DALLAS – If the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pursuit of Juan Soto signaled something, it’s what we already knew: They ought to all the time be thought-about a looming issue when a star turns into accessible.
But with the St. Louis Cardinals seeking to commerce All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, don’t count on the Dodgers to be in play. League sources strongly indicated to The Athletic {that a} deal for Arenado isn’t a risk the group has thought-about. And Dodgers normal supervisor Brandon Gomes mentioned on the report Monday that Max Muncy can be the crew’s third baseman on Opening Day.
“Muncy’s going to play third base for us,” Gomes mentioned. “He’s such an enormous piece of what we do and has been a staple. So, yeah, Max is enjoying third base.”
The hypothesis round Arenado’s potential match with the Dodgers was sturdy sufficient that Muncy, in an look on “Foul Territory,” mentioned he can be prepared to maneuver positions to accommodate a transfer. He later added, “As lengthy as I get to remain, I don’t care who they create in.”
Los Angeles has lengthy been seen as a fascinating touchdown spot for Arenado, who has a no-trade clause, and the Dodgers broached commerce discussions with the Cardinals as not too long ago because the 2023 commerce deadline. Arenado is an Orange County native who attended El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif.
Arenado’s agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, mentioned Tuesday that “Nolan is prepared to strongly think about (a commerce) … however he’s not going to go simply wherever.” Wolfe added that Arenado seeks “a crew that he thinks goes to win now and constantly for the rest of his profession.”
But a match doesn’t make a lot sense for the Dodgers, whose infield seems in place: Muncy at third base, Mookie Betts at shortstop, Gavin Lux at second and Freddie Freeman at first.
Arenado is owed $74 million over the remaining three years of the eight-year, $260 million contract he initially signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2019. While the veteran is open to enjoying different positions, the 34-year-old’s offensive manufacturing has taken a success since he completed third in NL MVP voting in 2022. Since then, Arenado has been price a mixed 4.9 Baseball-Reference WAR, with a .746 OPS (104 OPS+).
Muncy, 34, is getting into the second season of a two-year, $24 million extension he inked final offseason, and the Dodgers maintain an inexpensive $10 million membership possibility for him in 2026. The veteran has repeatedly acknowledged his need to spend the remainder of his profession in Los Angeles and has remained productive within the batter’s field. Over that very same two-year span as Arenado, Muncy has been price 5.6 WAR with a .823 OPS (125 OPS+) — regardless of Muncy enjoying 88 fewer video games on account of harm.
At the worth level, and given the manufacturing the reigning World Series champions have already gotten on the place, Arenado has by no means appeared to be a lot of a match.
The Dodgers stay targeted on doubtlessly including one other nook outfielder, notably re-signing Teoscar Hernández, to go together with the membership’s signing of Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million deal earlier this week.
— The Athletic’s Katie Woo contributed to this report.
(Photo of Nolan Arenado: Paul Halfacre / USA Today)
