above a 100 WRC+ since 2019, DeJong is posting a 114 WRC+ with a .796 OPS ranking in the top-10 of all MLB shortstops. While I don’t believe he’ll be an answer even come October, he may offer enough thump to get to the playoffs, where Mookie can take back over. With 14 HR in 67 games, the 30-year-old has put together a solid 2024 campaign. The downside? He is notorious for a horrendous K/BB ratio, now having 75 K to 9 BB, which has been a theme his whole career.
The plus side? He plays for potentially the worst MLB team ever assembled, and they can get him for practically nothing. Only on a $1.75M contract, I’m sure a low-level prospect and some cash can get the deal done today. I don’t love this move by any means, but if you can get any offensive production out of him, it may be worth a shot.
Jorge Mateo
It’s clear Baltimore has a log jam with all their young talent, and Jorge Mateo falls right into the group of guys being lost in the shuffle. The 28-year-old actually finds himself as one of the older players on this roster but has been used as a platoon player between SS and 2B with Connor Norby and potential MVP Gunnar Henderson. Mateo is a true platinum glove SS, and while his offensive production isn’t incredible, I believe over a full season, he can outperform any replacement the Dodgers have in-house. He can string 40-50 stolen bases together with consistent work, which I will gladly take even if he hits .240. It will cost more, but with the loaded Dodgers farm and the need for some young pitching, the Orioles could ship one of a few different options in Nick Frasso or Payton Martin and make this an extremely even “help you help us” kind of deal.
Willy Adames
This is the one. I want nothing more than to bring Willy Adames to LA and away from Milwaukee. He’s in a contract year and already posted a 2.7 WAR in 72 games. Since preseason, I’ve circled him as a trade guy because I don’t believe Milwaukee will sign him after this year, especially if he stays on pace. He is currently slashing .241/.329/.434 with a .763 OPS; I believe he fits the Dodgers mold perfectly, being an extremely good defensive SS with tons of offensive upside. The only issue I see making this deal happen is that the Brewers are in a contender position, leading the NL Central by 5.5 games. Even with the breakout of Brice Turang, they have no real reason to sell him right now. However, I believe a solid prospect package and maybe a throw-in MLB guy will get this deal done. Because, let’s be honest with each other: the Brewers are not a true World Series contender despite being in a playoff position, especially considering how weak the NL is this season. While the cost will be a pretty penny, the Brewers probably won’t be able to afford him in 2025, and they can get back a great return while they still have leverage. The Dodgers, however, can afford him in 2025, and is the best long-term solution for what they’re going for: making sure Mookie Betts can stay healthy, not just over 162, but for a playoff push. To me, this is a match made in heaven and needs to be done sooner rather than later.
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