PHOENIX -- If it hadn't begun already, open bidding on Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders figures to get underway after Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman declared Wednesday at the general managers meetings that he plans to trade one of them between now and spring training.
"I think it's most likely the best course of action to move one of those players," Friedman said.
Previously, Friedman and former general manager Ned Colletti said they were happy having the depth that four everyday outfielders -- three making eight-figure salaries -- gave them. Now, with prospect Joc Pederson banging on the door and manager Don Mattingly increasingly voicing his frustration with juggling playing time, Friedman seems intent on breaking the logjam.
The Dodgers have, in fact, discussed the possibility of trading two outfielders and giving Pederson, who batted .303 with 33 home runs at Triple-A Albuquerque, an everyday job.
It's believed they're most likely to trade Andre Ethier, who was virtually unused in the final few months, or Carl Crawford. Yet Friedman said he wouldn't rule out moving Matt Kemp, who led the majors in slugging after the All-Star break.
The least likely of the outfielders to be traded is Yasiel Puig, who makes a relatively modest $6.2 million and is the darling of the owners because of his popularity and marketing potential.
"We just don't have any hard and fast rules. We're open to have any discussions," Friedman said. "That doesn't mean that some aren't much more difficult to push across the finish line. Obviously what Matt has done, what Matt's capable of doing, is significant, especially in this day and age with the run-scoring environment the way it is. His ability in the batter's box is different."
Finances will make any trade complicated. Kemp, 30, has $107 million left on his contract that runs through 2019. Ethier, 32, has $56 million left on his deal that expires after 2017. Ethier batted .249 with a career-low .370 slugging percentage last year.
Crawford, 33, batted .300 and has three years and $62.25 million left on his contract. It may be complicated, but Friedman and new general manager Farhan Zaidi are on a mission to rid the Dodgers of as many bulky contracts as they can as they look to reshape the roster and make the team younger.
"Obviously we need to figure out a way to line up on something that makes sense for us and another team to trade a guy and put ourselves in the best position to be more nimble with our roster and more flexible," Friedman said.
The Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox have inquired on Kemp in the past. Seattle, in particular, is said to be looking for a middle-of-the-order bat to protect Robinson Cano.
The Dodgers could look to trade one bad contract for another in order to address an area of need, such as the bullpen or rotation.