Los Angeles Dodgers: Four possible additions that are not Bryce Harper

J.T. Realmuto

The Marlins have been trying to trade J.T. Realmuto in the same way the Indians have been trying to move Kluber; their intentions were made clear pretty early in the offseason, and there are plenty of takers.

Yasmani Grandal is now a free agent, and it doesn’t seem likely that the Los Angeles Dodgers will try and retain him. Grandal’s rep took a hit after a few very high profile playoff gaffs, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that in general he was a very solid catcher on both sides of the ball. Realmuto would be a defense downgrade from Grandal, but he would more than make up for it with his bat. Last year he received his first Silver Slugger, and with 21 homeruns he can certainly provide a little pop in a position where offense is often an afterthought.

Realmuto’s contract is another factor that makes him pretty attractive; he’ll be under team control until 2021, and will likely provide value that far exceeds his cost. If he wanted to stay in Miami it would be silly to let him go, but he’s made it clear that he wouldn’t sign an extension there.

It’s not entirely clear what a Los Angeles Dodgers trade for Realmuto might look like; the Marlins strategy is at times murky, and the timeline for their rebuild is still up in the air. Realmuto is one of the few things that kept fans coming out to the ballpark in Miami, so the front office needs to make sure to get a decent return on him, or they risk further alienating an already angry fanbase. The Dodgers’ need for Realmuto is less than their need for Kluber, so Verdugo likely isn’t on the table, but they have plenty of other prospects that could be packaged together to create something that is fairly fair for both sides.