The Los Angeles Dodgers have a crowded outfield and it is not making Andre Ethier very happy. Last season, the team operated under a six-man rotation including Ethier, Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson. The players rotated and not everyone got to play every day. There was normally an odd man out. For the first half of the season it was Kemp, but for the second half it was Ethier and he does not want that to continue in 2015.
Is Ethier planning on requesting a trade from the Dodgers? Los Angeles is looking at several moves this offseason which likely include dealing at least one outfielder. Ethier says he is not demanding a move from Los Angeles, but intends to play every game next season and wants to be on a roster that will allow him to do so.
"I'm not there saying that yet because there's still a lot of things to hash out and get going with this team," Ethier said, via the LA Times. "It's one where I said through my agent, I want to play every day, and that's what I'm expecting to do this year. It's their decision to make from there what they want to do with that. Whether to play here every day or play somewhere else. It was fun trying to win the way we did last year, but it didn't prove any more successful than me playing every day or not playing every day."
Ethier is still owed $56 million on a contract that does not expire until 2017. Right now, it appears Kemp is drawing bigger interest for the Dodgers than any of the other outfielders. Pederson got a lot of interest during last season's deadline as many view him as a top young prospect to develop. The Dodgers were hesitant to let him go because of his potential. If the Dodgers follow through with trading Kemp, Ethier might still not play. Puig and Crawford take up the corners while Pederson takes care of the center.
Kemp is getting interest from the Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. He has five years and $107 million left on his contract, plus injury history working against him. It is unclear who teams would like to acquire more between Kemp and Ethier, but so far it is Kemp getting the looks.
