How the Dodgers can get Giancarlo Stanton and Shohei Ohtani
By Jason Reed
The setup:
This is not going to just come easy for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bringing on one of these stars is enough of a challenge alone. The luxury tax and overall salary of Giancarlo Stanton are enough of a burden alone. It does not help that the Dodgers cannot sign Ohtani for more than $300,000 due to previous penalties.
The Dodgers can at least clear some of these issues with setup moves during the early days of the Winter Meetings.
1. Trade Adrian Gonzalez to New York Yankees
Trading Adrian Gonzalez may very well be the best use of his assets for the Dodgers in the 2018 season. Gonzalez will not start over Cody Bellinger and it is a waste for the Dodgers to pay Gonzalez $21.5 million to be a role player.
Instead, the Dodgers can send Gonzalez to the New York Yankees in exchange for a mid-level minor league prospect. The Dodgers will likely have to eat some of Gonzalez’ one year salary, but that is still much better than paying $21.5 million. Splitting time between first base and designated hitter, Gonzalez can return to a 25+ home run hitter in Yankee Stadium.
2. Trade Yasmani Grandal and Scott Kazmir to the Oakland Athletics
Scott Kazmir holds another big contract that the Dodgers cannot afford to pay next season. After battling with health issues in Spring Training, Kazmir effectively went missing in action after an okay 2016. However, Kazmir will likely be ready to go for 2018, yet does not have a spot in a southpaw heavy starting rotation.
Instead, the Dodgers can look to trade Kazmir and the $16 million that is owed to him this season. Adding Yasmani Grandal to the deal will intrigue the Athletics enough to eat Kazmir’s salary this season.
Grandal very well may be on his way out anyways with the organization seemingly transitioning to Austin Barnes. Thus, the Athletics can send the Dodgers international spending money. Oakland has the same restriction the Dodgers have, so any amount of money can help LA in the long run.
Between paying only some of Gonzalez’ salary and dumping Kazmir, LA would be saving anywhere from $20 million to $30 million.