MLB hot stove: Next moves for the teams that miss on Harper
By Josh Ejnes
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are a more recent entrant in the Bryce Harper sweepstakes; there had been whisperings of interest for a while, but things didn’t seem serious until they made a major trade that sent Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp to the Cincinnati Reds. Now, the Dodger outfield is a little less crowded and the desire for Bryce seems a little bit heightened.
But let’s talk about if he doesn’t go there.
The Dodgers might honestly be better off with Harper; they already have a huge payroll and his addition would likely take some playing and developmental time away from Alex Verdugo, who’s not too far away from becoming an MLB contributor.
The loss of Puig and Kemp will be felt a little on the offensive side of things, but neither was exactly consistent. The biggest offensive deficiency the Dodgers have now compared to last year is at catcher, having lost Yasmani Grandal. Grandal is still a free agent, and if the Dodgers don’t end up having to pay Harper they should consider bringing him back on.
Another area where the Dodgers could use some new blood is starting pitching. Walker Buehler was a revelation last year and Clayton Kershaw was great when healthy, but one more solid arm to make up for Buehler’s inexperience and Kershaw’s durability could really help the team out. Corey Kluber might be a good choice for this, but his price tag might be too high and he’s not worth giving up a prospect like Verdugo.