As trade rumors swirl around the Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce, team chairman Mark Walter on Friday gave his own right fielder, Yasiel Puig, a vote of confidence.
“I haven’t heard anything about moving Yasiel. Nothing,” Walter said. “I don’t think we want to. I think he’s still got a lot of potential.”
Walter historically has been looped in to the front office’s trade discussions once adding significant payroll becomes a concern. Think back to 2012, when the Dodgers acquired Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Nick Punto from Boston. Walter had to sign off before that deal was approved.
So far, Walter said, “I haven’t heard any talk about anything big, seriously. That doesn’t mean they aren’t talking about it, but I haven’t heard anything discussed.”
Bruce is in the final year of a six-year, $51 million contract that contains a $13 team option for 2017. He’s owed a prorated amount of $12.5 million over the rest of this season (a little more than $4 million).
Puig is owed far less — a pro-rated amount of $5.5 million this season, $6.5 million in 2017, $7.5 million in 2018 — so the Dodgers would actually save money in a 1-for-1 trade.
However, a 1-for-1 trade has not been the focus of talks recently.
Sources: Dodgers, Reds discussed deal centered around Jay Bruce and Yasiel Puig. Didn't materialize. Still plenty of permutations possible.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2016
Rumblings of a big 3-team extravaganza brewing with the Dodgers, Reds & a mystery team. Jay Bruce would land in LA when the dust settles
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 29, 2016
#Rays and #Dodgers have had recent trade talks that could link up with #Reds, sources say. @jaysonst first reported 3-team scenario. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 30, 2016
The Dodgers began the day two games behind the San Francisco Giants for first place in the National League West. They’re peaking at the right time: 13-8 in 21 July games, during which they lead the National League in on-base percentage (.344), rank third in runs (101) and fourth in slugging percentage (.429). The urgency to make a trade, at least for a bat, is relatively low.
Meanwhile, staff ace Clayton Kershaw still hasn’t picked up a baseball in more than two weeks. There is no guarantee he will return from a back injury in time to contribute this season. Kershaw is the best injured player on a team full of them; the Dodgers lead the majors with 22 different players spending time on the disabled list this season.
“I think we’re doing fine,” Walter said. “If any other team had the injuries we had, they wouldn’t even be close I don’t think.”
