The Los Angeles Dodgers traded third baseman Juan Uribe to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night, but Alex Guerrero got the start in left field on Tuesday and Wednesday. Will manager Don Mattingly look to work Guerrero more into the third base mix to prepare for the returns of Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford?
Guerrero has played 13 games in left and nine games at third base. He previously split time with Uribe and Justin Turner at the hot corner, but with injuries to Puig and Crawford he's been getting more time in the outfield since Turner an infielder and a better defensive option at third.
While this situation seems to be working out well right now, the Dodgers need to figure something out because Guerrero will be bounced from the outfield once Puig and Crawford return. Guerrero is third on the team in home runs (9) and RBIs (21) behind first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Joc Pederson and is batting .310/.344/.701/1.045 in only 93 plate appearances.
Turner is batting .289/.379/.522/.901 with 26 runs scored, 5 home runs and 19 RBIs in 103 plate appearances. The 30-year-old has cooled off lately and is hitting just .256 with one home run and nine RBIs in his last 15 games. Guerrero has simmered as well after a scorching start to the season, but he's batting .286 with three home runs and seven RBIs in his last 15 contests.
All in all, the offensive production is in Guerrero's favor, but Turner is the better defensive option. Uribe was clearly the odd man out and Mattingly indicated that earlier in the week.
"It's tough with Alex and Justin right now," he told Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times. "We're trying to put the best lineup out there. I do think as this continues on, there's going to be a point where Juan's going to be a valuable part. But right now, those two guys have been swinging the bat real well and playing solid defense."
Mattingly's plan for when Puig and Crawford return is unclear, but if Turner can maintain solid numbers at the plate then it appears as if he'll get the nod over Guerrero at third base, at least for a majority of the reps. Guerrero was primarily a shortstop in Cuba and has since transitioned to second base (which the Dodgers deemed a failed experiment), third base and the outfield. His bat is much too valuable to keep on the bench.
"He's making it more and more difficult not to play him," adds Dilbeck. "They'd better teach him to play a position with some comfort level, because right now he needs to be on the field.
"They need to keep working hard on developing his glove somewhere. When Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford return, the Dodgers could be facing the same glut of outfielders they have been at third."
Let's not forget about Cuban infielder Hector Olivera and top prospect Corey Seager. Olivera should be joining the team at some point within the next month or two and he could be playing third base. Seager is a shortstop in the minors right now, but many scouts believe he profiles more as a third baseman. Olivera, Seager, Guerrero and Turner will likely be with the club for the foreseeable future, so something needs to be worked out. The situation for 2016 looks much more favorable because shortstop Jimmy Rollins and second baseman Howie Kendrick will become free agents and free up some space in the infield.
Mattingly will have a lot of work to do if all of these players are on the 25-man roster at some point this season.
