Los Angeles Dodgers: A three-team trade that would win the World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers are, by all accounts, contenders for the 2019 World Series. If the front office can pull off this three-team trade they will win it.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the National League West six consecutive times, have appeared in the NLCS three consecutive times and have won the National League pennant in back-to-back years.

Despite having the third-longest postseason streak ever, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still going on 31 years since the team’s last World Series title. It is safe to say that the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans are hungry.

At first, it appeared as if the Dodgers were going to make subtractions this offseason. The team made a salary dump trade that got rid of valuable pieces towards contending for essentially nothing. With the team not spending on Bryce Harper, it appeared as if the front office was simply saving money.

However, the Dodgers have added the likes of Joe Kelly, Russell Martin and A.J. Pollock. The team is probably as good as it was exiting 2018 and will be better if Pollock can produce like its 2015.

The team is not done though and should be intent on improving the roster, not making subtractions. There are two notable rumors; one that the team is shopping outfielder Joc Pederson and the other being that the team is in on J.T. Realmuto.

There are even rumblings of the Dodgers making a three-team trade. If that is indeed the case, there is a three-team trade that the Los Angeles Dodgers can make that would undoubtedly increase the team’s World Series chances.

Our dream three-team trade?

There is a lot going on here and boy does it make the Los Angeles Dodgers significantly better.

First of all, the Miami Marlins would be getting the coveted trade chip, Keibert Ruiz, out of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ruiz is the third-ranked catching prospect on MLB Pipeline and is undoubtedly the Marlins best option to acquire from the Dodgers.

The Marlins would also be acquiring Austin Barnes. Miami really does not have any suitable starting options behind the plate and Barnes is more valuable than you think. He showed in 2017 that he can be an above-average catcher and could be a sneaky good addition for the Marlins.

Dennis Santana is a young, big-league ready arm that made his debut in 2018 and has the ceiling of a number two starter in a big league rotation. Add Jeter Downs, who the Dodgers acquired from the Reds, and the Marlins would also be getting the Dodgers’ sixth and seventh-best prospects.

As for the White Sox. The team would be flipping one year of Jose Abreu for multiple years of production out of Joc Pederson, Edwin Rios and Josiah Gray, who the Dodgers acquired from the Reds.

Chicago might be intent on freeing up money with or without signing Manny Machado and Abreu is owed $16 million next season. Pederson is under control for three more years and Edwin Rios is an MLB-ready corner infielder that can take Abreu’s spot. Rios hit .304 with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs in 88 games in triple-A last season.

Gray is a 21-year-old pitching prospect with some great upside that the White Sox can continue to develop in the organization.

This is not only a fair return for both teams but a huge shot in the arm to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Realmuto would obviously be behind the plate with Abreu at first, Cody Bellinger in left field and Max Muncy (or Enrique Hernandez/Chris Taylor) at second base.

The Los Angeles Dodgers would be adding $16.9 million in salary, moving the needle from $188.7 million to $205.6. To those counting at home, that is under the $206 million tax threshold. If that is too close for the Dodgers, the Marlins and/or White Sox can agree to pay $5 million or so of Homer Bailey‘s $23 million salary.

Then the Los Angeles Dodgers would have a lineup of A.J. Pollock, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Jose Abreu, Max Muncy, J.T. Realmuto, Alex Verdugo and a pitcher. That is an all-star team, not a normal MLB team.