The Twins are teetering between if they should be buyers or sellers at this year’s trade deadline. If they do sell, they should look to move Brian Dozier.
There is much debate, at this stage of the season, if the Minnesota Twins should be buyers or sellers before the trade deadline. On one hand, the Twins are not far from the division lead. On the other, they have been roughed up lately and many are wondering if they can stay relevant. If they start to stumble, they should look to trade second baseman Brian Dozier.
Dozier has been a great asset for the Twins the last few years, making the All-Star team in 2015 and even hitting 42 home runs in 2016. He has been a power threat in the lineup and valuable as a middle infielder. His trade value is high, and he was almost traded during this past off-season to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The reasoning to trade Dozier would be a combination of getting top prospects in return and the possibility of Nick Gordon coming to the big leagues to fill in at second base in 2018. Gordon, the number one prospect in the Twins organization, has the potential to be a star at the big league level. He is also nine years younger than Dozier.
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Who would be interested?
If Dozier is traded, he could be looked at by a contender as a spark to the offense for a cheap price with another year of control in 2018. There are a few teams that could definitely use him, including the three top teams in the National League West. Each has prospects to give and each needs an extra boost to take the division crown.
The Dodgers have struggled to find a consistent second baseman with the immense struggles of Logan Forsythe, and they have plenty of top pitching prospects to use as trade bait. The Twins could ask for a combination of two of the following: Yadier Alvarez, Walker Buehler, Brock Stewart and Jordan Sheffield. They are the Dodgers first, fourth, seventh and eighth prospects, respectively, according to mlb.com.
The Dodgers may also feel more pressure from the upstart teams in Colorado and Arizona, who are battling for division supremacy with the perennial division favorite. They may be willing to give the Twins more considering their higher payroll and the threat of their continued image as a winner being challenged.
The Twins have the upper hand in negotiations.
The Dodgers were not able to get a deal done this off-season for Dozier because the Twins felt they weren’t getting enough in return. Now that the pressure is on in L.A., the Twins have the upper hand in negotiations this time. This could prove to be advantageous in the Twins’ pursuit of top pitching prospects.
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If the Twins are out of playoff contention when the deadline gets closer, Brian Dozier would be a logical trade piece to get more pitching help for the years to come. He is a productive bat that is coveted by contenders. The Twins would, then, be able to give Nick Gordon a shot at second base at the start of 2018. While we hope the Twins won’t be in this position, it is a nice consolation if they do start to slip.