Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Dodgers Potential Free Agent: DJ LeMahieu

One of the Dodgers biggest needs coming into the winter is of course second base. The Dodgers started the 2018 season with Logan Forsythe tabbed to be their everyday man at the keystone. Unfortunately Logan was terrible and the Dodgers eventually traded him to the Twins for Brian Dozier who turned out to be even worse. Go figure right?

The Dodgers used Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor at second base the rest of the season, with Max Muncy also getting some reps there. None of them seem to be long term solutions. Muncy is better suited for first base and has limited experience at second base. Hernandez can play second adequately but is better served as the super utility player the Dodgers love him to be. Taylor is better served in centerfield, or in the outfield in general.

The Dodgers are more than likely going to have to look outside of the organization for help. They’ll have some added payroll flexibility and I believe there is one guy who could be a fit. Free agent DJ LeMahieu who has spent almost his entire career playing for the Colorado Rockies is available and I think would be a good acquisition for the Dodgers.

LeMahieu was originally drafted by the Cubs, but ended up being traded to Colorado in 2011. LeMahieu is a former batting champion that has a career .298/.350/.406 line with 49 home runs and 278 walks. LeMahieu’s numbers were a bit down this year. Over 581 plate appearances he slashed .276/.321/.428 with 15 home runs and 62 runs driven in. Declining walk rates could be a concern, as he walked only 37 times.

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However overall LeMahieu has a lot of the skills the Dodgers could use in 2019. His on-base and contact skills are good. He’s had only one season where he struck out over 100 times (107 in 2015) and whiffed just 82 times in his 581 plate appearances in 2018. In this age of strikeouts that’s pretty darn good. LeMahieu’s defensive numbers are quite good as well. He’s primarily played second base but has seen time at third base too. He’s logged 41 games there, so he could spot there in a pinch.

LeMahieu the 30-year old right handed hitter puts the ball in play. He makes contact, gets on-base and plays solid defense. He’s batting .306 when leading off an inning. You all know what I am thinking here. He could be a good lead-off hitter for the Dodgers. He also could come fairly cheap as he was earning just 8.5 million dollars in Denver in 2018. The market for second baseman is pretty thin this fall. LeMahieu may be the best option they can get.

Scott Andes

Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic

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Scott Andes
Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic
https://ladodgerreport.com

11 thoughts on “Dodgers Potential Free Agent: DJ LeMahieu

  1. I think LeMahieu would be a good acquisition and would solidify the 2nd base position and hopefully get 85% of the AB’s.

    I also feel that picking him up and playing Verdugo/Toles more would lend importance to putting the ball in play. It just might become contagious.

    Now if Ryu and Grandal would just decline their QO’s.

    1. LeMahieu is another platoon player. His numbers against leftys are very good but hitting against rightys he leaves a lot to be desired. This is looking at last year. I guess it would come down to whether or not Dummy likes him. If he does he will play all time, if not he is in a world of s#$t.

      1. The one big reason LeMahieu may not want to come to Dodgers is just that… being made to platoon when overall he has done well enough against both LHP and RHP This year he did hit only .249 against LHP but that’s better than most of the Dodger players did against them. And in a full season in 2017 he hit .293 against RHP and in 2016 when I believe he won a batting title, he hit .354 against RHP. But like anyone else who basically is an everyday player he has got to be in their consistently and not shuffled in and out of the lineup all year long. Granted neither he or any other player is expected to start in all 162 games and I get that.

    2. We agree about LeMahieu he is the perfect pick up for the Dodgers. He will only cost money no draft picks, He is a Multiple Gold Glover at Second Base, Former Batting Title and Silver Slugger Winner and Bats Right!!
      Plus he makes Contact! Perfect to help our Swing and Miss line up.
      I am not a Grandal fan and believe we should bring up Verdugo and Toles for contact hitters.
      Would not mind them signing Ryu but if not its OK..
      I would try to trade Pedersen, and Wood let Kemp and Freise stay as Bench support.

      1. Hey T! Have tried emailing you a few times. Verdugo will get a shot, but Toles, I do not think he is that high on their depth chart. We will have to see what the winter meetings and free agency bring, but these are the outfielders on the 40 man right now, Pederson, Puig, Kemp, Verdugo, Hernandez, Toles, Verdugo and Locastro. 4 lefty’s and 4 righty’s. Now, they will most likely try to move Kemp and his 19 million dollar salary in what basically will be a salary dump. They are not going to platoon 2 lefty’s in left field. If they platoon it will probably be either Hernandez-Verdugo, or Pederson. Taylor and Bellinger are their best center fielders, so they will be out there at some point. Puig is arbitration eligible. So depending on how much he gets, he could be trade bait. But he is by far the best arm out there and a great defensive right fielder. Freese is going to be the backup at 1st and 3rd. Muncy’s bat is something they want to get in there as much as possible and 1st base is the one place where he is not a defensive liability. Wood and Maeda are both good trade candidates. I think Grandal is gone and I think they will try and find a 1 year fix at catcher until Ruiz and Smith are ready.

  2. He also just won the Gold Glove award. I think you are under estimating him as a hitter Pack. Players numbers fluctuate from year to year. He spent some time on the DL last year, but when he is on the field he is a very solid player. And not the platoon type at all.

    1. I concur about LeMahieu on being a a solid player and also a good defensive guy too. he certainly is not a platoon type player at all and his numbers prove that for the most part. BTW, I advocated for Dodgers to sign him for 2nd base and he already is a better option there now than any one of those ‘platoon’ guys we currently have.

  3. Buehler is the only Dodger up for a major award. They won no gold gloves. Orel is on the ballot for the HOF. New Era committee or some thing like that. I do not think he will get in.

  4. Turner is not platooned neither was Seager and at the end of the season neither was Puig as much. I think they would leave LeMahieu in full time he is that good a hitter and glove.

  5. Turner Ward leaving Dodgers for Reds. Proximity to home stated as reason.

    It isn’t known whether the SFG iants have set deadline, but folks expect Farhan Zaidi to decide very soon whether to take SF offer to run their baseball ops. Generally speaking (and nothing to go with Zaidi whose team played til end) SF has been frustrated by process length/turndowns

    Rosenthal opines: “One major concern: The Giants, with few moveable assets, will not be an easy fix. As one rival exec put it, “There is not a lot of juice to squeeze from that fruit.”

    Sabathia back to Yankees.

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