The Rumors are called that for a reason

Posted By on July 28, 2023

Who predicted the Rosario-Syndergaard trade? No one saw that coming! Of course, the Dodgers weren’t really looking to trade for Rosario, but somehow, they found a team that wanted Thor, and they took the bait. I would have never believed it. Over the winter, the Dodgers signed Syndergaard to take the spot Tyler Anderson left when he signed with the Angels (by the way, he has been almost as bad). Noah was eager to come to the Dodgers because both sides thought he could be “fixed.”

The problem was that the Dodgers wanted to fix him by adding a sweeper, cutter, and a better breaking ball to his repertoire, while he wanted them to sprinkle “fairy dust” on his arm and make him the “Mighty Thor” who threw 150 MPH again! The Dodgers wanted to make him a pitcher; he wanted to be the guy he was five years ago. They had divergent interests, and I always said, “If the Dodgers bring him back from the minors, it’s because they believe he can be salvaged. They ain’t stupid!” It turns out they weren’t! They obviously did not believe that and thank God for the Indians’ belief in Thor. Whatever Ramirez does is icing on the cake.

I know that the Dodgers are talking to the Cardinals on Nolan Arenado and Jordon Montgomery. I know that Bobby Miller and Dalton Rushing are part of what the Cardinals are asking. Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch are also in the conversation along with Jorbit Vivas. Muncy and Taylor are in the deal. That’s a lot to pay. In one fell swoop, you gut the farm of its best pitching prospect and its two best infielders.

Now, these are just rumors. They are like other things, and there are lots of them. I hear they are building a huge building to house all the rumors… bada bing! I would propose that the Aernado/Montgomery trade looks like this:

  • Ryan Pepiot
  • Yenier Fernandez
  • Jorbit Vivas
  • Landon Knack
  • Emmet Sheehan
  • River Ryan
  • Muncy
  • Taylor

That gives the Cards four good arms, a second baseman, a catcher who has a shot at being good, and Muncy and Taylor to balance out the cash. Who knows how the Cardinals value the Dodgers prospects? No one is asking about Diego Cartaya right about now. He went from the penthouse to the outhouse… almost overnight. I still say there is a story behind this… I also say, “Do not write Diego off yet!” His talent is immense, his quickness is amazing and his power is legendary! Talent like that does not grow on trees.

The Marlins traded for David Robertson. The cost was their #20 Prospect and another one that was unranked. The Dodgers could have done better, but like I have been telling you: They do not need relief pitchers. They have enough. David Bednar is not coming either. I still think Verlander is possible, but if the Dodgers don’t get him, I say, “Stay Home!” There are better options on the Dodgers ‘ roster!

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday will be busy days leading up to the deadline. There will be rumors of rumors and more rumors. A lot is BS. Many are conjecture. Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see! Rich Hill was nice a few years ago. I do not see the fascination of a pitcher who has almost a 5.00 ERA. Come on! We have better “in-house Options!”

This article has 169 Comments

  1. “Who predicted the Rosario-Syndergaard trade? No one saw that coming!”

    Bradley saw Ahmed Rosario coming!! Now, if somehow Arrenado comes too?? I”ll then believe Bradley is really Andrew Friedman having fun with us the whole time.

    I hope we don’t trade Bobby Miller in a deal for a 32 year old, and I LOVE Arrenado. But Miller may actually be more of a need for us the rest of 2023 than Arrenado even.

  2. that trade package for Arenado would be insane . No freaking way I would do that trade. An 8-1 including 4 of our best pitching prospects PLUS two accomplished big leaguers with 37 HR between them.
    I always thougth the intention of the trade deadline would be to improve you own team…
    The max I would offer: Pepiot plus one out of Knack/Sheehan/River plus Vivas plus Taylor plus Fernandez.
    That still is a 5 for 1 scoop and plenty enough for a 32 year old.

    DePaula three more hits yesterday. Now batting .283 on the season. Kid is special.

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2. Muncy & CT3 are just throw-ins. They are irrelevant and I am all for paying as little as possible.

      I think he will start the year at GL next year and end up at Tulsa. There is an outside chance he will make GL THIS year if he keeps progressing!

  4. Do any of you imagine that Dodgers trade Urias? It’s fine with me, I don’t like Julio, he’s an idiot, I’m sick of seeing him yell and get angry every inning, same for Will Smith, as well as Seager, who said he wants to win a real championship with Texas…

    1. The Dodgers hope that Urias gets back on track. Without that, they are doomed!

      Will Smith?

  5. Dodgers minor league catcher Dalton Rushing was injured in the first inning of Great Lakes’ game on Thursday, and was helped off the field.

    The play was a dropped third strike of Dayton third baseman Austin Callahan, who Rushing retired by throwing to first base. Jay Allen, who walked and stole two bases in the inning, broke for home on the throw to first base. In fielding the return throw, Rushing was splayed awkwardly at home plate while trying to apply the tag, and immediately laid face down on the dirt in obvious pain after the play.

    Per the Great Lakes broadcast, Rushing was helped off the field by team trainer Ikuo Kato and bench coach Elian Herrera.

  6. Thursday scores
    Oklahoma City 2, Reno 1
    Springfield 7, Tulsa 0
    Dayton 4, Great Lakes 3
    San Jose 12, Rancho Cucamonga 1

    Friday scores
    4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Hyun-il Choi) vs. Dayton (Hunter Parks)
    5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (River Ryan) vs. Springfield (Tink Hence)
    6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Peter Heubeck) vs. San Jose (Mauricio Estrella)
    6:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Matt Andriese) at Reno (TBD)

  8. Realistically, Nolan Arenado is too big a reach and will cost too many prospects.

    The Dodgers simply can’t look at this in a bubble. Focus on the present, but not at the expense of the future.

    When the Dodgers did the trade for Trea Turner and Max Scherzer, there was a definite cost. Hey, but they went for it. Both Turner and Scherzer were great, but Max couldn’t get them to the World Series.

    Max left to sign with the Mets, while Trea had a great season before leaving for the Phillies. It’s a trade I would have made, but now Josiah Gray is an all-star pitcher with a 3.27 ERA and Ruiz is a solid catcher with .245 average.

    The point is, sometimes there is a cost to trades. Pitchers take time to develop. The Dodgers could use both Gray and Ruiz today.

    Giving up numerous top prospects to acquire an Arenado might make for a lot of excitement and a lot of pats on the back, but it could impact the future of the team.
    So, if it’s me, I will try to focus on pitching, which clearly is the biggest concern. The biggest hope is that the current staff pitches better (Gonsolin, Urias) plus for Clayton Kershaw to come back healthy.

    Add to that a Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty or someone else may help anchor the rotation, which has a 4.71 ERA, 23rd in MLB. Consider the Dodgers since 2017 have had the best or second best staff in baseball since 2017 with ERAs in the low threes or better. The past two seasons they had 2.93 and a 2.75 ERA. So focus on the problem, hope for the best from rookies and existing vets. Going after an Arenado type star is an Artie Moreno move.

    Lot of rumors about Lance Lynn who would be cheap in prospect cost, but there would appear to be a lot better options.

    Then again maybe the Dodgers figure they have spotted something. Put a little more finger pressure on the ball and boom, Lynn steps up and is good again. Or boom, the ball sails 400 feet.

    But trade or no trade, the current Dodgers pitchers have to step up their game. Otherwise, it’s a struggle and the bullpen will need to be a difference maker like 2004.

    1. This caught my eye.

      “The point is, sometimes there is a cost to trades.”

      Except for the extremely rare edge cases (the Puig trade) when has there ever NOT been a cost to trades? Isn’t the definition of a trade an exchange of assets?

      1. Looking back the Dodgers have made a lot of trades they’ve totally won, that according to an opposing scout in a recent LA Times trade deadline story. Many of the traded pieces never reached the majors, so many trades are not costly.

        Some writer took a look back a couple of years ago. It’s somewhat amazing how many times the prospects gained in a trade didn’t pan out for the team acquiring them.

      2. *sigh*

        Of course. You’re selecting a specific sentence to make his point sound prosaic.

        He elaborates in the next paragraph. There is a certain short sighted euphoria in trading the future for a star. There is an emotional appeal, and the true costs may not manifest for some time, so the true costs are often overlooked or discarded.

        It’s a reasonable point. No need to always be so nit-picky.

  9. Lots of people want to make trades to make trades.

    It’s not a magic bullet.

    It has to make sense and should help the team.

    Sometimes, it has to be a guy you may not think much of, like Lance Lynn – he throws more fastballs than anyone in baseball. If the Dodgers could get him to trust a cutter or sweeper, it could change everything, but it is a short time to do that! Lance is no longer a fastball pitcher.

    1. Most of the available starters being discussed have higher ERAs than Sheehan. Sheesh!

  10. Just get to the dance and someone: Mookie, Freddie, Will, JD carry this team to a championship…

    As the Phils showed last year, its who is playing the best in October.

    2. Last year, the Phils “hit” their way thru the playoffs with their entire line-up raking them into a WS appearance.

      For the Dodgers to do the same, a potent top order is not enough. They need the bottom order to bat well too in the playoffs. But this requires better RH hitting than what they’ve shown so far. Rosario might help, but other than that, it’s just an inconsistent, oft-injured CT3, a Thompson who doesn’t hit lefty pitching, and Kiki who may be washed. If the Dodgers are to win it all the “philly way” of last year ..then AF must find more capable RHH’s for the bottom order.

      1. Thompson was 2-3 last night with 2 more doubles. He now is 5-8 in his rehab with a homer and three doubles. Will he be that effective when he comes back? Remains to be seen, but he has shown he can hit when he is healthy.

        1. Correct. We already know that he’s a great triple a player. And for a short time he showed some real flash in The bigs. If we do bring him back up, he needs to show that latter part pretty quickly.
          Cheers

        2. Either way, with all the pitching woes continuing to plague the Dodgers for the rest of this season, I see no way they can win enough low-scoring ..3 to 2 //4 to 3.. type playoff games to win a championship now. So the only “formula” that gets it done is to emulate last season’s high-scoring “playoff phillies” where their whole line-up top to bottom (or at least most of them) raked well thru their post-season run.

          But that won’t happen for the Dodgers unless those who platoon with Heyward & Peralta do better against lefty pitchers. Sorry, but I don’t trust the in-house options we got, and that’s why I believe it’s a MUST for AF to remedy this problem with a trade for an outfielder who certifiably hits LHP well!

    3. To help them get there, the Phils made some smart trades, including two with the Angels for Brandon Marsh and…. Syndergaard! Marsh shored up a terrible OF defense and swung the bat OK, and Thor didn’t suck at all. (His suckiness this year is a bit of a mystery to me.)
      The Angels got back two good ones: cather Logan O’Hoppe, who unfortunately was injured early this season, and former overall No.1 pick Mickey Moniak, who is at long last having a breakout season back home in southern California. (He’s from San Diego County.)
      Today we’ll see if Giolito’s debut with the Angels.
      When will we see Lynn and Kelly for the Dodgers?

  11. “We’re at a position as an organization, we can say no to players and we can pick and choose who fits what we do. They got to fit and so there’s a lot that goes into not only talent, but they got to fit with what we’re trying to do.” ~ Dave Roberts as quoted by The Athletic

    Matt Levine of Dodgers Nation spun this quote into his latest article, “Dodgers Should Be Really Selective in Who They Trade For, Dave Roberts Opines”

    Translation ~ It’s extremely unlikely ..1) ANY more trades are made, ..or 2) any “blockbuster trade” is consummated by the deadline. And Roberts verbiage is meant as PR to prepare the Dodgers fanbase for this REALITY.

    1. Put succinctly, Roberts quote and Levine’s article are meant to LOWER the fan-base’s expectations on what will happen by the trade deadline. So a blockbuster trade is slim to none, .and slim is packing up ready to leave town.

  12. JV – What bug is up your butt that you would even consider trading away Will Smith. You crazy? Will is about as non controversial a star as can be. He’s an excellent hitter, fine catcher and I believe a future 3B, 1B or DH. Hopefully on this team if he continues to hit in the way he always has for us.

    I don’t consider CT3 and Muncy simply throw-ins at all. They have value. Granted, not as much as they once did and it’s hard to find a place for them to play with this roster but we’d have to be getting more than Arenado with his best years behind him (sorry to say) in an 8 for 1 trade.

    1. I do not mean to denigrate Max and Chris, but they are throw-ins in the sense of balancing the money and roster.

      It’s actually 8 for 2: Aernado and Montgomery!

      1. Understood from a financial perspective. Though it hurts to acknowledge they’re not the producers they once were, who is?! Still Max or CT coming off the bench are a helluva lot better than Barnesy (whom I feel bad for but is having a truly lousy season at bat) or Thompson was when he was up.

        We’re always reminded it’s a business but we watch it with our hearts.

    2. For the money being paid to CT3 relative to his age, contract length, and recent performance the last two years, I’d say his trade value is pretty low. Moving him would be about unloading the contract.

      1. Just wait until CT3 comes up with a big hit in the playoffs and then it will all be worth it….

        1. Seen him do it a few times. Also seen him strike out at critical times in a game. He and Pollock single handedly won game 5 of the NLCS in 21 and he got them there with his walk off shot in the wild-card game. But overall, for a guy making 15 mil a year, he is underperforming.

          1. If you ever want to smile, youtube “Chris Taylor HR” and the first one that pops up is that HR vs StL in the wild card game 2021.

            Sit back, put the volume loud, and watch the long version where all the field celebrations are going on.

            Matt, this is for you my brother!!!!!!

  14. I’d love to have Arenado. The Dodgers don’t really have a true 3rd baseman in the pipeline. Vargas isn’t the answer, and, contrary to Mark’s wishful thinking, has so far been a bust as a prospect. He may develop next year and into the future, but for now, he’s a bust. Muncy is filling in, but he’s not a 3rd baseman, and he’s been hovering around the Mendoza line for a few years now.

    Although, if you take a hard look at Arenado’s stats, you can almost get a sense that he has reached his peak and is just ever so slightly edging to the declining side of that performance bell curve. If the Dodgers emptied the farm for him, they’d likely be getting some good years, but probably not his best years. I guess you can say the same thing with Freeman and Betts, though you’d have a really really good team for the next five years.

    Cataya is tradable, but his value has tanked. Rushing is a possibility because the Dodgers have Will Smith. The Dodgers have a need for Bobby Miller, so he’s off the table, IMO.

    1. As stated earlier, Rushing was hurt last night. He is off the table for now. Arenado has the unfortunate fate of not having a decent bat behind him. He is protecting Goldschmidt, but no one is protecting him. Declining? He is right at his career average, on pace for 100 ribbies again. His OPS is 50 points higher than Max. He doesn’t walk as much, but he strikes out less. His OPS+ is 131. He had two bad seasons where he was right at .250. His last season in Colorado and his first year in St. Louis. I would much rather have Arenado in the three or four hole than Max. And defensively, there is really no one better. You get three years out of the time he has left on his deal of the same kind of production and defense, that is a win-win any day. Of course, it most likely will not come to pass. There is also another rumor out there that the Dodgers are looking at catchers too.

      1. Arenado is done. Put a fork in him. His defense has completely tanked. If I’m the Dodgers I don’t touch him with a ten foot pole. (sarcasm)

      2. Stole this from the other place, thought it interesting and relevant.

        Name, Avg, Ops, HR, Age.

        Nolan .287, .857, 22, 32, 77 RBI.
        Maxy .197, .807, 25, 32, 67 RBI.

        Not much of a difference other than the batting average. And Arenado costs a lot more.

        Not sure it is worth it to give up top prospects for a marginal improvement. Especially with that contract.

        2. Thank you, Bluto, for providing perspective sorely needed around here.

          You don’t give up the future for a present you probably don’t have (without top pitching) for a guy who is marginally better than the guy we have, and who costs a lot more to feed.

  15. While making trades may not result in a magic bullet, the Dodgers have several MiLB players that are rule 5 eligible this year. So making some trades, even if it’s around the edges would be prudent.

  16. Seems the Cardinal’s attempt to extend Jordan Hicks have not been fruitful so far. If they decide to move him, Dodgers are one of the interested teams.

  17. MLB Trade Rumors reporting that Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly might be coming.

    YIKES!!

    1. Rosenthal indicates it’s more will be than might be.

      We need Lynn for the innings he can give us, even if they’re mediocre innings, although I expect that with something to pitch for he’ll do better here than he did in Chicago.

      I would not have included Kelly. Way too injury prone. He’ll probably spend 3-4 weeks on the IL between now and October.

      As Mushers Pop indicated, hopefully we’re giving them guys who would have been Rule 5 eligible.

  18. I see those angels have an unlikely but certainly possible chance of getting into a tie for the last wild card spot this weekend. Still hoping for that someday freeway series.

  20. Chicago sports talk is excited, ONLY because they know how good the Dodgers’ farm system is, so they feel even if it’s a top 15 Dodger prospect, it’s still better than most teams’ top 10 prospects. (Truth)

  21. Lance Lynn – this year is 6-9, 6.47, WHIP 1.462, -1.2 WAR. His last good season was 2021. He has never been that good. And he’s 35.

    Tailgunner Joe Kelly is 1-5, 4.97, WHIP 1.31, 12 BB in 29 IP. Since going to the Chisox, he had a 6.08 ERA last year. He was mostly bad in Dodger Blue and always had troubles throwing strikes. And he’s also 35.

    I don’t want either of them.

      1. More likely to break down with injury. Lynn made 21 starts last year and threw 120 innings. Kelly already on the IL twice this year.

    2. What a Ray of sunshine!

      Change of scenery, pennant chase, 50K fans, new coaches can do wonders!

      1. Yeah – horrible pitching doesn’t matter. Just sprinkle a little pixie dust on him and he’ll be Cy Young. Like Thor.

        Just joining the Dodgers doesn’t make anyone better. They can’t “fix” everyone, certainly not in 2 months.

        The Dodgers get the worst defensive SS in MLB, a pitcher with an ERA over 6 who’s already given up 28 HR on the season, a reliever who has always had trouble throwing strikes, and it’s “glorious”?

    4. Watching MLB today on the MLB network. They profiled Lynn. Some of his stats are very close to his career numbers. But a couple of his stats are elevated. I believe Mark Prior will help him recover some of his magic.

        2. No, check the write up about Lynn on MLBTR. They quote the stats better than I can. His K rate and BB rate are very close to his career norms. His BAA is higher than it has been. It might be nothing more than a minor mechanical issue. Lynn still throws hard. But he is not as reliant on his fastball as Syndergaard was.

          1. How much longer do we wait for Prior & Co. to apply the fixes for the mechanical issues still plaguing Gonsolin and Urias?

  22. Dodgers send Nick Nastrini, Jordan Leisure, and Trayce Thompson to Chicago for those 2 elite arms.

  23. Nastrini, Trayce and Leasure going the other way.

    Nastrini makes it feel a little heavy, but not horribly.

    Not a thrilling deal any way you view it.

    What’s curious is it does nothing to cure the Rule 5 crunch this off-season as both Leasure and Nastrini weren’t eligible until next year.

  26. Horrible trade for the Dodgers IMHO.
    Two big young arm (plus TT)s for two washed up has beens. And to make it worse both kids are not Rule 5 eligible.
    Whats next? Bobby Miller for a bag of balls ?

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Old Bear, from a distance it seems like a lousy change for Dodgers, guaranteed with Kelly to Lynn you have to give him the benefit of the doubt, however I am pessimistic because the numbers do not lie.
      On the other hand, based on the fact that AF knows what he is doing (I hope so), those guys that the main office saw them have something and that the good connoisseurs of this Blog do not see, what do you think, Bear?

      1. I defer to AF’s judgement. I am pretty sure they had talks on Giolito and decided that Lynn would cost them less. Kelly has closer experience. He is a known commodity. Lynn is having his worst year, but , his stats are close to what he has done in the past. His BAA is higher, but his ground ball rate is only slightly elevated and his K ratio is almost the same. His big bugaboo has been the HR.

        1. Thanks Old Bear, let’s hope the best for all the newly acquired players and therefore for the team.

  28. Something else I stole:

    FWIW, trade simulator sees it as a clear steal for the White Sox.

    Jordan Leasure: 0.1
    Nick Nastrini: 7.6
    Trayce Thompson: 0.4
    Dodgers total: 8.1

    Lance Lynn: -0.6
    Joe Kelly: -0.4
    CWS total: -1.0

    1. Nastrini was one of the best pitchers in the Texas league this season.
      Head scratcher for me.

      Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      1. AF has lost his mind….acting desperate…..I’m concerned even more today than I have ever been….

        1. Obviously, AF’s mind is intact, but yeah, this latest trade blares “desperate.” There must be a lot more wrong behind-the-scenes about this team’s SP’s that we the fans are not privy to. We should be concerned.

          1. I do agree with AF on one point…..we desperately need better arms and to replace several guys in the lineup today if we are going to have a chance. No way can we stay put, so I guess he thinks these two guys will remove two worse guys. He may be right. But I’m not sure.

            I’d rather have Lynn than Thor or Sheehan, so that’s a good thing.

            I’m not sure who I would rather have Kelly over in the BP though. I need more time to think on that one. I wouldn’t mind Kelly to pitch to one guy only…but 3 scares me. Could be 3 walks.

            If Rosario can hit and pick up his defense, I’d be okay with him too….and I do love KiKe, so I guess it’s not all bad.

      2. Nastrini regressed this year. I like him, and think it may have been an overpay. But let’s not lie about things.

        1. How do you see this as benefiting our team? Lynn has been awful this year. Why would I think a change in scenery will make him an All Star? Kelly is…..Kelly….wild man, unreliable, oh, and did I say wild?

          2. The plan is for Lynn and Kelly to be fixed by Prior and his staff. They couldn’t fix Thor, but they have good track record of bringing out the best in pitchers.
            As a part-time Angels fan, I was among those who criticized the Dodgers signing of Andrew Heaney as a FA, in part because he gave up too many HRs. Heaney pitched really well for the Dodgers before he got hurt. The HR ball has been Lynn’s problem this year. And Lynn has been a much better pitcher than Heaney ever was.
            As Jayne points out, the Dodgers know Joe Kelly well, just as they know Kike. The brass sees the upside in their abilities and figure they’ll be better with the Dodgers.
            The price is fair. Both Nastrini and Leasure have ML ability but the Dodgers have a lot of these guys. (In negotiations, the Sox might have said “We want Fasso” and Brandon Gomes said, “Nope, but we’re willing to include Nastrini.” We really don’t know. But if you don’t think your minor league talent has a clear path to the big club, why not trade them to improve the here and now?
            Nastrini, Leasure and Trayce should emerge from the trade feeling wanted. This is a good opportunity for all of them.

          3. According to the sunshine-up-our-butt soothsayers, we’re suppose to buy the notion that Prior will apply his mechanical fixes to Lynn so that he goes from being an awful pitcher to a merely a sub-par pitcher.

            And that is why we should be “happy” about this trade.

        2. I don’t see this as an overpay.
          It’s a sellers’ market, so the Sox have leverage. They got a nice overpay for Giolito–but then the Angels are a bit desperate, trying to get a wild card berth. I assume the Dodgers and other teams made offers for Giolito, but the Angels offered of their No. 2 and 3 prospects, two guys that could be very good major league.. The Angels went all in.
          So the Dodgers turn their attention to Lynn and Kelly. Perhaps Nastrini and Leasure turn out to be good major leaguers, but we already know that Lynn and Kelly have been there and done that. Now they are talented veterans having their worst season for a bad team.
          We can assume the Dodgers did their due diligence and must think the problems that Lynn and Kelly are having can be addressed.
          We’ll see.

    1. Agree.
      I thin k the Dodgers are counting on Buehler to make a return in time for the postseason and trying to bridge the time with Lynn as an innings eater.
      Kelly ? Dont know what they think he can contribute this time around. His numbers say he is not better than Bickford.

      Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!

    2. I don’t know or anticipate or really welcome a trade for Verlander, but they MUST clear 40 man spaces.

      Maybe a deal like last year’s Mitch White deal? A 40 man resident for upside lower-level minor leaguer?

  30. Trade doesn’t move the needle much, but it’s obvious AF had to get additional SP. Feel much better starting Lynn over Sheehan in a pennant race, but not by much. Nastrini’s future is a relief pitcher in the big leagues and TT is what we saw over the first half.

    What the last two trades highlight for me is the failed offseason evaluation that Syndergaard and TT were both ready for big time roles in the starting rotation and as a platoon OF. That AF could get the Guardians and CWS to take them in trade to lessen the salary impact is a stroke of genius.

    All-in-all the trades to this point improve the margins of the roster and don’t appear to be impactful moves. Far from standing pat that some thought might be the approach to the trade deadline.

  31. Well, this Dodgers/White Sox trade confirms it.

    AF, Doc & Co. are really, really, really, really worried about their in-house pitching options for the rest of this season.

  32. From The Athletic: “Andy McCullough: The Dodgers have revealed their strategy for this deadline: Acquire players who were pretty good in 2021. They can add Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to a pile that includes Kiké Hernández and Amed Rosario. “

    1. Ya’ think the Dodgers discovered a formula that justifies this strategy? ……meebee.

  33. So when the dodgers add lance Lynn and Jordan Montgomery to starting rotation who goes to the bullpen I think Gonsolin does unless they do a six man rotation.
    Kershaw
    Montgomery
    Lynn
    Urias
    Miller
    Gonsolin bullpen reliever or sixman rotation.

      1. He is predicting they will make the deal. No, you have not missed anything yet. Kershaw is going to throw a three inning simulated game. If he comes out of that ok, he will be back in the rotation.

        1. I am saying in the playoffs bear. Predicting starting rotation for the playoffs

          1. I get it, but in the playoffs, they use less starters. In a 5 game series, NLDS you only need three. You can do the same in the World Series. Rarely does a team use more than four. If they went into the playoffs today, and all the starters were healthy, the rotation would be Kersh, Urias and most likely Lynn. If they traded for Montgomery, he would be in the mix. Depending on how soon he is ready to pitch, Buehler would be in the mix also.

        1. Very iffy at this point. St. Louis would need young pitchers. They could of course send guys like Grove, Stone, or Pepiot. Graveman sent to the Astro’s by the White Sox who are in full sell mode.

    2. I’m fine with the Lynn/Kelly deal, and not only because Lynn>Syndergaard.
      Just seems like a step in the right direction given the Dodgers’ pitching woes.
      Both of these guys are accomplished veterans who are having their worst seasons. The advanced stats suggest that part of this is from bad luck. I’d say another part is from playing on a bad team–and now that part is solved. But there’s also reason to believe that Mark Prior and his staff can help these guys get back on track. Their pixie dust didn’t work on Thor, but it helped Heaney, Anderson, Phillips, Brasier, Almonte and others.

      Something else: Both Lynn and Kelly bring a snarling nastiness to their game. The Dodgers are loaded with friendly guys like Kershaw, Mookie, Freddie–Will Smith looks like choirboy. Lynn cusses on the mound and of course Joe Kelly famously mocked Correa–and inspired an LA mural for his deeds. Lynn and Kelly bring a competitive fire often seems to be lacking on the Dodgers. (Certainly it was lacking when the Pads drubbed them in playoffs last year.)
      The price seems fair. Both Nastrini and Leasure appear to have ML talent, but so do many other arms in Tulsa. On the Dodgers they were highly redundant. And I’m glad that Trayce Thompson is going back to the franchise that drafted him in the first place. He’s a journeyman who should be a good 4th OF for the Sox, but really had no future with these Dodgers.
      Play long and prosper, Trayce.

  34. Interesting Trade. TT wasn’t going to make it out of AAA this year. So that’s not surprising. But as Bluto pointed out, neither of the other two were rule 5 eligible, which I find curious. But I’ve said all along the Dodgers needed to clear out some room in the system. It’s a good problem to have such a deep minor league system, but the flip side is that you have to do periodic housecleaning.

    Prior must see something in Lynn that is fixable. He’s been been a two outcome pitcher this year. Strikeout or crushed.

    I like bringing Joe Kelly back. They know his limitations. But he brings a fire to the bullpen that has been missing. I think he can help some of our young arms gain some confidence. Joe might get lit up one day and come out, literally, ready to brawl the next day. There is something to be said about that.

    There is a reason the Dodgers are targeting former players. They know what they can do and know what they can’t. But they also know them personally. What they’re made of. That was something missing last year, big time. The fire in the belly.

    Dave Roberts isn’t the kind of manager that will get ejected to fire up the team. But Joe Kelly can certainly fill that role.

    https://twitter.com/mlbonfox/status/1685006246360031232?s=46&t=QLZL6rUStVTcnhF7gF-Qig

  36. One thing about Joe Kelly, he is definitely entertaining. Batters will have to stay loose when he is pitching. If, and this is a big if, he has his control, his stuff is super nasty. When he is wild, best bet is to hide in the clubhouse. Lynn will eat innings if nothing else. I still think they will add one more starting pitcher and maybe a bat. I also have to believe that Rosario will now become the starting SS. He is such a better hitter than Kike or Rojas. The best SS option for me would have been Mookie.

  37. Steven Nesbit of The Athletic said it best ….

    Lynn has been one of the most perplexing starting pitchers in baseball this season. A two-time All-Star with a 3.52 career ERA entering 2023, Lynn’s ERA this season quickly ballooned north of 7 in April and now sits at 6.47. He is, as Grant Brisbee wrote mere hours before the trade, “an anthropomorphic coin that reads ‘strikeout’ on one side and ‘soul-crushing dinger’ on the other.” The knee-jerk reaction to reports Tampa was closing in on a Lynn deal Wednesday was to shrug and say, “The Rays are going to somehow turn him back into vintage Lynn, aren’t they?” But that trade never transpired, and a non-vintage Lynn served up seven runs in 4 2/3 innings that night. Kelly piggy-backed that start and joined the implosion with this inspired sequence: steal, strikeout-wild pitch, steal, hit by pitch, walk, walk. His updated ERA: 4.97. And that was how both Lynn and Kelly ended their White Sox careers.

  38. Well Lynn and his era fit in perfectly with our existing staff! Still waiting for the big one!

    2. Not too thrilled either, definitely a head scratcher.

      The other night I heard Lance Lynn has thrown the most pitches of any pitcher this year.

      Kelly – He’s lights out or wildman.

      Do agree with the poster up above that they do bring some attitude to the team so maybe that will rub off.

  40. I thought Dodgers did well getting Kike and Rosario for very little. Both provide good bats against LHP and versatility in the field including SS.
    I understand adding Lynn and Kelly, but it seems that the Dodgers gave up a good prospect in Nastrini, and had to release Justin Bruihl to add these two. Bruihl has been a useful reliever to me, and hate to see him released just to add a struggling Kelly.
    It seems the Dodgers gave up almost as much to get Lynn and Kelly as the Angels gave up for Giolito and Lopez. I would have preferred Giolito and Lopez, but maybe Prior can fix Lance Lynn.
    Friedman usually makes the right moves, so let’s see if Lynn outperforms Giolito.

    1. He was not released. He was designated for assignment. That means the Dodgers have seven days to trade or sell him to another team. Bruihl is at best, the third best lefthanded option out of the pen. Ferguson and Vesia ahead of him on the depth chart. Eddys Leonard was DFAd also. He really has regressed as a prospect.

      1. Good points. But they will likely lose Bruihl for nothing and he has pitched better than Kelly this year.
        Still looks like Angels made the better trade with white Sox.

  42. 1. That proposed trade for Arenado is crazy. Moving Vargas, Rushing, Miller, Busch as centerpieces for Arenado would be a dope fiend move. Plus, Cardinals need and want controllable young starters. Mark’s trade suggestion is a bit better but still too much. Pick one of Sheehan or Ryan and it becomes more reasonable but I would pass on that as well. Trade for the rental in Montgomery, make do with Muncy at third, and revisit in the off season if needed.
    2. The crazy thing is that AF and the Dodgers have telegraphed their approach this year since the end of last year. They have traded for rentals and signed players to one year deals last winter to fill holes in roster. Certainly appears they are clearing salary for 2023. By all accounts, to make a run at Ohtani. Not likely to sign Urias, May be looking to get out from under Taylor and Muncy contracts now or in the off season. Not sure why anyone was expecting them to go all in at deadline and moving top prospects to go for it. Ask the Padres how that went last year and so far this year.
    3. Not sure how any of these acquisitions will work out. But, Lynn can’t be any worse than Sheehan or Gonsolin has been recently, Kelly may or may not help but he has a better track record than Bickford, Bruihl, Tyler Miller, etc. and Rosario and Kike are better bets to succeed in their role than Yonny Hernández, Johnny DeLuca, etc. That is exactly what it means to improve at the margins of the roster. Rumors suggest they are still interested in Pham or Canha from Mets and I think they may add another starter – Montgomery?
    4. I don’t think the Dodgers regarded Nastrini as one of their top 5 right hand pitching prospects. Pretty sure they value Miller, Stone, Sheehan, Pepiot, Knack, Ryan, and Frasso more highly. So including him in a deal is definitely trading from a position of strength. They will create room for the Rule 5 eligible players they want to keep when the time comes.
    5. If, it is likely a big if, a reasonable trade for Arenado or some other impactful, controllable player is presented I have no doubt Friedman will make the move. But short of that, I think he is executing the same plan he has followed since last November.

  43. I don’t understand why so much criticism of the trades made, none is to be the savior of the team, and the team doesn’t need a savior either, the key word is TEAM, they became part of the team, not the stars of the team. Possibly another catcher will arrive with unspectacular numbers and criticism will rain down again that it will not be a Salvador Pérez and more. The bench had to be strengthened and that is what is being done… And by the way, I never said that I want to trade Will Smith!

    1. I don’t understand why so much criticism of the trades made, none is to be the savior of the team, and the team doesn’t need a savior either, the key word is TEAM, they became part of the team, not the stars of the team.

      Best comment yet!

      1. Yep, good comment.
        That’s part of my point: A talented pitcher on a bad team will wind up with uglier results than that same pitcher on a good team. This is also why a guy like Arenado is so appealing–his defense makes every pitcher better.
        He’s worth an overpay.
        As NH Dodger points out, the Dodgers still have a lot of SP prospect capital–and maybe that can persuade the Cards to deal.

  44. Well, if you look it at a whole, MLB pitching has took a real dive this year. Just look Alcantara, Our own Urias and Gonsolin, Verlander, Schelzer, the Toronto last year all star that was optioned to AAA. When you said MStroman have been bad, you just have to go uffff!!
    There are 6 pitchers under 3.00 era and 22 under 3.50, MStroman is 23.
    If you ask me, that was a good trade. Kelly just subs PBickford and Lynn go for Sheenan. The kid just will continue to tired as the season goes by. We need an inning eater because Urias and Gonzo going 4 innings is the worst part of the rotation.

    1. Pitch clock has something to do with it. Urias used to be able to walk around the mound to compose himself. Now he has to get back on the mound and pitch.

  45. Whatever happens, it’s an absolute must for the Dodgers to get an outfielder by the deadline who certifiably hits LHP well. The in-house platoon options for Heyward & Paralta just won’t cut it.

    1. Mookie and Outman both hit lefties pretty well. Outman has batted .301 toward a .761 OPS, but most of his power comes against northpaws. No need to cite Mookie’s stats–but we might want him at 2B.
      The other platoon options now are Taylor and Kike. Taylor has an .805 OPS against southpaws, and in Boston Kike was at .652. Meh.
      Pham or Canha or Brent Rooker perhaps?

      1. Taylor still K’s too much and is now a health concern. I don’t trust him. Outman making hopeful progress but he also needs to cut back on his K’s, or else his progress may stall and regress. Not yet sold on him for the playoffs. Kiki just too meh.

        As it stands now, opposing teams come playoff time will load up on lefty pitching to throw at the Dodgers in the latter innings to thwart Peralta and Heyward in the bottom order. Teams are doing that now, and it’s working for them. This will be the Dodgers undoing unless they get a platoon outfielder who can RELIABLY hit LHP well!

        Pham, Cahna, or Rooker? I don’t know, ..maybe.

  46. DODGERS PRESS RELEASE

    DODGERS ACQUIRE LANCE LYNN & JOE KELLY

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired right-handed pitchers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for outfielder Trayce Thompson and right-handed pitchers Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated infielder Eddys Leonard and left-handed pitcher Justin Bruihl.

    Lynn, 36, has made 21 appearances for the White Sox and he is 6-9 with a 6.47 ERA (86 ER/119.2 IP) and 144 strikeouts this season. He had a banner season in his first season with Chicago, going 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA (47 ER/157.0 IP) and 176 strikeouts in 28 starts for the White Sox, earning his second All-Star bid and finishing third for the American League Cy Young. His other All-Star nod was in his first full season in 2012, going 18-7 with a 3.78 ERA (74 ER/176.0 IP) and 180 strikeouts. He has been in the Major Leagues parts of 12 seasons with St. Louis (2011-17), Minnesota (2018), New York-AL (2018), Texas (2019-20) and Chicago-AL (2021-23) and he is a combined 129-93 with a 3.71 ERA (753 ER/1825.0 IP) and 1859 strikeouts. He was originally drafted in the first round (39th overall) of 2008 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Mississippi by the St. Louis Cardinals.

    Kelly, 35, returns for his second stint with the Dodgers after going 7-4 with a 3.59 ERA (42 ER/105.1 IP) and 121 strikeouts in three seasons with Los Angeles. This season, he is 1-5 with a 4.97 ERA (16 ER/29.0 IP) and 41 strikeouts in 31 games for the White Sox. He has been in the Major Leagues parts of 12 years with St. Louis (2012-14), Boston (2014-18), Los Angeles (2019-21) and Chicago-AL (2022-23) and he is 52-37 with a 3.98 ERA (352 ER/796.2 IP) and 713 strikeouts in 439 games. He was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of the University of California, Riverside.

    Thompson, 32, has been on the injured list since June 4 after appearing in 36 games for the Dodgers. He hit .155 (11-for-71) with five homers and 14 RBI. He has been in the Majors parts of seven seasons, hitting .216 (184-for-853) with 44 homers and 123 RBI. He was originally drafted by the White Sox in the second round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of Santa Margarita Catholic High School.

    Nastrini, 23, appeared in 17 games for Tulsa this season, going 5-3 with a 4.03 ERA (33 ER/73.2 IP) and 85 strikeouts. He has been with the Dodgers parts of three minor league seasons and he is a combined 11-7 with a 3.83 ERA (87 ER/204.1 IP) and 286 strikeouts against 99 walks in 51 games. He was drafted by the Dodgers in fourth round of the 2021 First Year Player Draft out of UCLA.

    Leasure, 24, was 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA (12 ER/35.0 IP) and 56 strikeouts in 29 games for Tulsa this season. He has been with the Dodgers since 2021, going a combined 5-4 with a 3.46 ERA (40 ER/104.0 IP) and 153 strikeouts against 43 walks in 86 games. The right-hander was originally drafted in the 14th round of the 2021 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Tampa.

    1. Not happy about trading for Lynn but sometimes that’s what prospects are for. Bad value if you ask me.

  47. Today’s line up. Betts, RF, Freeman, 1B, Smith, C, Martinez, DH, Rosario, SS, Muncy, 3B, Taylor, LF, Hernandez, CF, Rojas, 2B, Miller, P.

    1. Loading up vs a southpaw, with Rosario at SS and Kike in CF.
      Rojas moving to 2B and Outman starting on the pine.
      All righty bats in the OF for a change.
      Is this Rojas’s first start at 2B?
      If persistent rumors of Pham or Canha are true, I guess Roberts could play Taylor in Muncy’s place at the start. Max has pretty ugly splits.
      But Outman is hitting OK against both lefties and righties . Why not left Outman play CF, move Kike to LF and Taylor to 3B?
      I prefer the persistent Arenado rumors…

  48. Thinking about it, and looking at Lynn’s stats over the years, he might not be a bad 2 month gamble:

    1) he has the type of talent to get hot and dominate
    2) he’s more likely to get us at 6+ innings over the next 2 months than either Grove or Sheehan (let alone Gonsolin), which saves the bullpen down the stretch
    3) he has playoff experience so he won’t be phased by the pennant race in LA
    4) he has the type of arm and strikeout ability to be a really good 2 inning type guy in October
    5) we dealt from a position of strength, which is our minor league right handed starters: Between Knack, Stone, Hurt, Ryan, and including Miller and Sheehan and Grove who are already here, Nastrini is likely on the bottom end of that list

    2. You forgot Frasso….
      Yes, a lot of young pitching talent. I’m optimistic about Lynn for all the reason you cite, but mostly his past success and his competitive demeanor. I was hoping the Dodgers would get him a few years ago, but he went to the White Sox.
      A lot of good pitchers have bounced back from bad seasons–and some bounce back in the middle of the season. My guess is that the Dodgers still want Montgomery or Flaherty. The brass has made several moves that they think will improve the team–and perhaps Nastrini is the biggest loss. Dodgers have improved their first-place team and still have premium prospects like Cartaya, Rushing, Busch and pitchers we’ve mentioned.
      Amed Rosario had a good debut tonight, and Kike doubled. The result wasn’t pleasing, but there was a lot to like in this loss. Miller battled back from that brutal first inning, and the Dodgers came back strong after falling behind 6-2.
      A few more days in the marketplace. They certainly have prospect capital to swing a deal for Arenado, if the Cards are willing.

      1. Duke, Lynn has won 2 of his last 3 starts. He is #5 in the AL in K’s with 144. One of those three starts he went 7 innings, gave up one hit and struck out 11. He went 5.1 and 6 innings in the other two. He has been on a World Series winner and he has extensive post season experience. For what they cost, Kelly and Lynn bring a lot of attitude to that pitching staff. Bickford will most likely be one of the pitchers sent down, the other, Sheehan.

  49. Dan O’Dowd, MLB TV, expects the Dodgers to land another pitcher. Mets now expected to move Justin Verlander. A trade match?

    1. Doubt they will pay the price the Mets might want and his contract is huge. Unless the Mets pay some of that salary, I don’t see a match.

      1. If the Mets decide to move Verlander they will absolutely pay part of the contract. That’s the only way they get good prospects back and prospects are much more important to Steve Cohen than money is.

  50. 10:10 PM ET

    Reds (56-48)
    Dodgers (58-43)

    SP B. Williamson L
    2-2 4.60 ERA
    SP Bobby Miller R
    6-1 4.28 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    RF Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    DH J. Martinez R
    SS Amed Rosario R
    3B Max Muncy L
    LF Chris Taylor R
    CF E. Hernandez R
    2B Miguel Rojas R

    81° Wind 8 mph Out

  51. Bad loss. Bobby Miller made one mistake and it cost him 2 runs. Other than that the Reds only had soft contact that somehow dropped in and then they were off to the races, which is their game.
    Almonte ? Hmm, could Kelly take his place in the pen ? Or will it be Bickford ?

    Trade for Lynn and Kelly in the end cost us among others our Nr. 9 prospect (Nastrini) and it forced us to DFA our Nr. 15 prospect (Leonhard) .

    Don´t like it all.

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!

    1. It won’t be Almonte. And it shouldn’t be. He has dropped his ERA 2 runs over the last month. Over his last 15 games his ERA is 1.93. Bickford on the other hand, has not been that sharp. He still walks too many guys. Leonard was stalled at AA, He was hitting .257. He is a SS and is basically blocked and not going to push any of the SS ahead of him off of the roster. They can still get something back for Leonard as he can be traded. Prospects are capital. Nastrini was expendable because they have a ton of RH starting pitchers in the minors. Don’t knock the trade until the results are in. One thing we all know, Kelly and Lynn are both veteran players who bring a lot of attitude and fire to the roster. Both have also been World Series champs. Lynn is 5th in the AL in strikeouts. He has 144 in just under 120 innings pitched. He has won 2 of his last 3 starts. One of them a 7 inning 11, strike out one hit performance. When is the last time a Dodger starter went 7? I doubt the Dodger front office cares that you do not like the trade. They needed a starting pitcher who can eat innings and save the pen and that is exactly what Lynn is. Bad loss? Not really, they almost came back to win. But the same old bugaboo bit them they were lousy with men in scoring position. Busch hit his 15th homer last night and is now hitting .315. Calhoun hit two and is hitting .305.

      1. Look at the hr Lynn has given up. look at the hits he has given up and look at his ERA.
        Enough said.
        And I dont care what the Dodgers front office thinks about this trade. I can only speak for myself and I think that trade was a bad one. Two pitchers with horrible numbers all year. I do not see improvement over what we already had.
        Wewill see if the Dodgers can get something for Leonhard. I doubt it.

        Vargas too hit a HR yesterday but with the latest aquisitions I think he will remain in OKC the rest of the season. Maybe a September callup.

        And Yes, it was a bad loss for exactly the reason you cited yourself. No clutch hitting and one of the bullpen pieces falling completely apart. That was a problem almost all year though it appeared to getting better lately.
        Bullpen ERA is still not where it should be.

        1. Yeah, the HR ball has been his big weakness. But a couple of things, he is changing leagues. His strikeout rate is excellent, and I think you are judging the trade before we see the results of any of it. None of those guys they traded were going to be part of this year’s team. I trust their judgement. Vargas has little chance of coming back this season, and that is ok. He needs to regain his confidence. Oh yeah, it is spelled Leonard. There is no H in his name. Me thinks ye doth protest too much. No, but the bullpen has been the best in the NL over the last month and the ERA is dwindling.

          1. Hahaha, I always laugh when someone feels urged to lecture another user on an internet blog because of a little misspell. Always a great “argument” !
            And no problem if you trust their judgement. I do not see improvement to our roster with the moves being made so far.
            Why guys like Kelly and Lynn all of a sudden should be much better than they were so far this season is more wishful thinking than realism. But miracles do happen so lets hope one of them will unfold right before our eyes.

            Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          2. Like I said, they care less if you like them or not. And come on, you are supposed to be an educated guy. Misspelling something as easy as a player’s name when all you need to do is read and copy, well, that is just plain laziness. I will admit this, and it is simply because I got into the bad habit, I have been misspelling Giolito for weeks. It is spelled with one t not two. You go to spell check on here, and it adds a t. They obviously have better knowledge of what is going on with both players. And their clubhouse presence cannot be discounted. Why is it wishful thinking to believe that they can turn their seasons around??? How many times in baseball, even in the last several seasons has a player been traded and just the change of scenery has improved his game? Maybe a pitching coach sees a glitch in the pitcher’s mechanics. It happens all the time. And that is reality not wishful thinking. My correcting your spelling was just telling you I think you are better than that and capable of spelling a guys name correctly. How many guys here actually spell Buehler correctly? Not many.

  52. Didn’t think we would win…..just had a bad feeling. Of course, I look to see who is pitching for us first and foremost. Miller, Sheehan, Gonsolin….sigh! So I know this will come off as a Debbie Downer but unless we score 7 or more runs, we probably won’t win. Our SP….all of them…..pretty much stink right now. (Clayton excluded of course)

    And I never feel good if opposing team is throwing their ace against us. Like right now, I think Padres manhandle us again like they did in the playoffs last year. Their pitching is 10x better than ours.

    Okay, I got that out of my system….you may pick up your rocks now…I can take it.

    TM (said while ducking)

    1. Their starters maybe, but their pen is not as good as it was. Of course, we all need to wait and see what they might do during the next couple of days. Right now the Dodgers are 5-1 against the Padres. They have a 4 game series with them in San Diego next week. They have beaten Snell and Musgrove, out scored them 21-12 and have won their last five games against them.

  53. Both San Francisco and Arizona lost also, so blew a chance to put more distance between them. Liked what I saw from Rosario! Adding Arenado would make the lineup much more even to Atlanta. Taylor was awful on the bases last night! I wasn’t thrilled with the Lynn trade at first, but the more I think about it , it makes sense. Clayton should be back soon. There’s 6-7 innings a start. Julio will be fine, there’s 5-7 innings per start . Bobby , 5-6 innings per start. Lynn, 6-7 innings. Tony? Mark said earlier in the season, he ain’t right! He does not resemble the Tony from last year. He’s afraid to use his fastball,& his splitter is all over! Emmit needs to go down before he loses his confidence. Grove? Relief pitcher nothing more. Good stuff for 2-3 innings then goes wrong way! If the move for Nolan can be made, do it! With his bat and more importantly his defense we can win it all! Max needs a change. He needs to play first or full time DH.. if Taylor and Max are part of a package so be it. Look at all the swing and miss you get rid of . Like them both but it’s time! Our farm system is full of good prospects, but our major league roster needs an upgrade now! Go get Arenado!

    1. Getting Arenado is not that easy. There would be a lot of moving parts, including some young pitching, maybe one of the Cardinals starting pitchers coming back this way. The salary implications. Muncy would not be playing first base in St. Louis. That belongs to Goldschmidt. They would most likely move one of their other players to third. Muncy would slide into a DH role. Taylor would become their Swiss Army knife. Taylor made two blunders on the bases last night. The first one probably cost them a run. The second was just plain dumb.

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