The Los Angeles Dodgers need to sign this future Hall of Famer
By Ben Fadden
The Los Angeles Dodgers may not have any moves left to make this season, but what about next year?
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed A.J. Pollock to a five year, $60 million deal meaning it would ultimately take them out of the Bryce Harper bidding. Here is why that is a good thing.
The Dodgers don’t need to sign anyone else this offseason.
They have signed Joe Kelly, David Freese, and Pollock, in addition to extending Clayton Kershaw.
They made a salary dump move by trading Matt Kemp and fan favorite Yasiel Puig to the Cincinnati Reds for Homer Bailey, who they released that day.
The Dodgers focus need some to be toward next offseason.
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There is a future hall of fame third basemen in Nolan Arenado going into to free agency after this season.
Dodgers fans may think that they have Justin Turner already, but he is a free agent after 2020.
Dodgers fans may love Justin Turner, but Nolan Arenado is a way better player than he is.
Arenado signed a one year, $26 million deal to avoid arbitration, and of course I am assuming that he does not sign an extension with Colorado.
He is one of the best defensive players to ever play the game, winning a gold glove every year since he arrived in the big leagues with the Rockies.
Last season, Arenado had more hits, singles, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI’s, walks, and slugging percentage.
Now let’s compare Arenado and Turner’s careers.
For this exercise we will be looking at the last seven years since that is when both of them have been in the league at the same time.
Arenado and Turner have about the same batting average, but Arenado has a slugging percentage of .539 while Turner has one of .463, a a margin of 76 points.
Arenado also averaged more home runs and has better numbers against left handed pitchers than Turner.
Los Angeles Dodgers
In 2019 Arenado is projected to blow Turner out of the water. He will have a better batting average, 15 more home runs, and 45 more runs batted in-not to mention Arenado is also two years younger than Turner.
As I said earlier Turner isn’t a free agent after this season, but instead of trading him they could just slide him in at second base.
The Dodgers would then have presumably the best infield in the league consisting of Max Muncy, Justin Turner, Corey Seager, and Nolan Arenado.
This is what the lineup would look like in 2020:
CF A.J. Pollock
SS Corey Seager
2B Justin Turner
3B Nolan Arenado
1B Max Muncy
LF Joc Pederson
SP Clayton Kershaw
Next. Dodgers interest in Realmuto makes sense. dark
I am sure Los Angeles Dodgers manager David Roberts would love to have Nolan Arenado at third base, Justin Turner at second base, and Chris Taylor coming off the bench rather than only Justin Turner.