Dodgers' latest mini trade should sneakily scare Blue Jays fans

What are they up to? The Los Angeles Dodgers have made one big move this winter, signing free agent closer Edwin Diaz on Dec. 12, but that's been the extent of their offseason maneuvering. However, there is lots of speculation that that could be about to change.

There's all of a sudden a roster spot open and there are several free agents that could fill that spot, including players the Blue Jays are hoping to bring to Toronto.

Dodgers' latest mini trade should sneakily scare Blue Jays fans

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Dodgers have dealt outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins for minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero. The move brings the Dodger's roster count to 39 players leaving a door open for a major league addition. The fact that Ruiz is an outfielder is only further fueling the speculation that the Dodgers are in the market on players like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger and maybe even Bo Bichette.

Those are three players the Blue Jays have shown interest in this offseason, namely Tucker and Bichette, but the Dodgers could be in the mix for any of them, giving the Blue Jays some added competition to sign them. While the Dodgers already feel like a loaded team, they are always looking to add to their roster, and they rarely add fringe type players - always going after the big name guys.

The Blue Jays, just a few years ago, lost out on signing Shohei Ohtani as he chose LA over Toronto. To add insult to injury, he was part of the Dodgers team that just beat the Blue Jays in the World Series. As Toronto looks to upgrade their roster to overcome the sting of that World Series loss, it would further deepen the rivalry fuel between these two clubs if the Dodgers swooped in and grabbed one or more of the guys that the Blue Jays have reportedly coveted since the end of the World Series.

The one thing that may work out in the Blue Jays favour is that there is no real "clean" fit on the Dodgers right now. They have guys at all those spots that are every day players and it would require some fancy maneuvering to make it work, although for a guy like Tucker, Bregman and Bichette, they'll find a way to make anything work.

Even if Toronto doesn't completely love the prices it will take to get a deal done, they may have to act fast before the Dodgers come in and start scooping up the players the Blue Jays really want.