By Jackson RobertsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberIt's hard to say the Los Angeles Dodgers have any true flaws, but if they do, it's their production in the outfield.
Signing Michael Conforto truly backfired around this time last year, so the Dodgers will be happy for a fresh start in one of the outfield positions. Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández figure to occupy the other two, but either could line up at multiple positions.
If the Dodgers could find an established big-league star to fill the third spot, they'd be cooking with gas. But unless they want to give a nine-figure contract to Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger -- which is not to be ruled out -- the list of options in free agency is relatively slim.
...One baseball writer believes the Dodgers can and should swing a trade to find the extra player they need in their outfield, and it's a name the rest of the sport might be furious to see LA land.
On Wednesday, Tim Keown of ESPN named Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton as the top trade candidate he'd like to see headed to the Dodgers.
"Enough is never enough for the Dodgers, so this offseason's installment of making sure they have too much is the acquisition of the best available player at the position they may actually believe they need to upgrade," wrote Keown. "Move Andy Pages to left, slot Buxton into the top half of the lineup and go for three in a row."
Buxton, 31, was adamant this summer that he didn't want to waive his no-trade clause and play anywhere but Minnesota. But the Twins traded almost all the other star players on the roster at the July deadline, and if Buxton's stance hasn't already changed, it could if the club moves All-Star starting pitcher Joe Ryan.
Coming off a 126-game season, the most he's played since 2017, Buxton still has plenty of injury risks, but that's also what makes the Dodgers a perfect fit, because their roster depth helps them withstand injuries better than anybody during the regular season.
And worst of all for the rest of baseball, the Dodgers swallowing the final three seasons on Buxton's seven-year, $100 million contract would be nothing more than a drop in the bucket.
More MLB: Ex-Blue Jays All-Star Lands $1.95 Million Angels Deal
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