Los Angeles Dodgers: Why a blockbuster trade won’t happen
By Jason Reed
3. There is nothing groundbreaking on the market
Are J.T. Realmuto and Core Kluber great players? Absolutely. Are both players all-star? Definitely. Heck, are both players among the top-three at their respective positions in their respective leagues? Probably. With all that in mind, the idea that there is nothing groundbreaking on the market seems silly, I get it.
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On one hand, you have the best offensive catcher in baseball and on the other you have the best and most consistent pitcher in the American League over the last few years. Of course, these guys are groundbreaking.
Well, they are to most teams. However, neither Realmuto or Kluber are groundbreaking for the Los Angeles Dodgers and would put the team over the top, hence why they are not worth what their likely asking price is going to be.
The Dodgers are going to be just fine with Barnes and Martin behind the plate. Barnes showed flashes of brilliance and could again be a top-10 catcher in 2019. Meanwhile, Martin is the perfect veteran who actually has a better on-base percentage over the last three seasons than both Realmuto and Yasmani Grandal.
It also does not help that Realmuto has reverse splits and hit just .204 against southpaws last season. That is a big deal when you consider how left-handed heavy the Dodgers are.
Kluber is also an elite player for his position but the Dodgers already have one too many starting pitchers at least and don’t really have room for Kluber. I mean, if the price is right then absolutely but that price is going to be high.
Next. Max Muncy belongs at second base. dark
The Los Angeles Dodgers would be much better off flipping Pederson for Nicholas Castellanos or even Jose Abreu than going after these blockbuster names. Those other trades might not be as big of a deal to the sports world but would be a massive deal to the team.