Over the past month, Curtis Granderson has been one of baseball’s hottest hitters There’s no better time for the New York Mets to send him packing.
After hitting just .201 with a .641 OPS through the end of May, it looked like Curtis Granderson was well on his way to having a horrible season.
But a scorching June, in which he’s hit .315 with seven home runs (including five in his last seven games), 11 RBI and a 1.166 OPS has turned his season around. It’s also made him a valuable trade chip for the Mets to play.
His current level of production and his ability to play all three outfield positions, along with his experience and leadership makes him an attractive addition for any contender in need of outfield help and/or a veteran bat with pop.
While Granderson is 36 years old, he’s in the last year of his contract and won’t eat up an acquiring team’s future payroll.
While the roughly $7.5 million that he’s due for the rest of the season may be too much for some potential suitors, one team that could take on that salary is the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers are in first place in a tight National League West division thanks to the somewhat surprisingly consistent production from youngsters Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager.
But Joc Pederson, L.A.’s center fielder, has been one of the teams bigger let downs this season. While five of Pederson’s seven home runs on the year have come in June, the Dodgers may prefer to run with a more experienced option at the position.
Aside from Chase Utley, the Dodgers lack veteran leadership. That’s something that Granderson brings to the table night in and night out. He’d be a welcome addition to that clubhouse.
The Dodgers saw firsthand what Granderson is capable of last week, as he went deep in back-to-back games against them. But that wasn’t the first time the Dodgers have felt the Grandyman’s wrath.
Granderson’s offensive contributions were one of the big reasons why the Mets made it to the World Series in 2015. In the divisional series against the Dodgers, Granderson posted a .389 batting average and made some tremendous plays in the field.
People forget that when series was tied 1-1, and the Mets were down two runs in Game 3, Granderson’s base-clearing double turned what was looking like an easy win for the Dodgers into a 13-4 victory for New York.
Many, including myself, believed that the Dodgers were going to win that series. But thanks to Granderson’s clutch performance, we were proven wrong.
Granderson is a short-term rental, so while his trade value is high, the Mets aren’t going to get a big-time prospect back in return.
But the Dodgers have a deep farm system with a number of mid-level prospects that could interest the Mets, a list that includes third baseman Oneil Cruz and outfielder DJ Peters.
The Dodgers are looking to become World Series Champions for the first time since 1988, while Granderson is looking to win his first ring. He’s a player who always seems to raise his game under pressure.
The Mets may be looking to retool their roster, but they’re going to have to restock the farm system as well with prospects like Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith expected to be in the big leagues soon.
It’s a deal that could help both teams get what they need.