Los Angeles Dodgers: Joc Pederson-White Sox trade creates dream lineup
By Jason Reed
Although Spring Training is underway, the Los Angeles Dodgers trade rumors around Joc Pederson and the Chicago White Sox have not stopped.
The speculation around the Los Angeles Dodgers seemingly stopped once the team signed A.J. Pollock. The Dodgers don’t appear to be one of the final teams in on Bryce Harper and there really is nothing else for the Dodgers to do in the closing stages of the offseason.
Except for a rumored trade that was reported earlier in the offseason that never came to fruition. That trade is Joc Pederson to the Chicago White Sox. That rumored deal is still possible, according to the Chicago Tribune.
With the Pollock playing center field and the Dodgers having a surplus of left-handed hitters, Joc Pederson naturally became the first on the potential chopping block for the Dodgers. Pederson has about as bad of a split as you can have presents a hole against southpaws.
More from LA Sports Hub
- Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
- LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
- LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
- Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
- LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month
Plus, his trade value is as high as it has been since he has been a big leaguer and now makes sense to make a trade happen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are not going to simply trade Pederson for prospects or someone that does not help the big league team. He is not owed a big contract soon and the Dodgers don’t need to save that money.
Instead, the best thing the team can do is acquire someone that can help the team in 2019. If the trade really does happen with the White Sox, the idea of trading for Jose Abreu creates a dream lineup in LA.
Abreu was tied to the Dodgers early in the offseason and still could be someone that the front office is interested in. With Pederson out, the Dodgers can use Cody Bellinger full-time in left field, Abreu at first and Max Muncy/Chris Taylor at second base.
This adds the much-needed middle-of-the-order right-handed bat for the Dodgers. Abreu has shown legitimate MVP potential and is a career .300 hitter against southpaws.
The White Sox would be inclined to trade Abreu to free up some money this year, as he is a free agent after this season. If Chicago does not plan on keeping Abreu long-term, the team can flip his power for Pederson alongside some prospects.
Pederson, infield prospect Edwin Rios (who is big league ready) and shortstop prospect Jeter Downs would be enough to get the deal done.
The White Sox would be getting a power option in Pederson, a corner infielder that can replace Abreu this year in Rios and a shortstop prospect to look forward to. If the White Sox agree to pay $4.6 million of Abreu’s final season then the Dodgers can avoid going over the luxury tax threshold.
The worst-case scenario would be that the Dodgers go $4.6 million over and have to pay a hefty $920 thousand fine. I am the last to want the team to spend money just to spend but that fine is peanuts compared to the lineup it would create.
Just imagine: Pollock CF, Corey Seager SS, Justin Turner 3B, Bellinger LF, Abreu 1B, Muncy, 2B, Alex Verdugo RF, Russell Martin/Austin Barnes C, pitcher. Abreu is the perfect power-hitting right-handed bat to split two lefties in Bellinger and Muncy to make it harder to gameplan for in October.
Next. Dodgers should run a six-man rotation. dark
Will it happen? Probably not, the Los Angeles Dodgers don’t appear to want to get any closer to that threshold. Maybe it happens at the deadline. Either way, that lineup is scary good.