Should the Dodgers trade for Kris Bryant

[konu]

Dodgers Vice president of Baseball operation, Andrew Friedman has been vocal about the Dodgers needing a right-handed bat for the lineup. There are plenty of options still out there for the Dodgers to consider. Should Kris Bryant be one of them? 

 

Kris Bryant is a former MVP and as of today is 29 years of age. It’s clear the Cubs are looking to cut salary and replenish a depleted farm system that Theo Epstein sold for the one World Series Championship. The Dodgers have one of the top farm systems, and some money so they line up pretty well for a trade for Kris Bryant. He fills a need, he’s a right-handed bat and a good one at that, plus he provides versatility which we know the Dodgers love. He plays 3rd, Left Field, Right Field, and 1st base. He will be 29 when the year starts so still young(ish) but How is he as a hitter?

 

He’s a career .280 hitter with a .889 ops. His career 134 Ops+ ranks 15th among active players. He hits lefties well, which the Dodgers do need. A career .301 average against them with an Ops of .986. The one drawback on his offense is he strikes out a ton, at a clip of 24% for context the league average is 21% but he also walks a ton at 18% which is top tier. Isn’t exactly a contact hitter but when he makes contact he clearly does well. The strikeouts don’t affect him at all. He’s been a better hitter over his career than Nolan Arenado and again one of the best over his career. Only behind names like Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Mookie Betts, Miguel Cabrera, Bryce Harper, and only one behind Christain Yelich. 

 

Defensively he isn’t great, but he’s athletic and versatile which again we know the Dodgers like.   He’s been a negative on defense but barely and because the Dodgers move their players around and put them in better positions his defense could improve. Since he can play 3 other positions that could help get some other players at-bats or days off if need be. This could also help him maybe stay a bit fresher. 

 

The major drawbacks are the strikeouts and the fact 2 of the last 3 years he’s had injury issues. But before that he was healthy and he was Rookie of the year an MVP and MVP candidate. There’s definitely some risk there and add in the fact that he could be just a one-year rental. Even if he is a one-year rental that’s 1 year of having a productive player while Kody Hoese gets ready, plus you can get a compensatory draft pick should he sign elsewhere. There is just too much upside there to pass it up in my opinion. 

 

What do you guys think? Would you be on board with Kris Bryant?