Tommy Pham could be one of Dodgers’ targets as the team looks for a right-handed hitting outfielder, MLB.com’s Juan Toribio writes. The L.A. lineup is heavy on left-handed batters overall, and another righty bat might be needed in the outfield in particular with James Outman and Jason Heyward slated for the bulk of at-bats in center and right field. Chris Taylor and Manuel Margot (both righty swingers) will be in the mix for left field work and, in Margot’s case, more of a general backup role. Prospect Miguel Vargas will also get a look in left field, yet adding a more proven bat to this group would only enhance what is already a loaded Dodgers roster.
Pham has been on the Dodgers’ radar before, and would come at a lower cost than another rumored Los Angeles target in Teoscar Hernandez. Pham is coming off another productive season that saw him hit .256/.328/.446 with 16 homers over 481 combined plate appearances with the Mets and Diamondbacks, and he hit very well for Arizona in the NLDS and World Series.
More from the NL West…
- Top Giants prospect Kyle Harrison has been speculatively floated as a trade candidate, especially after reports surfaced last month that the club was considering dealing from its stock of young pitching. However, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi all but officially closed the door on a Harrison swap, telling The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami in a podcast interview that “I can’t imagine any plausible scenario where we would move Kyle. He kind of embodies everything we’re hoping to be the next few years. He’s a local guy, he’s a homegrown talent, drafted and developed in our organization….Is a great kid, great competitor, has All-Star, Cy Young potential in our mind. Works really hard. Those are the kinds of guys you want to build around.”
- It appears as though Major League Baseball could be handling Rockies broadcasts next season, according to The Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders. An official announcement could come as early as this week, though it isn’t yet clear if the Rox or the league have found a local cable partner to carry games on actual television, as opposed to just online availability on MLB.tv. Colorado’s games used to be shown on the AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain regional sports network, though since that network is ceasing operations, the Rockies are in need of a new broadcasting partner for 2024 and beyond.
- The Diamondbacks are continuing to look for more hitting on both the trade and free agent markets, GM Mike Hazen told the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro and other reporters. “My gut tells me it’s going to come via the free agent route, but we have had some active conversations about trades and now that we’re through the new year I’m curious to see if that dialogue picks up and if there’s more opportunity in the trade market, too,” Hazen said. The general manager reiterated that the team is open to either right-handed or left-handed hitter, as the Diamondbacks’ initial need for right-handed bats has now been addressed by re-signing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and trading for Eugenio Suarez.
