Ethier is 10-for-22 in his last eight games, but barring a trade in the next week, he'll open as a bench player for the Dodgers. Ethier may have some trade value should the Dodgers eat 50% of the remaining $56 million that he's owed.

Ethier was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI Thursday against the Angels to raise his average to .250. All signs point to hot-hitting rookie Joc Pederson being the team's Opening Day center fielder. A trade seems to be Ethier's only shot at regular playing time at this point.

Ethier is 4-for-11 with a pair of walks so far this spring as he looks to try and beat out rookie Joc Pederson for a starting outfield job. Pederson is also playing well (5-for-14) and probably has a slight edge at this point.

Ethier indicated that he would like to get traded if not given a chance to play every day, ESPNLosAngeles.com reports. There's a reasonable chance that Joc Pederson will win the starting center field job over Ethier, though Pederson hasn't been given the job yet. "I want the opportunity to play every day. My mind hasn't changed from when I told you guys that a couple months ago," Ethier said. "I felt like when I get a chance to play every day, I put up the numbers they ask of me. For some strange reason, it just happened that coming off a good 2012 season, in 2013 they took games away. You start to wonder why that happened...."

Ethier indicated Monday that he will be given a chance to win a starting spot, Eric Stephen of True Blue LA reports. The favorites to start Opening Day include Carl Crawford, Joc Pederson, and Yasiel Puig, but only Puig is really locked in as a starter. Ethier looks to be the odd man out, but he still has a chance.

Ethier will likely be competing with Carl Crawford and Joc Pederson for starting outfield slots alongside Yasiel Puig.Crawford and Pederson are likely the favorites headed into camp, as the former appears to be viewed as the likely leadoff man and the latter is the team's best defensive center fielder. If Crawford is healthy come Opening Day and Pederson hits well at the plate in March, Ethier probably finds himself as the fourth outfielder.

Ethier will start in center field and bat sixth Tuesday against the Cardinals. Yasiel Puig struck out in a whopping seven consecutive plate appearances before tripling in the sixth inning of Monday's game, and with the season on the line, manager Don Mattingly has decided to bench Puig in favor of Ethier in Game 4. Ethier logged all of 18 at-bats in September, recording four hits and two RBI, but he is 2-for-6 with a homer and three RBI in his career against right-hander Shelby Miller.

Ethier has started just one of the team's last 11 games and has just four at-bats in the month of September overall. With Yasiel Puig struggling, it's possible Ethier could see some time in center field this month, but the team appears to prefer to let Puig work out his struggles by playing every day. It's even possible Ethier could be left off the playoff roster, though it's far too early to tell at this point.

Ethier started back-to-back games on Saturday/Sunday, the first time he had done so since July 20-21. Ethier gave days off to Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford. He's still clearly fourth in line in the outfield pecking order.

Ethier is taking ground balls at first base and could be an option there should Adrian Gonzalez get hurt or need a day off, reports the Dodgers' official site. Ethier still has a little value in NL-only formats as a backup outfielder and pinch-hitter, so this can only help. Barring an injury though, he'll still be on the bench most days.