From SI:
Could the Cleveland Indians Come Up with the Pieces to Trade for Los Angeles Dodgers OF Joc Pederson
Matt Loede
6 hours ago
The Cleveland Indians report to spring training this week in Goodyear, Arizona, and there are still plenty of improvements this team can make to their roster before opening day March 26.
One position on the team that still needs adjusting is that of the two corner outfield spots. One of those spots looks like it’s been claimed as the team has come to terms on a deal with veteran outfielder
Domingo Santana.
It’s not the big splash signing that Indians fans have been clamoring for, as most of the fan base has been calling for the team to bring back
Yasiel Puig.
While Santana is likely going to claim one of the two open corner outfield spots, there’s a new name that has popped up that Indians fans would love to get on the roster that would give it some pop in 2020.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Joc Pederson.
Pederson last season played 84 games in left field and 39 games in right field, and even played in center field twice for the team.
It was thought that Pederson would be off the table as a deal was set up between the Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels, but Monday morning
that deal reportedly fell apart.
Pederson is going to be a free agent after the 2019 season, so compensation will be complicated as a team isn’t going to give the house for the 27-year-old who hit .249 with 36 homers last season.
The reported deal between the Dodgers and Angels would have had the Dodgers sending Pederson and righty
Ross Stripling to the Angels for prospect infielder
Luis Rengifo.
The deal was also contingent that the Dodgers got their mega deal done with the Boston Red Sox for
Mookie Betts, a deal that finally got done on Sunday.
So could the Indians enter the fray and try an score a deal to land Pederson? It certainly would fit a position of need on the team as he can play either left or right.
Also it doesn’t sound like the Dodgers want a ton in return for Pederson, the player that the Angels were offering for Pederson (Rengifo) did get some time at the Major League level last season, hitting .238 with seven homers in 108 games.
The Indians do have prospects in the farm system that they could afford to give up for someone like Pederson, but again he’s just a one-year rental so they won’t give up likely anyone in their top five on the prospect list.
The Dodgers have stated that with the deal they got for Betts that they don’t necessarily have to deal Pederson, but they have a crowded outfield, so it would be smart for them to continue to look to make a deal.
Pederson is set to make an affordable $7.75 million this season before he enters free agency, so wherever he goes he’ll want to make a great impression and put up big numbers to be able to cash in next winter.