House That Hank Built
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Atlanta Braves could sway the market by taking on money

By Benjamin Chase

BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 10: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals and Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles talk during their game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 10, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 10: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals and Manny Machado #13 of the Baltimore Orioles talk during their game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 10, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 26: Kenta Maeda #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after retiring the side in the fifteenth inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game Three of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 26, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers made a big trade with the Cincinnati Reds that did clear a significant amount of room, but even then, the team still does not have room enough for Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, and it really doesn’t seem that the team will have the room to bring either on.

The Dodgers have been making overtures toward Corey Kluber for much of the offseason, and while other teams could still jump into that mix, few have the ability to bring to the table the deal that the Dodgers would for the Indians, meeting the Indians’ desire for a young, controllable, MLB-ready outfielder (Alex Verdugo) along with a near-ready catcher that should stick at the position (pick one of a host of guys).

Even after the deal, Kluber’s money could be a bit much for the Dodgers to absorb, however, which could either mean heavy prospect cost going from the Dodgers to the Indians for the Indians to eat some salary or the Dodgers trading away yet even more salary.

The trade of Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to the Reds clears out the messy outfield situation for the Dodgers, so they’re really not looking to move an outfielder terribly bad, but they do have a number of guys who could handle the outfield if they were to move an outfielder. The Braves would certainly have an interest in Joc Pederson as either the left-handed part of a platoon with Adam Duvall or a corner outfield spot all his own.

The other intriguing option that the Braves could attempt to pull off would be to make a bullpen trade. With significant arms coming up in the system, a guy like Chad Sobotka could be of definite interest to the Dodgers, and while he’s penciled in as a starter currently, if Kluber is brought on, Kenta Maeda may be out of a starting job.

Maeda is signed through 2023 for a total of $15.6 million, making $3.125 million per season. While Maeda doesn’t have elite velocity, it does tick up significantly in the bullpen, and his array of offspeed pitches make him a significant weapon. He had a 3/26 BB/K ratio over 17 2/3 innings of relief in the 2018 season. The last two postseasons, Maeda has been used out of the bullpen, and he’s been very good, pitching 17 1/3 innings with a 2.08 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 4/20 BB/K ratio during the most intense times of the year.

Trading Sobotka along with a high-upside, low-level minor league player like Freddy Tarnok or Huascar Ynoa may be enough to make that deal work for both sides, and it’d fill needs for both teams.

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