Hanley Goes West

This time of year, it is not out of the realm of possibility to wake up to find out that a blockbuster trade went down while you were sleeping. Today was one of those days.

The baseball world woke to the news that the Dodgers had acquired Hanley Ramirez and lefty reliever Randy Choate from the Marlins for rookie starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and minor league relief pitcher Scott McGough. Obviously, the big name here is Ramirez, and this is one of the biggest moves of an already interesting 2012 trade period. This is the type of trade that could have a major impact on the NL West race.

Here are three reasons why I think that this trade COULD propel the Dodgers to an NL West title:

1. Offensive spark.

The Dodgers have an outstanding record despite having one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the league. They are at or near the bottom in many of the major offensive categories, and they have really struggled with getting production from the left side of their infield. The addition of Ramirez to the lineup will turn the dynamic duo of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier into a three-headed hitting monster.

2. Sign of further moves.

This move and the upcoming offseason will be a showcase of the Dodgers’ new ownership and their willingness to make moves to win. This team is definitely in the hunt for a playoff spot, and this trade communicates that they are going for it this year. I would not expect this to be the last move the Dodgers make before the deadline, and I think they will add a viable starting pitcher to the mix.

3. Confidence.

The Dodgers have had to deal with inconsistencies for the majority of the season, and losing their best player (Kemp) for an extended period of time did not help. Bringing in Ramirez will provide the lineup and pitching staff with a certain level of confidence as they traverse through the remainder of this season.

The MLB Trade Deadline is usually wrought with season-changing transactions, but this year’s deadline seems primed for many more fireworks. Keep up with all of the news at MLB.com and be sure to follow @MLBFanCave on Twitter for more content.