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News broke yesterday that the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ top trade target is Washington Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann. I’m not sure if the Nationals would be willing to part with him at the trade deadline without an overwhelming offer. The Nationals are in the thick of the NL East playoff race and would likely rather hold on to Zimmermann to help their own chances in 2015. But if Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister return from the disabled list healthy, Zimmermann could become more expendable.
Since the season-ending injuries suffered by Hyun-jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy, the Dodgers have been linked to just about every starting pitcher on the market. After Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, there isn’t a whole lot of depth to the starting rotation. Acquiring Zimmermann would give the Dodgers the best rotation in MLB and make them the team to beat for the World Series title.
Zimmermann’s contract expires at the end of 2015 when he will likely look to sign with a Midwest team, such as the Chicago Cubs, because he would rather play closer to his Wisconsin home. With that being the case, this may be the team’s only opportunity to see Zimmermann wear a Dodgers uniform, so they have to weigh their options. Would it be worth it to give up Corey Seager or Alex Guerrero for two months of Zimmermann?
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo will not consider trading Zimmermann without receiving some major compensation in return. Not only could Zimmermann help the Nationals in 2015, but if he were to sign with another team in the offseason, the Nationals would receive a draft pick, so the Dodgers have to understand he’s not going to come cheap.
If the Dodgers acquire Zimmermann, the team will be the odds-on favorites to bring home the World Series trophy in 2015. The team is getting healthy offensively, and Kershaw has finally found his groove. Greinke has been amazing all year, so adding Zimmermann to that mix could be deadly.
Jason Fletcher is a MLB Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google+.
