Dodgers Offseason Gambit: LA to Pursue Blockbuster Trade for $85 Million Japanese Star
With talks stalled in their pursuit of free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernández, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are considering several intriguing right-handed hitting options.
One of those options is reportedly outfielder Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs.
Suzuki, 30, is coming off a 2024 season in which he slashed .283/.366/.482 with 21 home runs, 73 RBIs, and an OPS of .848. He’s set to earn $36 million over the next two seasons and has a full no-trade clause. However, the Cubs might not trade Suzuki even though he has most likely lost his outfield position due to Chicago trading for Kyle Tucker, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
“Suzuki, however, will now be relegated to DH duty, with Tucker set in right, Pete Crow-Armstrong in center and Ian Happ in left,” Rosenthal reported. “And while Suzuki hit slightly better as a DH than as an outfielder in a similar number of plate appearances last season, the Cubs acknowledge he might not want to serve in that role full-time. The mere possibility, according to a source briefed on Suzuki’s thinking, makes him more inclined to approve a trade.”
Trading Suzuki is something that the Cubs have already thought about. In an unexpected report out of the Winter Meetings, Chicago’s president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, reached out to Suzuki and his representatives regarding interest from other teams in acquiring him.
“Jed has been very communicative about it,” Wolfe said. “He told me what teams they’ve been talking to. I don’t think he wants to trade Seiya, but there may be a scenario where he feels like he has a deal he can’t say, ‘no,’ to. So he’s talked to us about what teams Seiya would consider.”
“Seiya was a great defender in Japan,” Wolfe added, “so it’s not a compliment to him being a DH.”
Chicago traded Cody Bellinger after the Winter Meetings but there is always a possibility for another surprising move.
“The bar to trade any great player is really, really high,” Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins said on Tuesday during the Winter Meetings. “We don’t want to trade Seiya. But, look, as Joel talked about, there’s people that are interested in great players. So if teams come asking, those are at least conversations we’re willing to have.
“But I really don’t think much is going to come of it, because he’s just such a great player and such a great fit for us.”
Once Hernández makes his decision, the rest of the pieces will into place. It is just taking a little longer than the Dodgers anticipated.
