4 OUTFIELDERS THE DODGERS SHOULD TARGET AT THE MLB TRADE DEADLINE

The MLB trade deadline is just under a month away, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are currently sitting at the top of the NL West with a 51-31 record. A good first half of the season has created a nice cushion between them and the second place San Diego Padres.

Despite that, the Dodgers can still look to improve at the deadline, and one place they must scour is the outfield. Recently, the Dodgers have been playing a combination of Teoscar Hernández, Miguel Vargas, Andy Pages, and Jason Heyward in the outfield. It’s been a nice mix of youth and experience, but again, an upgrade or extra option in the outfield never hurts, and there could be a few options available ahead of this year's deadline.

4 outfielders Los Angeles Dodgers should target at MLB Trade Deadline

Luis Robert Jr. 

It’s no secret that the White Sox are going to be sellers, but they do have some talent that can benefit teams trying to win now. This includes one of the biggest names on the trade market, Luis Robert Jr. who, like many in the White Sox organization, could probably use a fresh start.

The asking price for a player of Robert’s caliber is going to be very high, which can be concerning given his numbers in the limited games he has played this season. So far, in 28 games and 114 plate appearances, Robert is slashing .204/.281/.485. That’s quite the drop off for a guy who has a career slash line of .274/.323/.499. But, again, that’s only 28 games worth of data.

However, that’s the other issue with Robert; his ability to stay healthy. Last season, Robert played in 145 games, but outside of that, he hasn’t played over 100 games in any other season, and he isn’t on pace to do so this season either. 

When healthy, Robert is an amazing talent to have play every day at centerfield, as he brings good defense and speed to an important position, and even more power to the Dodgers lineup. A trade for Robert is quite risky, but it could come with great rewards.

Randy Arozarena/Jose Siri

In the offseason, the Dodgers made a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire Tyler Glasnow, and it’s worked out pretty well for Los Angeles, so why not go back? It was rumored that Randy Arozarena could have been included in the Glasnow trade, but ultimately he was left out. So the Dodgers have been interested in the recent past (according to Twitter buzz). Could that interest return despite the slugger's struggles this season? 

Arozerena has always been a streaky player, but he simply hasn’t gotten it going this year. He is currently batting just .189 on the year while also being a negative defender in the outfield. The only thing he is doing at an elite level this year is taking walks, which is boosting his on-base percentage to .303. If this tough start has deterred the Dodgers, maybe they don’t have to look much further.

Jose Siri isn’t really known for his offensive abilities, but in his last 30 games, Siri is batting .270 with an OPS of .820. He’s one of the best defensive centerfielders in the league due to his elite speed, which also makes him a threat on the base paths. Siri is electric, and if things continue to click for him, he could be an amazing addition to the Dodgers and might give them something they don’t currently have on their roster.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

The Miami Marlins, like the White Sox, have had a very rough season and will likely be selling at the deadline. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a player the Marlins could look to deal, and if they do, he would make a lot of sense for the Dodgers.

Although Chisholm has only played in the outfield this season, he has position flexibility, as he started out as a second baseman and can also play shortstop if needed. Chisholm is so frequently viewed as overrated that it's ironically made him underrated. He’s slashing .260/.327/.429 for an OPS of .756 on the season. 

He has also been fantastic with runners in scoring position. He’s hitting .429 with runners at second, .375 with runners on third, and .368 with runners on first and second. The Dodgers lineup is full of players who can get on base, and Chisholm can take advantage of that.

Finally, he has one of the highest baserunning values in the entire league which, again, just gives the Dodgers another unique thing that other teams have to worry about. The Dodgers have taken chances on players before, and Chisholm is full of talent and upside that is just waiting to be released.

This article was originally published on dodgersway.com as 4 outfielders the Dodgers should target at the MLB trade deadline.

2024-06-30T13:02:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd