Dodgers deal main Brian Dozier trade-bait to the Rays

Trade rumors surrounding Brian Dozier and the Dodgers have been swirling around all off-season, but it looks like those will come to a grinding halt.

The Dodgers just traded top pitching prospect Jose De Leon to the Rays in a one-for-one deal for their second baseman Logan Forsythe. It had been previously reported that the Dodgers wanted to trade Jose De Leon to the Twins in a one-for-one deal for Brian Dozier, but the Twins demanded more. That demand was apparently the main reason trade talks between the Dodgers and the Twins stalled.

Logan Forsythe isn’t a bad option for the Dodgers, but he’s not exactly Dozier. Forsythe, who turned 30 last week, hit .264/.333/.444 with a career-high 20 home runs in 127 games last season. In comparison, Dozier hit .268/.340/.546 with 42 home runs in 155 games last season. Overall in 2016, Forsythe put up 3.4 bWAR compared to Dozier’s 6.5

What does this trade mean for the Twins? First and most obviously, Dozier it’s highly unlikely Dozier will go anywhere—for now. While there were reports that other teams were interested in Dozier, none of them seemed to be that serious.

Secondly, the Twins were probably right to hold on to Dozier and demand more. He’s been a better player than Foysythe, and hence should command more in return, even if it’s not that much more. The fact the Dodgers weren’t willing to give up just a little more to get Dozier makes me believe they thought they could pull a fast-one on the Twins new front office. The Twins held out for what they thought Dozier was actually worth, and they were probably correct.

However, as always, only time will tell.