LOS ANGELES -- Searching for a new left side to their infield, the Los Angeles Dodgers can now focus on finding a shortstop. They got their third baseman.

The Dodgers acquired power-hitting Mike Blowers from the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday in exchange for two minor leaguers -- second baseman Miguel Cairo and third baseman Willis Otanez.

Asked if the team was near making a move for a shortstop, Dodgers executive vice president Fred Claire replied, "Yes, we are. I would say that very soon if all goes well, we will have an announcement to make there. Very soon."

The Dodgers are said to be interested in free agent Greg Gagne, who played for Kansas City last season.

Claire had said previously that the Dodgers would do their best to trade shortstop Jose Offerman, the starter most of the time in recent years.

Claire also said he didn't believe that shortstop was the best position for Chad Fonville, who played the position during the final month of the 1995 season.

The Dodgers said last month they would not exercise their option on 38-year-old Tim Wallach for the 1996 season, and instead try to find a third baseman through trade or free agency.

"We feel that Mike Blowers gives us a quality third baseman who possesses outstanding power," Claire said. "His 23 home runs and 96 RBIs (in 1995) represent a breakthrough-type season for him.

"We feel that Mike is the guy to play third base for us. We traded two good young players, we wouldn't have done that if we didn't feel that we had acquired the player who would provide the answer at third."

Blowers, 30, played in 134 games for the Mariners last season and hit .257. He had career-high totals in homers, RBIs, doubles (24) and hits (113).

Blowers tied a major league record for grand slams in a month with three in August, and drove in 33 runs in that month, tying him with Edgar Martinez for the Mariners' record for RBIs in a month.

Blowers said he believed he proved a point last season.

"I always felt like with an opportunity to get 500 at-bats (actually 434) like most regulars, my numbers would be very good," he said. "I think the numbers speak for themselves, 23 homers and 96 RBIs in a short season.

"I think I showed everybody in the league I could come through in the big situation. I felt like if I got an opportunity to play every day, I could do those things."

Blowers, who is from the Seattle area, admitted he was disappointed about the trade at first.

"It's great, I'm excited about it now," he said from Palm Springs, Calif., where he has been playing in a golf tournament. "I've had a chance to think about it. I can't think of a better organization to go to. For me and my family, I'm excited about it."

Claire said the Dodgers had received good reports on Blowers.

"I like everything about him, and we haven't even negotiated a contract yet," Claire said. "I know a lot about him concerning his approach to the game. I really believe he is a player who is just coming into his own."

Cairo, 21, played in 107 games for the Dodgers Class AA team in San Antonio and hit .278 with one homer, 41 RBIs and 33 stolen bases.

Otanez, 22, began the 1995 season with the Dodgers Class A team in Vero Beach, Fla., where he played in 92 games, hitting .260 with 10 homers and 53 RBIs. He was promoted to San Antonio, where he played in 27 games and hit .240 with one homer and seven RBIs.

"Mike had a tremendous season for us and we will miss him, but in return we receive a pair of good prospects from the Dodgers' organization that should help us in the next couple of years," said Woody Woodward, the Mariners' vice president of baseball operations.

The Mariners designated pitcher Bob Wells for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster for Cairo and Otanez.

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