The Los Angeles Dodgers currently occupy first place in the National League West, but it's clear the team isn't as good as in years past. LA is highly-likely to add at the MLB trade deadline. One position that could use an upgrade is third base. And there's a big fish out there to be had.
Dodgers third basemen have produced a bWAR of 0.2 this season. That's brutal. Max Muncy has played third for most of the season. We've discussed the weird season he's having before, but one thing is for sure, he's terrible at third base. Meanwhile, Miguel Rojas has been really bad at short. Improvements are needed on the infield, and Muncy should probably DH.
The St. Louis Cardinals (44-56) entered Monday 11 back in the NL Central, and 9.5 out of the final Wild Card spot. They're toast and could be looking to unload big contracts and load up on young players. They happen to have an aging third baseman with a big contract that could net them a significant prospect haul. Oh, and he happens to be from Southern California.
Nolan Arenado is having a solid season and has five years and $144 million remaining on his deal. The 32-year-old can still bring it on offense and defense, though he's not what he was a few years ago. Still, this season he's hitting .291 with an on-base percentage of .340, while slugging .523, with 21 home runs and 76 RBIs. He has an OPS of .863, a wRC+ of 132 and is 26th in the National League with an fWAR of 2.7. He's still a vaulable piece.
I doubt the Cardinals are dying to get rid of Arenado, but a combination of LA's top prospects could likely get a deal done. The Dodgers have a deep farm system and top 100 prospects like Diego Cartaya, Michael Busch, Gavin Stone and Andy Pages would be attractive. Some combination of those guys might get a deal done.
Rumors connecting the Dodgers to Arenado are intensifying. It would take a lot to get a deal done but it would be a massive upgrade for the Dodgers.
This article was originally published on thebiglead as Dodgers, Nolan Arenado Trade Rumors Are Heating Up.
