Dodgers Rumors: Writer Thinks LA Could Trade With NL Rival for Former All-Star Shortstop
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The Dodgers shortstop position has been a major area of concern this season. When Gavin Lux went down with a torn ACL in spring training, the Dodgers felt fortunate that they had already traded for veteran infielder Miguel Rojas. However, the team had traded for him to add infield depth, and suddenly, he was tasked with being an everyday player.
Rojas has struggled, which makes sense considering he's never had an OPS+ above 100 in a season in which he played more than 90 games.
Chris Taylor, the other player with shortstop capabilities on the roster, has also struggled to regain his 2021 form, hitting .191 as of Monday morning.
And finally, there's Mookie Betts, who's produced the most offense out of the shortstop position but, you know, has six Gold Glove Awards for his play in right field.
Suffice to say, the Dodgers are going to be in the market for a shortstop at the trade deadline this season. The obvious choice would be Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox, but he's sure to be expensive.
If the Dodgers decide they want to get another former All-Star who won't cost nearly as much, they can look to the National League rival St. Louis Cardinals. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report thinks Paul DeJong could be a great low-cost shortstop addition for the Dodgers at the deadline. Here's a part of what he had to say:
"The 29-year-old began the year in a bench role, but he is slowly playing his way back into the mix, hitting .286/.357/.524 with four home runs in 70 plate appearances while posting a career-high 52.3 percent hard-hit rate in the process.
"DeJong has club options in 2024 ($12.5 million, $2 million buyout) and 2025 ($15 million, $1 million buyout), so if he does bounce all the way back to his 2019 level, he could be a potential multi-year pickup."
DeJong was an All-Star back in 2019, a culmination of three great years to start his MLB career. After his career-high 30 home runs and 78 RBIs in 2019, he's struggled to be that same player.
In the next three years, DeJong never had an OPS above .675, and struggled to get consistent playing time. This season, though, he's started to revive his career.
DeJong opened the season on the injured list with a back injury he suffered in March, but has been exceptional since returning to the lineup.
In 23 games and 88 plate appearances, DeJong is hitting .282/.364/.590 with seven home runs and 14 RBIs. He has an incredible OPS of .953, and has played a good shortstop across the 194.2 innings at the position.
DeJong is still just 29 years old, and has club options over the next few seasons. If the Dodgers decide that they don't want to continue paying him over the next two years, they could easily decline the option and move on. If they decide that he could be an integral part of the lineup, potentially adding tons of versatility off the bench, he could turn into a solid utility man for the next few seasons.
DeJong is having a great year, and will cost nowhere near what the likes of someone like Anderson would. If the Dodgers elect to add a solid shortstop without losing tons of prospects, DeJong could be the move — but that's, of course, if the surging Cardinals even want to trade him come the deadline.
