Although the Los Angeles Dodgers were already planning to work on trading Andre Ethier, the outfielder has hinted he wants to be traded if he isn't a starter. In Atlanta, the Braves just signed Nick Markakis to a four-year deal and now he might undergo surgery this offseason.
Ethier is still under a six-year, $95.95 million contract and has three years remaining (and $56 million) plus a vesting option for 2018. The outfielder saw himself on the bench for most of the second half of the 2014 season because it was the worst campaign of his career. He slashed .249/.322/.370 with four home runs and 42 RBIs in 130 games (380 at-bats) and now the Dodgers are looking to rid themselves of any combination of him, Matt Kemp or Carl Crawford. Nonetheless, Ethier remains confident in his abilities.
"It's one where I said through my agent, I want to play every day, and that's what I'm expecting to do this year," Ethier told the Los Angeles Times. "Whether to play here every day or play somewhere else. I'd rather play every day and help this team win -- or whatever team it is -- to the best of my ability.
With hefty annual salaries for Ethier, Kemp and Crawford, the Dodgers are looking to trade one or more of them to free up space in the outfield for youngster Joc Pederson and the more cost-effective Scott Van Slyke. They also have Yasiel Puig, which creates even more of a logjam due to the absence of the designated hitter position in the National League. Los Angeles appears to be moving along in trade talks for Matt Kemp, which could be the first move to begin making room in the outfield.
Despite logging solid seasons for the Dodgers from 2006-2012, Ethier has been drastically declining in production over the past two years and has likely been deemed too costly for the team's new management.
The Braves are looking to trade some of their outfielders as well, but they just signed Nick Markakis to a four-year, $44 million contract. Although they were aware of the possibility of him undergoing surgery to repair a bulging disk in his neck, the Braves still signed him on Wednesday after meeting with him on Monday. Now the 31-year-old Markakis is leaning toward undergoing the procedure, which requires a 12-week recovery.
Perhaps this is why talks between the 31-year-old and the Orioles stalled earlier in the offseason. The two sides were in serious negotiations that would have paid Markakis $10 to $12 million annually, but they ultimately fell through and the right fielder joined the Braves. Markakis spent his nine-year career with Baltimore and owns a career stat line of .290/.358/.435 with 141 home runs and 658 RBIs.
