Coming off a season in which he set the American League record for home runs by a second baseman, Brian Dozier has been the center of trade talks since the Winter Meetings. The Dodgers have been in talks with the Twins to try and acquire his services, but Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minnesota reports Los Angeles is not alone.
The Cardinals have joined the Dodgers as a team that is "very much" in the running to land Dozier, according to Wolfson, who added the Nationals and Giants also "remain in dialogue" with the Twins.
Cards looking to power up
The Cardinals' 2017 infield projects to have Matt Carpenter at first, Kolten Wong at second, Aledmys Díaz at shortstop and Jhonny Peralta, who battled a thumb injury in '16, at third base. St. Louis also has first baseman Matt Adams and versatile infielder Jedd Gyorko, but bringing in Dozier would add another power bat to one of the National League's most prolific lineups.
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Wolfson reported that he does not know specifics on what the Cardinals would be willing to part with to land Dozier, but he was told the Giants "have been trying to get creative" in hopes of working out a deal.
Giants to make a splash?
The Giants have second baseman Joe Panik, who has been productive when healthy. The 26-year-old has battled back issues over the past two seasons, leaving the club seeking depth up the middle. It's unclear where Dozier would fit in the Giants' infield, but acquiring Dozier would be a splash move for general manager Bobby Evans.
Dodgers keeping options open
The Dodgers have been the favorites to land Dozier for a few weeks and are still trying to work out a deal. Los Angeles is searching for potential options at second base with Chase Utley now a free agent. Trading for Dozier would help the Dodgers replace Utley, who hit .252 with 14 homers and 52 RBIs in 138 games in 2016.
Nats could upgrade on defense
Washington's Daniel Murphy was one of MLB's best hitters last season, but getting Dozier would be an upgrade in the field. Murphy is a staple in the Nationals' lineup, but he could move to first if the club were to trade for Dozier.
Dozier, 29, led all Major League second baseman with 42 home runs in 2016. He has a career .246 average over five MLB seasons, all of which have come with Minnesota. He has $15 million remaining on his contract over the next two seasons.