Howie Kendrick Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz, Speculation Surrounding Angels 2B

Howie Kendrick has been a mainstay in the Los Angeles Angels' infield for nearly the past decade, but that will change in 2015 as Kendrick has been traded to the Dodgers.

Continue for updates.

Wednesday, Dec. 10

Dodgers Acquire Kendrick

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports the Dodgers have made a move for Kendrick:

Los Angeles' acquisition of Kendrick stunned the baseball world late Wednesday night. The Dodgers had just traded for Heaney earlier in the evening in exchange for Dee Gordon. With Andrew Friedman calling the shots in LA's front office, it's clear the Dodgers have a plan of attack this offseason.

Friday, Nov. 14

Yankees, Blue Jays Interested in Kendrick

According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays have both inquired about the veteran second baseman. Heyman states the Halos are unlikely to part ways, but if they can improve their starting rotation, "they'd still consider it."

This coincides with a report from Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, who cited sources a couple of weeks ago saying the Angels could trade Kendrick or David Freese, with the second baseman being the more likely to go.

Last season, Kendrick hit .293/.347/.397 with seven home runs, 75 RBI and 14 stolen bases, all of which are right around his career averages. He finished sixth among all second baseman with a 4.6 WAR (wins above replacement), per FanGraphs.com.

The 31-year-old has only made one All-Star appearance in his career, but he has been a consistently solid hitter at a position that lacks quality depth. He's also a solid fielder and has played in at least 140 games in four of the past five years.

Moreover, he's hardly a major burden on the books—he's set to make a reasonable $9.5 million in the final year of his current deal.

Nevertheless, with Garrett Richards' status unclear as he returns from knee surgery, the Angels are in need of starting pitching. If the right offer comes along, they may have to pull the trigger, especially with Gordon Beckham and Grant Green capable of filling in at the pivot.

Currently, it doesn't sound like talks have progressed very far. But this is certainly something to pay attention to, as the Angels, a team with a lot of money already directed elsewhere, look for creative ways to improve on last year's division title.