Los Angeles Dodgers: Why a blockbuster trade won’t happen
By Jason Reed
1. Another NL West team has more ammo
I cannot believe I am actually typing this but there is a chance that the Los Angeles Dodgers do not make any significant trades because the San Diego Padres can out-bid them in any trade for any player that they want.
In fact, the Padres are one of the teams in contact for Realmuto, although their most recent request has reportedly been denied. San Diego was also in on trade talks for Kluber, another rumored trade target for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Say what you will about the Padres but the team does have the ammunition to get a blockbuster trade-off and actually has some talent on the roster that can lead to results as early as 2019.
They have established guys in Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers, although both have not been spectacular in San Diego. The team also has one of, if not the, best farm systems in baseball and has prospects to call up and make an impact as well as prospects that the team can trade away, hence the problem for the Dodgers.
The Padres have 10 prospects in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list for 2019, which includes the second overall prospect (shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.), the second-best catching prospect in Francisco Mejia and the second-best left-handed pitching prospect in Mackenzie Gore.
The Dodgers have a great farm system but the Padres obviously have the upper hand and seem set on finally adding pieces and ridding the loser aura that surrounds the team.