Dodgers GM addresses Andre Ethier’s future with the team

Reporting from BOCA RATON, Fla. —  If Andre Ethier remains with the Dodgers, he will become a 10-and-5 player in the first month of the upcoming season.

As a player with 10 years of major league service time, including the last five with the same team, Ethier would have the right to veto any trade. Ethier has two years and $38 million remaining on his contract.

At baseball’s general managers meetings this week, General Manager Farhan Zaidi said the Dodgers wouldn’t trade Ethier for the sake of preventing him from gaining his 10-and-5 rights.

“Our goal to put together the best roster,” Zaidi said. “If a guy is part of that roster, in that time he’s going to secure those rights, that’s fine.”

Ethier had a bounce back season this year, batting .294 with 14 home runs and 53 runs batted in.

“Andre had a big year for us, and he fits very well on our team going forward,” Zaidi said.

Zaidi said he wouldn’t mind if Ethier, who turns 34 in April, plays out the remainder of his contract with the Dodgers. The team’s outfield unit became younger last winter when Matt Kemp was traded to the San Diego Padres.

“I think getting Joc [Pederson] into the outfield mix sort of injected youth into that group, which is what we were looking to do,” Zaidi said.

Zaidi said the Dodgers have other young options in the outfield in the likes of Enrique Hernandez, Jose Peraza and Scott Schebler.

“We have a group of younger outfielders sort of mixing in with Carl [Crawford] and Andre, we have pretty good balance,” Zaidi said.