Los Angeles Dodgers: The three best options to replace Yasmani Grandal
By Jason Reed
1. J.T. Realmuto
C’mon, you knew that this was going to be the number one option on this list. With Yasmani Grandal officially not accepting the Dodgers qualifying offer, I am willing to accept that J.T. Realmuto is a very realistic target for the Los Angeles Dodgers this winter.
And I will go on the record and say that I was convinced that Grandal would accept the qualifying offer and that Realmuto would come nowhere close to the Dodgers. I was wrong and now Realmuto is the Dodgers best replacement option behind the dish.
Realmuto is set to be a free agent following the 2020 season, which gives Keibert Ruiz another year in the minor leagues to hone his craft (although he might not even need it).
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The best part is that Realmuto is still in the arbitration phase of his contract, meaning that he will not cost the Dodgers an arm and a leg and really won’t conflict with any other financial plans that the Dodgers plan on making.
This is not a superstar signing or trade that the team does not want to make because of the luxury tax. This is a relatively cheap contract for a relatively great player that would be an upgrade from Yasmani Grandal both offensively and defensively.
It all boils down to whether or not the front office is willing to part ways with prospects and I really don’t think the front office will be hesitant. With Keibert Ruiz ahead of him, the Dodgers can offer Will Smith, who is a top-10 catching prospect right now and could be a piece the Marlins build around.
There would be other pieces in the deal, of course, but the Dodgers can afford to make this deal without needing to give up any of the top-four prospects. That is a huge plus to consider.
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At the end of the day, trading for J.T. Realmuto is the Los Angeles Dodgers best bet both financially and logistically and I am all for the front office pulling the strings to make it happen.