Dodgers: Prioritizing the Dodgers’ top five potential offseason targets
By Jason Reed
1. Jake Arrieta
In a perfect World, the Los Angeles Dodgers would sign Jake Arrieta and trade for Giancarlo Stanton. However, money is not unlimited and the possibility of getting both deals done is very slim. Although Stanton may be the better player today, Jake Arrieta fills a much bigger hole in the pitching rotation.
More from LA Sports Hub
- Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
- LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
- LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
- Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
- LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month
Although the Dodgers need a right-handed power bat in the outfield, they can make do without one. They did it last season and by adding prospect Alex Verdugo to the roster the Dodgers could sum up their outfield. What the team cannot do in their farm system is bring in a pitcher that properly can pitch behind Clayton Kershaw.
Plus, Los Angeles needs a great right-handed arm. As of now, Kenta Maeda, Brandon McCarthy and maybe Walker Buehler are the Dodgers right-handed options.
Maeda may be better in the bullpen as he cannot handle an MLB workload, McCarthy has not been the same since the yips and Buehler is still a rookie.
Insert Jake Arrieta. I know there are fans that do not want to pay Arrieta what he is asking for but it is pivotal for the Dodgers. While he may not be the same arm as he was in 2015, Arrieta is still one of baseball’s best and will undoubtedly thrive in Rick Honeycutt’s system in the pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium.
Plus, Arrieta is nothing short of a big-game pitcher, something the Dodgers do not currently have. Arrieta is 3-0 in postseason elimination games with a 1.25 ERA and 29 strikeouts. Again, one World Series trophy is worth paying Arrieta.
Next: Four reasons the Dodgers will not win the World Series in 2018
Again, Stanton may be more talented than Arrieta but Arrieta fills a need that the Dodgers tried to address with Yu Darvish. Because of this, the Dodgers very well could have Jake Arrieta atop their list.