The Suzuki Saga: Dodgers Emerge as Front-runners for Japanese Star

Having already discussed this subject at length and having expressed deep skepticism about how real it is, I don’t want to foist much more of it upon you.

But when a different insider writes that the Dodgers are looking at a Seiya Suzuki trade with the Cubs, I have to at least share it with you. From Jon Heyman.

“The Dodgers seek one more big bat, and most likely in the outfield since the plan is for Mookie Betts to return to his preferred shortstop. In addition to Teoscar Hernandez, Anthony Santander and a trade for Seiya Suzuki are on the table.”

It was Ken Rosenthal who previously reported about the Dodgers’ possible interest in Suzuki as a back-up plan to re-signing Teoscar Hernández, so clearly someone is out there talking. Had I to guess, it would be the Dodgers doing some talking in order to pressure Hernández to sign. So I wouldn’t go too far with any of this.

Have the Dodgers actually discussed Suzuki with the Cubs? Oh, maybe. There was a time when the Cubs were at least contemplating a Suzuki move, and I suppose it’s possible they still are. But do I think this is a serious set of ongoing talks? I do not. Instead, I read that phrase “on the table” to mean that it’s an option on the table for the Dodgers to consider, rather than it meaning that there’s an actual trade on the table to accept or decline. If that were the case, then Heyman would be saying there are actual active offers out there on the table to all three of Hernández, Santander, and the Cubs. I don’t think the Dodgers have done that.

In short, maybe the Dodgers would want to talk to the Cubs about Suzuki, and maybe the Cubs would want to listen if it was an enormous offer – but why would the Dodgers do that instead of just deploying their vast, vast, vast sums of cash to bring back Hernández?

From my previous post, if you missed it.

One thing we’ve been told is that Jed Hoyer has spoken with Suzuki’s agent to find out which teams to which he might be willing to accept a trade, as Suzuki has full no-trade rights. So the Cubs know already whether the Dodgers are on that list. I’m guessing that, if there were actually talks taking place, then it won’t necessarily be completely fruitless, in terms of the sides talking only for Suzuki to squash a possible deal.

… but should the Cubs even be talking? Should any of that no-trade stuff even MATTER? Like I said up top, the idea for this Cubs offense should be to lock guys like Suzuki in place, not cast them off in trade – ESPECIALLY after acquiring just one year of Tucker.

I guess in a world where the Cubs dealt Suzuki for other upgrades on the roster? It feels like a stretch, if we’re being realistic. The Cubs already should have PLENTY OF MONEY available to deploy on free agent upgrades.

As far as possible Dodgers targets, the one thing I can’t help but think about: the Dodgers may soon have an overcrowded rotation if they land Roki Sasaki, and they also have some high-risk, high-upside arms upon which the Cubs might want to take a chance (think Dustin May, Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, River Ryan, Gavin Stone, Nick Frasso, etc. – guys with serious potential, but all with injuries or warts or what-not). Maybe the Cubs want to gobble up some of those talented guys that the Dodgers may not be able to use because of their star-level crowding, just as the Michael Busch trade was on the positional side?

The return would have to be huge for me to even start to think this is a reasonable idea, though. So huge, that I don’t know if the Dodgers would actually go there.

The other strong possibility here is that this is just a little leverage play by the Dodgers, who simply want Teoscar Hernández to sign a deal already. We know Seiya Suzuki can play adequate right field (with the occasional head-scratcher), but we also know that his bat plays extremely well at DH. With the Dodgers, ain’t gonna be no DH starts available anytime soon. There’s also the fact that the article goes over multiple other options to replace Hernández beyond Suzuki, and the article does have the feel of the Dodgers wanting to make sure it’s known that they can go other directions.

I’d be surprised if Cubs-Dodgers rumors on Seiya Suzuki picked up real steam, but then I didn’t expect Suzuki rumors to be a thing AT ALL this offseason. I was very wrong about that. So I’ll keep an open mind.