Dodgers Rumors: Chances of White Sox Trading Tim Anderson 'Increasing', Would He Fit in LA?

Before spring training even began, rumors swirled linking the Dodgers to White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. As the season has gone along, those rumors have persisted.

Anderson has had an awful offensive season, but after the All-Star break, his bat has improved. As the trade deadline approaches, rumors of a trade out of Chicago have gotten louder.

MLB insider Jon Morosi said on Friday that the likelihood of an Anderson trade has increased in recent weeks. And with his ability to play at second base as well as shortstop, more clubs will seemingly be in on the former All-Star.

The chances of a Tim Anderson trade are increasing, especially if he plays 2B, as in the WBC.

Anderson has slashed .375/.444/.417 since the break.

That's a small sample size, but teams have been wanting to see evidence that his approach is back.@MLBNetwork @670TheScore
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 21, 2023

Acquiring Anderson makes sense for the Dodgers. To a degree.

After Gavin Lux tore both his ACL and MCL early in spring training and is out for the season, most baseball pundits thought the Dodgers needed a bona fide shortstop.

While Miguel Rojas has been great at shortstop, at 34, Rojas needs weekly rests to keep healthy. Moreover, the Dodgers need more offensive production than Rojas can provide. He has a .233 batting average with no home runs and only 11 RBI. When the Dodgers acquired Rojas from the Miami Marlins in January, they envisioned him as a utility infielder, something the Dodgers need, but playing shortstop on a daily basis prevents this.

Chris Taylor is Rojas’ backup at shortstop, but he just missed a month with a bruised knee. The lateral movement at shortstop irritates the troublesome knee. Taylor is a better outfielder, and with Jake Marisnick’s hamstring injury, the Dodgers need another right-handed outfielder.

Even with his recent surge, Anderson is still hitting just .238 on the season. He hasn't hit a home run and has only 16 RBI. Additionally, he has graded out as a poor defensive shortstop. He would bring more speed to the Dodgers, but his sub .300 on-base percentage renders that speed somewhat useless.

Playing for a contender could certainly improve his play, but that's not a guarantee. He's a career .485 hitter in the postseason and hit .333 during this year's World Baseball Classic, so he seems to show up when he's playing for something.

Acquiring Anderson would help the Dodgers solidify their infield situation. And, if they could find a way to pull one of Chicago's starting pitchers like Dylan Cease or Lucas Giolito, it would only sweeten the deal.