November 11th, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by 0799291000348 After reviewing the 2020-21 MLB free-agent market and which players the Dodgers might pursue for their 2021 roster, we venture into the speculative arena of trade scenarios.
Trade suppositions during the annual Hot Stove season come with a mix of excitement and trepidation, as team fanatics conjure up ways to improve their team by fleecing other organizations.
Before we consider trade options for the Dodgers, we have a couple of reminders and assumptions:
- The Dodgers current roster is so talented that they are already the odds-on favorite to win the 2021 World Series.
- Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is a very patient negotiator — at times, excruciatingly patient for those fans who are anxious to know the next season roster before the end of Baseball’s annual Winter Meetings.
- Justin Turner will be re-signed.
- Corey Seager will be the shortstop.
- David Price will be a member of the starting rotation.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Dodgers priorities:
- Rebuild the bullpen. Pedro Baez, Jake McGee, Blake Treinen, and Alex Wood are free agents, and it is doubtful that the Dodgers will re-sign all of them.
- Left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson will miss the entire 2021 season as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery.
- Left-hander Scott Alexander was not a member of the Dodgers 2019 or 2020 postseason rosters and is a non-tender candidate.
- Add a good right-handed hitter
Closer trade options
1 – Cincinnati Reds:
- Dodgers acquire left-handed power reliever Amir Garrett and right-handed power reliever Michael Lorenzen.
- Reds receive right-handers Tony Gonsolin, Dennis Santana, left-hander Scott Alexander, and utility infielder/outfielder Matt Beaty.
Garrett shares closer duties with Kenley Jansen in 2021 and Lorenzen is a late-innings setup pitcher. Gonsolin is a heavy price to pay, but the Dodgers are very deep in right-handed power-pitching prospects.
Or…
2 – Milwaukee Brewers:
- Dodgers acquire left-handed closer Josh Hader.
- Brewers receive Gonsolin, Beaty, and pitching prospect Edwin Uceta.
Hader as the closer is worth the trade assets going to the Brewers.
(Photo credit – Matt-Kelley)
Hitter trade options
1 – New York Yankees
- Dodgers acquire second baseman Gleyber Torres and right-handed reliever Chad Green.
- Yankees receive Gavin Lux, Gonsolin, and Beaty from Dodgers.
Teams match up well for this trade, with Yankees wanting left-handed hitters for Yankee Stadium andare in need of starting pitching. The Dodgers desire to have a more balanced lineup. Torres is an offensive force, but needs to improve his defense, and Green is another power arm for the Dodgers bullpen.
Or…
2 – Oakland A’s
- Dodgers acquire third baseman Matt Chapman.
- A’s receive third baseman Edwin Rios, middle infield prospect Omar Estevez, outfield prospect DJ Peters, and pitching prospects Michael Grove and Edwin Uceta.
A steep price, but Chapman is a terrific offensive and defensive third baseman. Dodgers still sign Justin Turner, who will most likely take on a super-utility role, playing third base, second base, first base, and designate hitter.
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What do you think, Dodgers fans? – Good? Awful? What trades do you think an already World-Series-caliber Dodgers team should make for the 2021 season?
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Posted in 
GREAT piece, Jesse! It’s obvious that it took a great of time and research.
So many of your proposed moves hurt, as I came to know many of these kids personally when they were at Rancho Cucamonga. But as we all know, but baseball is very much a business and, quite frankly, “It’s all about the money,” as they say.
The thought of trading Gavin Lux, D.J. Peters, and even Kiké Hernandez hurts, but they ALL deserve (and earned) the opportunity to play every day, which simply will not happen with the Dodgers.
Yes, I struggled with including Lux and/or Gonsolin in these trades options. Peters too, but I see him being blocked with the Dodgers while he could be playing regularly in 2021 with the Royals, Giants, Orioles, etc.
Why not keep everybody and just add a Brad Hand for the pen
And my favorite JT.
Bullpen KJ, graterol,floro, and sborz and Santana plus gonzalez,alexander,hand,and bring back wood or Mcgee. Plus probably Gonsolin.
If Hand is healthy, definitely sign him for a couple of years — but there are likely 15+ other teams that feel the same way. I am not a fan of Santana; 25% of flyballs hit against his fastball leave the park, and 2/3 of balls in play are either flyballs or line drives. Sborz is better, but hitters average 94 mph exit velocity on his pitches.The little I saw of Mitchell White was good.
At least 35-40% of Santana’s fastballs aren’t leaving the park.
LoL. Great to be a dodger fan these days.
Yes indeed! Wearing my Dodgers hat when I go out, get many thumbs up and congratulations.
I’d be leary of either of those pitching trades. Gonsolin might not get to where Hader is, but I think he’s already better than everyone else (Hader aside) listed in those scenarios. If Goose doesn’t crack the rotation, I think he’d be well suited to a multi I being fireman relief role.
That deal for Gleybar Torres would be something. Lux has loads of potential, Torres is a proven masher in the middle infield. I’d be shocked if NYY bit on something like this.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. If thats all the A’s got for Matt Chapman, it would be the Josh Donaldson to Toronto trade all over again. Of course I’d do it in a heartbeat as a Dodgers fan but a deal for Chapman would start with Lux and Ruiz or Gray and 3/4 other top 15 prospects.
Terrific analyses, although I believe the combination of Garrett and Lorenzen would be worth sending Gonsolin to the Reds. I have read that the Reds are considering Lorenzen for their starting rotation. I believe Gonsolin could be a closer for the Dodgers sooner than later. And you make excellent points about Torres and Chapman.
@Dodgers Does no one think to go for closer Liam Hendriks and deal with the As he wouldn’t even have to leave town
Excellent point. I am assuming that he is going to get a large, multi-year contract which the Dodgers may be reluctant to offer with Brusdar Graterol, Victor Gonzalez, and possibly Tony Gonsolin closers in training. Prior to 2019 Hendriks was a borderline ML pitcher using 4 pitches, now he throws his fastball 70% of the time, slider 22%. He will be 32 before spring training 2021, so there could be some concern that he will not maintain velocity over the period of multi-year deal.
Jesse and Ron, what do you think about the Dodgers signing RH hitting ss and 3rd baseman Ha-Seong Kim from South Korea?
One of my predictions in the last free agent article. Gold Glove SS in South Korea, hits, has power, doesn’t strikeout, very fast, great range, and can play 2b and 3b as well. I think he may be at the very top of Friedman’s shopping list.
I’d make that deal in a heartbeat!
That said, I’d be reluctant to move Seager away from SS. But the thought of Seager at short and Kim at 2B (and eventually 3B) is absolutely intoxicating.
I like that plan, and Kim would give the Dodgers a backup plan if Scott Boras takes Seager into free agency.