Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, was the general manager for the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this season and was responsible for trading away pitcher David Price. Could he now be looking to trade for the left-hander?
According to Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers might consider trading for Price for a number of reasons. The first and most obvious reason (that Dilbeck didn't explicitly point out) is that the Dodgers have questions in the rotation beyond No. 3 starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. Josh Beckett is retiring, Dan Haren was inconsistent this season, and Roberto Hernandez wasn't all that great in nine starts with the team.
But now everything seems to be falling into place for such a trade to happen. Friedman is with the Dodgers and has a relationship with Price because the two spent seven seasons together in Tampa Bay before Friedman traded him to Detroit. The small-market Rays would not have been able to afford Price, who is eligible for arbitration this offseason and will become a free agent in 2015. Friedman was actually in talks with the Dodgers prior to the trade deadline because they were looking to acquire Price for the right bargain, but they didn't want to surrender any of their coveted prospects.
Friedman is known as a guru when it comes to working out trades that involve prospects and the Dodgers feared they would be on the losing end of the deal. Now the Dodgers might be looking for Friedman to work out a trade for Price that won't cost them an arm and a leg. According to Tony Paul of the Detroit News, Price has shown no interest in signing a long-term deal wit the Tigers, which could leave them looking to sell before he becomes a free agent after next season. Price cost them Austin Jackson, Drew Smyly and prospect Willy Adames, so there's no way they won't try to get something in return. They already have to deal with some upcoming free agents this offseason, including Max Scherzer and Victor Martinez, which will cost them a lot of money. Being that Price is going to turn 30 and will be a free agent after 2015, the Dodgers might not have to give up too much for him.
But if the Tigers do seek valuable prospects in a hypothetical trade for Price, it's almost guaranteed Friedman doesn't even think about negotiating a deal. The Dodgers haven't produced a successful homegrown player since they drafted Clayton Kershaw in 2006, so he'll be looking to preserve all of the young talent they have.
Something could be worked out though. The Dodgers have a surplus of outfielders and the Tigers are in need of them. Would a Matt Kemp for David Price trade really be out of the question? The Dodgers can shed Kemp's contract ($107 million remaining) and make room for promising young prospect Joc Pederson, and the Tigers can get a productive power-hitting outfielder and keep their World Series window still open for a little longer. The Dodgers would likely pay for some of Kemp's contract in such a deal, especially since he's had a number of injury woes over the past couple of seasons, but overall it would be a win-win for both teams.
Nonetheless, this is all speculation. Friedman might be interested in developing some pitchers in the Dodgers' farm system, but if Price happens to be put on the trading block, how could Los Angeles not at least take a look?
