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Trading for Christian Yelich is a statement the Dodgers need to make

Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty

One week ago, when asked specifically if his team had considered pursuing Miami Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich through trade, Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins summed it up perfectly.

"Here’s what I could say on a player like Christian Yelich: All 30 teams are in, so it's not up to the Blue Jays on whether or not we get him," Atkins, who rarely sheds detail on a specific player, told Prime Time Sports last Tuesday.

"All 29 other teams, in addition to the Marlins, (want Yelich). We'll do what we can... but Christian Yelich is a remarkable talent, and he's going to impact the Marlins or whoever he's playing for in a significant way."

Yelich is indeed a remarkable talent. In midst of a complete tear-down led by Marlins owner Derek Jeter, Yelich's agent, Joe Longo, admitted Tuesday his client's relationship with the team is "irretrievably broken". This doesn't guarantee a trade will happen, but it's also not hard to imagine several teams, much like Atkins said, ramping up the pursuit for the star.

There's one organization, though, that need to go all in for the talented outfielder, and that's the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Player Position Projected WAR
Chris Taylor LF 2.3
Christian Yelich CF 4.0
Corey Seager SS 5.5
Cody Bellinger 1B 2.6
Justin Turner 3B 4.2
Yasiel Puig RF 3.1
Austin Barnes C 1.6
Logan Forsythe 2B 1.7

Dodgers' projected 2018 lineup and WAR including Yelich, courtesy of FanGraphs Steamer projections

Without Yelich, the Dodgers won a league-high 104 games last season, backed by a tremendous first half that saw them go 61-29. However, in September, the Dodgers would somehow go on to lose 11 straight games; the most by the franchise since 1944.

Without Yelich - a California native, no less - the Dodgers came one win shy of a World Series, losing in seven games to the Houston Astros, a club now boasting a major acquisition in the form of right-hander Gerrit Cole. The Dodgers, yet to make a corresponding move, have the opportunity to counter. Yelich is the solution.

Player WAR wRC+ OPS WOBA
Yelich 15.9 121 .804 .349

Yelich's combined stats since 2014

Yelich has performed as one of the most valuable players in all of baseball since 2014. His 15.9 WAR is ninth, ahead of qualified outfielders and All-Stars Charlie Blackmon, Yoenis Cespedes, and George Springer. His ability to get on base (.368 OBP) puts him fifth at his position, notably ahead of former teammate Giancarlo Stanton.

The Marlins, of course, realize Yelich's value. They simply gave Stanton away to the Yankees for a marginal return, but shedding the slugger's mammoth contract was all that mattered. That isn't the case with Yelich, whose team-friendly deal will pay him $43.2 million until 2021, and includes a $15-million team option in 2022.

Regardless of his agent's proclamations, the Marlins don't have to grant the under-contract Yelich his wish. However, the Dodgers should force the hand of Jeter and Co. and acquire him, whatever the cost. No young player should be off the table. Top prospects Walker Buehler and Alex Verdugo would be a steep price to pay, but with an opportunity to acquire a cost-effective 26-year-old with his best days ahead of him, you bite the bullet. Even with the Dodgers paying the luxury tax for the fourth-straight season, Yelich is a piece the team can afford, especially factoring in Matt Kemp and his $21.5-million salary, which could come off the books as early as 2018.

Other than the Stanton trade, the Astros acquiring Cole has been the move of the offseason. General manager Jeff Luhnow did well snatching him away from American League rivals, at least temporarily. The Dodgers trading for Yelich would not only help them keep pace with Houston, but also give an already historically elite offense another weapon to deploy against NL West counterparts.

Atkins said it best. Yelich is deserving of recognition, and at the end of the day, regardless of his desire to leave Miami, his future is in the Marlins' hands. That's where Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi and president Andrew Friedman must work their collective magic to make a much-needed statement of their own.

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