What Would it Take for a Fantasy Owner to Acquire Clayton Kershaw?
In most fantasy leagues, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is ranked as the No. 1 overall player. This is a tough pill to swallow for those who took Paul Goldschmidt or Bryce Harper ahead of Kershaw, with the notion that an everyday player is much more valuable.
The game of baseball hasn't seen a pitcher this dominant since Pedro Martinez won three Cy Young Awards in a four-season stretch from 1997-2000. What's impressive about Martinez is that he asserted this dominance during baseball's steroid era.
Nonetheless, Kershaw's numbers are out-of-this-world. Take a look:
ERA | FIP | WHIP | K% | BB% | WAR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.46 | 1.59 | 0.65 | 32.9 | 1.8 | 4.2 |
If you own Kershaw and a decent support staff, you've likely been mopping up the pitching categories on a weekly basis in head-to-head leagues. If you're in a rotisserie, you're likely running away with most of the major pitching stats.
If you own him, what sort of package would it take to move Kershaw? Or is there simply no rational combination of players valuable enough?
It's possible a trade could be sorted out for Kershaw along with an good hitter, for say, Goldschmidt and a pitcher such as Madison Bumgarner or Chris Sale. But would a move such as this be worth the risk if Kershaw can somehow maintain an ERA under 1.50? Not if you ask me. Would a move like this really catapult your team if your dealing Kershaw? Probably not.

The only situation where it would actually make sense to move Kershaw is if your team is plagued by a bad offense. But it wouldn't be smart to make a move for the sake of doing so. The pieces would have to fall into place.
Let's continue to use Goldschmidt as an example. It's unlikely a Kershaw-for-Trout trade would work, but Goldschmidt's owner may be willing to part ways if he has a deep lineup. Because of Goldshcmidt's slow start, it would likely take the D-Backs first baseman, as well as the second hitter he drafted.
Goldschmidt's ADP was 2.4, so, in 10-team leagues, an owner theoretically could have also wound up with Mookie Betts (21.2 ADP) in the second round. The owner of Goldy and Betts would likely want a hitter in return along with Kershaw. What sort of hitter would be a comparable add-in?
Chris Davis (27.2 ADP) could adequately fill the void left at first base by Goldschmidt, but his production thus far this season wouldn't hold back the Kershaw owner from making a deal.
Davis and Kershaw going one way with Goldschmidt and Betts going the other way makes plenty of sense in my opinion. This works both ways based on team needs: If Kershaw's team desperately needs offense and if Goldschmidt's team is in dire need of pitching.

I decided to get second opinions from some of my fellow Fantasy Sports Editors here at theScore:
James Bisson: This is a blockbuster trade in every sense of the term, and appears to benefit both sides. The team acquiring Kershaw and Davis snags the top pitcher in baseball while landing a solid substitute at 1B. The team acquiring Goldschmidt and Betts is instantly better in all five standard fantasy categories. If both teams have the depth to pull it off, it's a huge win-win.
Ken Conrad: If all players perform as expected, the trade should improve both teams. Kershaw will instantly prop up the pitching staff, and Davis can match Goldschmidt's power. Ultimately, as good as Goldschmidt and Betts are, it's easier to acquire offensive help than elite pitching, so giving up Kershaw has to hurt, even if the team losing him already has a solid staff.
David Chernish: Kershaw provides a vast return every four or five days, but it results in a lack of offensive production. Goldschmidt and Betts bring upside at the dish and are instant upgrades at their respective positions. Although the owner with Goldschmidt and Betts is giving up two perennial fantasy producers, another one in Davis comes back. It's a fair blockbuster trade.
The depth of each team is key, but it's clear that some sort of deal structured like this could help both parties. However, this is likely the only plausible scenario where any fair deal involving Kershaw could make sense and be completed.