Here’s Another Idea

Posted By on October 30, 2023

One of the last transactions Andrew Friedman made with the Tampa Bay Rays was a three-way deal with the Tigers and Mariners when he acquired Willy Adames in a trade along with Drew Smyly for David Price and others. Could lightning strike again? Could Andrew Friedman pull off another blockbuster deal?

A lot of Dodger fans have wanted Willy Adames for their SS, and while he is not a top-of-the-order hitter, he could be a very solid acquisition for the Dodgers. The Brewers are faced with some big decisions, and with Brandon Woodruff out for the season, they could be motivated to move some salary and plan for the future.

I happen to think the Dodgers match up with them very well, but it will have a high cost. If Milwaukee trades Willy Adames, they will want a SS back, and I am not talking about Miguel Rojas. They would want, a local Wisconsin boy who happens to play for the Dodgers, namely Gavin Lux. However, the trade that I am proposing is more than that. It includes Corbin Burnes and (hold your breath), Christian Yelich, to whom the Brewers owe $150 Million over the next six seasons. Yelich is not the superstar he once was, but he is a very solid player and occasional All-Star who would help fortify the Dodgers’ lineup.

However, Burnes immediately becomes the Dodgers’ Ace. The Brewers need to go into rebuilding mode, and this would immediately relieve them of over $50 Million Dollars a year in payroll. The deal looks like this: The Brewers trade Willy Adames, Corbin Burnes, and Christian Yelich for the following players:

  • Gavin Lux
  • Gavin Stone
  • Landon Knack
  • Diego Cartaya
  • Nick Frasso
  • Chris Taylor
  • Austin Barnes

The Brewers would take back a little salary with Taylor and Barnes but have no long-term implications. I would try and limit the trade to that and maybe another lower-level pitcher, but the Brewers may want Busch or Vargas. I have no clue. I would also try to sign Victor Caratini, who is a free agent. He is a switch-hitter but is best against LHP, so I would use him against LHP and have Will Smith DH. The DH against RHP would be Max Muncy.

Next, I would sign Yamamoto and have about $40 Million left for Ohtani. Of course, I would try and extend Adames (who is 28), as well as Burnes. Check out this lineup.

Lineup:

  1. Betts RF
  2. Freeman 1B
  3. Ohtani DH
  4. Smith C
  5. Yelich LF
  6. Adames SS
  7. Muncy 3B
  8. Outman CF
  9. Vargas or Busch 2B

Bench:

  • Kike (I want him back)
  • Caratini
  • Rojas
  • Maybe Peralta – Hayward will get a bigger deal
  • DeLuca

Rotation:

  1. Burnes
  2. Miller
  3. Yamamoto
  4. Sheehan
  5. Buehler
  6. Pepiot

OK, have some fun with that!

This article has 25 Comments

  1. Okay, on the surface a pretty good deal.

    I’m not a big fan of Adames, another low average guy with some power, but Burnes. is legit and Yelich is a very good left fielder who seems to be hitting again. He’s a SoCal guy and for a time, one of the best hitters in baseball.

    The Brewers get a pretty good return and no doubt they would like to acquire Lux. Okay, phone it in and let Friedman know you’ve come up with a pretty good trade. I like the idea of getting Yamamoto and of course Ohtani.

    That would be a pretty good winter.

  2. I’d sure be happy in getting both Burnes and Yamamoto and any trade that rid both Taylor and Barnes. I still believe that Stone will figure it out and become very good, but for that roster I’d get over losing him. If going to dream, dream big

  4. Me too Bear. Youth, speed, contact, defense and pitch, pitch, pitch.
    I’ll reject any lineup that has Muncy playing defense. It’s DH or Bye-Bye Baby.
    That ship sailed for me.

  5. I like the trade! Lux has a higher ceiling as a hitter, but Willie has a higher one defensively. I would much rather pay Heyward and let Peralta walk! I make that statement about Lux as a shortstop, not as a second baseman.

    1. I don’t. All those guys close to 30 years old. Team needs some youth. None of them bring the speed Lux has or even Taylor. Yelich is an injury waiting to happen. Sorry, no deal.

  7. I would go for Yelich and Burnes. No need for Adames. Move Betts to SS and give Busch his shot at 2B. Find a platoon partner for Deluca and the outfield is set. All that’s left is DH and 3B. Muncy at one of those.

    I don’t know if there’s enough money for Ohtani. But whatever.

    1. Eric, you are a historian. You look at stats and determine the past value of a player, but players are rarely the same, year after year! They are more likely to be better or worse. Willy Adames is one of those players who could flourish under Robert Van Socyoc, much like JDM did. I have felt that Mookie could also play SS, but most people don’t and they ain’t moving him. He could go to 2B, if the Dodgers got a stud RF’er, but right about now, he is staying in RF.

      1. I look at results and you look at hope/hoping. I’ve had this conversation with you already. I’ll stick to results and you can stick to hoping.

        By the way, I wasn’t trying to be mean. It’s just results versus hopes.

  9. In the AFL this afternoon, the Desert Dogs scored 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth to come back and win the game 5-4.

    Sublette pitched a perfect 8th (2.25 ERA), and Pilarski pitched a perfect 9th to get the win (1.13 ERA).

    Those were the only Dodgers who played.

  11. In the LA Times today:

    Mookie Betts says he believes the Dodgers are looking into why a team that blossomed in the summer again wilted in autumn.

    “There’s probably a million people with all the answers. I’m sure somebody is right,” he said. “But I don’t know what those answers are.

    “I just know, for me, I have to do better. That’s pretty much it. I have to do better, no matter what.”

    Betts went hitless in 11 at-bats as the Diamondbacks swept the Dodgers in three games. The Dodgers batted .177 and scored six runs.

  12. MLBTR projects that Josh Hader will get a bigger contract than Edwin Diaz, who got 6 years at over $120 Million .

    No thank you!

    You will eventually find out that Hader was part of the problem in SD!

  14. I loved Frank Howard, or Hondo as they called him. Guy could mash a baseball. My exe passed yesterday just two weeks after her 75th birthday, and Hondo passes today. Saw him hit a ball that broke one of those 2X4s they called seat backs in the pavilion back in 62.

  16. Well, that would be a blockbuster!
    A deal centered on Adames-for-Lux could make sense. The Dodgers would get a solid veteran SS with power, while the Brewers would get the younger guy with a lower salary and more offensive potential. That said, I’m fine with Lux getting his shot at SS with Rojas backing him up. (I also think Adames could be a defensive upgrade at 3B. )
    At any rate, Burnes would be the top priority for the Dodgers. I think the Brewers would want Sheehan with extras.
    I have my doubts about Yelich.
    From just a few viewings last season, Yelich’s arm seems to be shot. I remember a line drive to left with a runner on 2B. Yelich fielded in cleanly and I was expecting a play at the plate–but the throw was remarkably weak. There were a couple other instances when it was obvious teams were running on him. I think DH is in his near future, or perhaps a move to 1B.
    Seems to me the architect of this deal is giving up on Cartaya.

    1. Yelich is past his prime. I would rather see them bring Heyward back. At least he provides some pop and solid defense. No on Adames. Too many strikeouts. And they have enough of those guys already. I think Burnes is wishful thinking simply because Woodruf is out for the year next year and Milwaukee’s pitching is pretty thin after Burnes. Counsell looks like he is going to take the Mets job. New name in the Angels managerial search, Torii Hunter has entered the conversation. MLBTR seems to think that the Dodgers could swing a trade to bring Verdugo back. I still don’t like his attitude, but I don’t have to manage him.

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