Every team has decisions to make at this time of year. Who are the untouchables, and who is expendable in trades?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are perennial World Series contenders, so the only players who will be expendable are veterans without a clear path to playing time and prospects. But you can't trade all your best prospects every year, or the roster will eventually age out of contention.
Los Angeles has done a great job maintaining the health of its farm system, but in their quest for back-to-back titles this season, they might have to cut ties with a big name or two.
However, one Dodgers writer also thinks there's a limit to how high up their prospect rankings they'll be willing to reach for trade chips.
In a recent article, Katrina Stebbins predicted that the Dodgers would be willing to trade number-three prospect (via MLB Pipeline) Alex Freeland, a 23-year-old rising star shortstop, but not number-one or two prospects Zyhir Hope or Josue De Paula.
"Freeland could be the big ticket item if they go out and get a top-shelf starter (though, to be fair, the pickings seem slim). Freeland is a shortstop and second baseman and is currently in Triple-A, but the Dodgers have nowhere for him to go, with Mookie Betts at shortstop for the foreseeable future and Tommy Edman at second," Stebbins wrote.
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"If the Dodgers are really going to go after Sandy Alcantara, and the Marlins play hard ball despite the fact that Alcantara is having the worst year of his career, they could consider giving up Freeland."
Freeland owns an OPS of .823 at Triple-A Oklahoma City this year, and is generally considered a more advanced defender than hitter. He'd be a big prize for a young team looking for an anchor in the middle of the diamond.
Does that mean he'll assuredly be on the move? Of course not. But Stebbins evidently thinks it's more likely than not, and it's easy to follow the rationale.
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