The Los Angeles Dodgers would seem to have no real problems. The defending World Series champions are riding high with the best record in baseball at 24-12 entering Wednesday. But they do have one problem, and its name is Michael Conforto.
The Dodgers signed the 10-year veteran in the offseason, handing the New York Mets' 2014 first-round draft choice - who had spent the past two years with the San Francisco Giants - a one-year, $17 million contract. In return, Conforto has delivered a sickly .142 batting average and .519 OPS.
Heading into Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Conforto had notched exactly one hit in his last 35 at-bats. That hit came Monday in his third at-bat, breaking an 0-for-30 drought.
Through his struggles, Conforto has managed to maintain the support of manager Dave Roberts. But even the Dodgers skipper is running out of patience.
"I have thought about it," Roberts said on Sunday, when asked if he had plans to bench Conforto. "If he doesn't look more comfortable, to be able to give him a couple days off might make sense."
But something else might make sense as well: a trade to acquire a replacement for Conforto in the Dodgers lineup.
The Boston Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders, and have been looking for a way to bring baseball's No. 1 prospect, outfielder Roman Anthony, up to Fenway Park from Triple-A Worcester. To do that, one of Boston's outfielders will need to go.
With Jarren Duran, last season's American League leader in doubles and triples, in left, and Gold Glover Wilyer Abreu, whose .903 OPS is 15th in MLB, in right, the obvious trade candidate is centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela.
Rafaela's hitting is less impressive than that of his two counterparts, but his defense is elite. He currently leads all centerfielders (in a tie with the Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong and St. Louis Cardinals Victor Scott II) with six defensive runs saved.
Who could the Dodgers send to Boston in return? Not the struggling Conforto. But the Red Sox have a vacancy at first base with the season-ending injury suffered by fourth-year first baseman Triston Casas last week.
Dodgers 34-year-old third baseman Max Muncy has played 297 major league games at first. The switch across the diamond should be a natural one for him. Muncy is in the second year of his two-year contract, and would be owed the remainder of $14.5 million.
Rafaela is in the second season of an eight-year, $50 million contract extension, meaning the Dodgers would be acquiring a long-term asset in trading for the 24-year-old native of Curacao.
