The Dodgers already have an impressive starting rotation put together for next season, but they could always use additional reinforcements. As there are quite a few teams looking to retool during the offseason, the organization could benefit by keeping a dialogue open with a team in the American League West division.
The Seattle Mariners are widely rumored to be interested in retooling their roster ahead of the 2019 season. This is mainly due to comments by general manager Jerry Dipoto that the team is “open-minded to different ways we can get better” as they attempt to end a significant playoff drought.
Although trading a top of the rotation arm would likely not contribute to ending a playoff drought in the short-term, Dipoto also made comments that the team is looking to “gather as much talent as we can.” Due to this, it is very likely that the team will entertain offers on left-handed starting pitcher James Paxton during this offseason.
Through 28 starts, Paxton put together a 3.76 ERA, a 3.21 FIP, and a 1.098 WHIP. In 160.1 innings pitched, he compiled 208 strikeouts compared to 42 walks. His 4.95 strikeout-to-walk ratio was the highest of his career thus far.
Similar to Gennett, Paxton would not be the most cost efficient player for the Dodgers luxury tax situation. Nonetheless, it would be hard to imagine the organization passing on a very talented player that will give the team a phenomenal chance of returning to the postseason next season.
Paxton is under team control for the 2019 and 2020 seasons during his last years of arbitration eligibility. MLB Trade Rumors currently projects him to receive a $9.0 million arbitration payday ahead of the 2019 season. If he performs well next season, he will likely receive a salary in the $13-15 million range during the 2020 season before hitting the open market ahead of the 2021 season.
As situations do not come along often for a team to acquire a top of the rotation arm that recently turned 30-years-old, the Dodgers could very well be in the mix to add Paxton to their rotation prior to the 2019 season.