Jimmy Rollins is the perfect stopgap shortstop for the Dodgers
Jimmy Rollins is the perfect stopgap shortstop for the Dodgers (USATSI)

The Dodgers came into the offseason with an uncomfortable situation at shortstop. Hanley Ramirez was a free agent, and while he remains a premium offensive player, he's a terrible defensive shortstop. Signing him long-term didn't make much sense for a team in the non-DH league.

So Los Angeles let Hanley walk and that left a big hole a shortstop. The free agent options weren't all that appealing. Asdrubal Cabrera and Jed Lowrie are better suited defensively for second base at this point of their careers, and while Stephen Drew can legitimately play the position, he had a miserable 2014 at the plate. There was no obvious free agent target.

The trade market wasn't all that great either. Troy Tulowitzki and Starlin Castro were either off limits or would require a massive package of players. Youngsters like Brad Miller and Didi Gregorius have yet to establish themselves as everyday players. A super-contender like the Dodgers presumably wants more of a sure thing at shortstop.

And yet, despite the imperfect options available in free agency and the trade market, new GM Farhan Zaidi managed to find the perfect one-year stopgap solution. On Wednesday, he was on the verge of acquiring Jimmy Rollins from the Phillies:

Rollins just turned 36 last month and he's a lifelong Phillie. He became the franchise's all-time hits leader in June and told reporters "I'll be here next year" in September. Thanks to his 10-and-5 righties, Rollins had full no-trade protection and could have stayed in Philadelphia if he wanted. Instead, he's about to head to Los Angeles.

For Rollins, the appeal of the Dodgers is obvious. They're a legitimate World Series contender with a clubhouse full of other big name players, so he'll blend right in. He'll also be reunited with first base coach Davey Lopes. Rollins is from (Northern) California, though it's unclear how much of a factor that is for him. Joining the Dodgers is all about getting another chance to win a ring rather than toil away on the rebuilding Phillies.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are getting a very good shortstop even though Rollins is no longer the player he was at his peak. He hit .243/.323/.394 (101 OPS+) this past season, and while that sounds terrible, the league average shortstop hit .255/.310/.268 (94 OPS+) in 2014. Factor in some age-related decline in 2015 and Rollins is still right there with the MLB average.

Furthermore, that 101 OPS+ came with 17 homeruns and 28 stolen bases. Four shortstops who qualified for the batting title hit 15+ homers and seven stole 20+ bases. Rollins, Ian Desmond and Alexei Ramirez were the only ones to do both. The defensive stats all considered Rollins anywhere from an average to above-average defender as well. Put it all together and you get 3.6 WAR during his age 35 season.

Rollins is owed $11 million in 2015 and after that he'll become a free agent, so this is a short-term pickup with no long-term roster implications. The Dodgers have stud shortstop prospect Corey Seager (Kyle's brother) set to play in Triple-A next season -- either on Opening Day or after a midseason promotion from Double-A -- and this trade buys him another year to develop in the minors.

The trade helps the Dodgers in every way. No, he's not the Jimmy Rollins of 2004-08, but he is still a two-way contributor at a hard to fill position with big market chops, and he fills a need for a year until Seager is ready. It's a great fit for everyone, really. The Dodgers get a stopgap shortstop, the Phillies get two young pitchers to help their rebuild, and Rollins get another shot at a ring. It's a win-win-win.