Dodgers: Curtis Granderson trade doesn’t cement World Series push

The Los Angeles Dodgers made more headlines by trading for Mets center fielder Curtis Granderson. Although the big name appeal is there, this trade is not all that special.

In what is already a very special year, the Los Angeles Dodgers front office consisting of Andrew Friedman, Farhan Zaidi and company made yet another move to bolster their World Series chances. After trading for Yu Darvish at the deadline, many called this Dodgers team a “super team”. Now, less than a month removed from that blockbuster, Los Angeles pulled off yet another.

The Los Angeles Dodgers recently acquired three-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner Curtis Granderson. Los Angeles acquired Granderson for cash or a player to be named later, all dependent on what kind of impact Granderson has on the team.

Granderson is in the last season of a four-year, $60 million contract that he signed with the Mets back in December of 2013. New York, with no realistic chance to make the postseason, essentially gave Granderson the opportunity to pursue the coveted World Series ring that has alluded his 14-year career.

Many Dodger fans are praising this move and predicting the route LA will take going forward. With Adrian Gonzalez back, Chris Taylor, Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig all man the outfield. With Puig and Gonzalez struggling against lefties, it would make sense to use Granderson as a platoon. Except for one thing, he is left-handed as well.

In fact, the Dodgers have a really good problem, they have too many cooks in the kitchen. While they can move a bullpen arm down, they likely want to keep that depth throughout the season. Things will get easier once the roster expands on September 1, but the team still has two weeks to juggle.

There essentially are two people to get called down, Enrique Hernandez and Joc Pederson. However, due to the flexibility Hernandez has, and his status against southpaws, the struggling Pederson will likely get the call down to work on his swing.

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Which is perfectly fine, the team did the same thing with Yasiel Puig last season and there is no reason they should not do it with Pederson. The only problem is that this Granderson trade is not that good. While Granderson may be an improvement over Pederson, he is not the star he was five-years ago.

That is why many Dodger fans are hyping this deal up far too much. Granderson is batting .228 on the year, .230 against righties and .225 against lefties. Sure, he has slugged 19 home runs and driven in 52 RBIs, but that is not enough to make up for the .228 average.

Granderson has been a slightly better fielder this year, and may provide more consistency than Pederson. He won’t be the roller coaster type player that gets hot and then cold for weeks on end, he will give the Dodgers exactly what they expect. For the price the Dodgers paid, that is perfectly fine. LA did not give up anyone important, so this deal can be a win.

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However, this deal will not be the nail in the coffin that cements a World Series push. The help of Granderson will certainly be welcomed, but let’s not make it out like he is still the Curtis Granderson of 2012. A right-handed batter would have been far smarter.