Los Angeles Dodgers: Three trades to make to setup Bryce Harper
By Jason Reed
Trade #3: Trading for a catching platoon mate
The Los Angeles Dodgers still need to add another catcher to the roster. With Yasmani Grandal hitting the open market, right now, the Dodgers look to rely on Austin Barnes and Rocky Gale to be the two catchers.
While Barnes has shown flashes of brilliance, mostly in 2017, this is not a championship-worthy catching platoon and the Dodgers should look to get better in some way.
The biggest fish in the pond is J.T. Realmuto, the Miami Marlins all-star catcher that is on a minuscule contract and is arguably the best hitting catcher in the MLB. While adding Realmuto is nice, he is going to cost a ton and with the other deals being made, I would not want to give up a top prospect.
Instead, the Dodgers should turn to the Pittsburgh Pirates and inquire about Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli is on an expiring deal and would not block Keibert Ruiz from coming up to the big leagues in 2020.
Cervelli would be a good platoon mate alongside Barnes and could serve as the bat to play against southpaws while Barnes can hit right-handers exclusively.
Cervelli’s contract is a tad much, $11.5 million but that is why it is important to trade away Kemp. Even with Harper and Cervelli on board, the Dodgers would have around $10 million in wiggle room to ensure that the team can make other moves or simply live comfortably under the cap.
Kyle Farmer, Jake Peter and Matt Beaty are not highly-touted prospects but they are three big league ready guys that simply have no room on the Dodgers roster. This would be a nice three for one deal for the Pirates to make.