Los Angeles Dodgers: Three players to target from the Mets for Yasiel Puig
By Jason Reed
2. Zack Wheeler
If the Los Angeles Dodgers cannot land the big fish in Noah Syndergaard then the team should target a smaller name in Zack Wheeler. While Wheeler might not be on the same level as Syndergaard, he would be a decent return if the Dodgers were to get other pieces alongside him as well.
Wheeler had a great year for the Mets last season and proved that he could be a true number three, or even number two guy on a big league staff. The right-hander tossed 182.1 innings to the tune of a 3.31 ERA, 1.124 WHIP and 179 strikeouts.
Dodger fans last saw Wheeler in September when the New York Mets were supposed to be a relief series as the season was entering its dog days. That was not the case, as Wheeler dealt seven frames, allowing three hits and three runs in route to a 7-3 Mets victory.
Dodger Stadium makes pitchers better (as does Rick Honeycutt) and there is no doubt in my mind that Wheeler would be an upgrade on the Dodgers from Alex Wood. Not only would it serve as an upgrade, but it would also balance the rotation of left and right-handed pitchers.
This would give the Dodgers two right-handed pitchers in Wheeler and Walker Buehler and three southpaws in Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Again, Wheeler is no Noah Syndergaard, but adding him to this rotation as either the fourth or fifth arm would produce scary results; if he was packaged with this man: