Looking to upgrade at second base, The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly been in talks with the Detroit Tigers about an Ian Kinsler trade.
Sources: #Dodgers, #Tigers have been in contact regarding possible Ian Kinsler trade. Kinsler has partial no-trade clause. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 16, 2016
Los Angeles would definitely do well to add Kinsler. He’d be a fantastic addition on both offense and defense.
Kinsler is 34, but is showing no signs of slowing down. In 2016, he second baseman produced one of the best seasons of his career. He slashed at .288/.348/.484, hit 28 homers, drove in 83 runs, scored 117 runs and stole 14 bases. That kind of production would fit in anywhere in the top half of the Dodgers’ lineup. Defensively, Kinsler won his first career Gold Glove in 2016, so he’s more than a formidable up the middle defender.
Even better is that for the modern game, Kinsler’s salary is quite reasonable. He’s signed through 2017 with a club option and $5 million buyout for 2018. His 2017 salary is $11 million and his 2018 number (should the option be picked up) is $10 million. That may not be cheap, but it’s well within the range of what Los Angeles could pay.
Of course, all of that means that Kinsler wouldn’t be cheap to acquire in a trade. The Dodgers do have one of MLB’s top farm systems. One would figure that the future would take something of a hit if Los Angeles made this deal happen.