There is no doubt that the Los Angeles Dodgers are out to make history and complete that three-peat next season. And to be fair, their roster is loaded enough to take them there. But even the best of rosters has some holes, and one area that needs some work is the outfield.

Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages are into their everyday roles. Pages cooled off late, but his overall season earned him plenty of trust. Hernandez is not winning any Gold Gloves, yet with Ohtani locked into the DH spot, he has to play the field. So that leaves the third outfield job as a question mark, more so after the Michael Conforto experiment flopped.

So now, naturally, trade rumors have come about, and one name that keeps popping up is the Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran. On paper, it makes all the sense—Duran is athletic, left-handed, and can play center field, and is under the team’s control through 2028. He was also an All-Star in 2024, and yes, a dip in the last season was seen, but he still posted an .818 OPS in the second half.

So, who do they give up for a player like that? The name that many like, the Bleacher Report, is saying is a clean swap—Duran to the Dodgers, Emmet Sheehan to Boston. 

But this move, according to some insiders, is too risky!

On the “DodgerHeads” podcast, host Jeff Spiegel and Forbes’ senior MLB contributor Anthony Witrado, referencing Jeff Passan’s reporting, said that Boston’s asking price is said to be for a “front of the rotation starter.” So far, no team has been on its heels to pay that. And if the Dodgers were involved, their conversation would probably begin with names like Sheehan.

Anthony Witrado didn’t mince words: “I don’t think one is worth the other personally… I think Sheehan holds more value to the Dodgers for what he is, and I think he probably holds more value to just about every other team in baseball, considering his ceiling as a starting rotation piece.” And with four years of team control and a 2.82 ERA in his last healthy season, Sheehan is not the arm that the Dodgers can’t afford to lose. It’s a risky decision that the Dodgers have to think seriously about.

But then, a surprising fact is what Witrado put forth. According to him, despite all the noise, Boston might not be shopping for Jarren Duran. “If you’re shopping a player, you’re actively calling teams,” Witrado said. “From what I’ve gathered, the Red Sox aren’t necessarily doing that.” Instead, teams are calling Boston, not the other way around.

For the Dodgers, the message is clear—Duran is appealing, but spending premium pitching depth for him might be a gamble they are better off avoiding. Meanwhile, LA and Boston are entangled in more than just the Duran!

The Dodgers face stiff competition from the Boston Red Sox over Donovan

If there is one thing LA loves in their supporting cast, it is their versatility. Being able to move players around the game has become a trait for their roster, more so when trying to create a lineup full of stars. While there are internal options who can do that, most of them—Hyeseong Kim included—are still unproven. That’s part of the problem.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have uncertainty in the outfield, and the second base feels crowded and underwhelming all at the same time. It’s why Brendan Donovan has been one name that’s popular in the Dodgers circle.

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And he does check all the right boxes. He is a 2022 Utility Gold Glove winner, and he owns a career 119 wRC+, and he brings strong at-bats and defense to the table. His best positions are second base and left field—two spots that are areas where the Dodgers need help. But while on paper the fit is clean, the Dodgers are not alone anymore.

According to the recent buzz, the Boston Red Sox have entered the trade discussions with the Cardinals. And this should set off the alarms in LA, because Boston has a hole at second base. And unlike in the past, they appear to be hesitant to commit long-term money, which could push them away from someone like Ketel Marte and towards Donovan.

From a financial standpoint, the fit makes sense too, given Donovan is entering his second year of arbitration and is projected to make under $6 million in 2026. He won’t hit free agency until after 2027, and for Boston, who are penny-pinching, that makes sense.

The question for the Dodgers is whether they value Donovan enough to overpay him. If Boston is deep in talks, then maybe LA is a little late to the party.