Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Dodgers

Whereas different NL powers loaded up throughout the offseason, the Dodgers had a relatively quiet winter that centered extra on shorter-term contracts.

Main League Signings

• Clayton Kershaw, SP: One year, $20MM
• Noah Syndergaard, SP: One year, $13MM
• J.D. Martinez, OF/DH: One year, $10MM
• David Peralta, OF: One year, $6.5MM
• Shelby Miller, RP: One year, $1.5MM
• Jimmy Nelson, RP: One year, $1.2MM
• Alex Reyes, RP: One year, $1.1MM (Dodgers maintain $3MM membership choice for 2024, $100K buyout)

2023 spending: $53.3MM
Complete spending: $53.3MM

Possibility Selections

Trades & Claims

Notable Minor League Signings

• Jason Heyward, Robbie Erlin, Luke Williams, Steven Duggar, Adam Kolarek, Bradley Zimmer, Matt Andriese, Patrick Mazeika, David Freitas, Wander Suero, Tyler Cyr, Tayler Scott, James Jones, Dylan Covey, Yusniel Diaz, Rubby De La Rosa

Extensions

Notable Losses

• Trea Turner, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Tyler Anderson, Craig Kimbrel, Chris Martin, Andrew Heaney, Joey Gallo, Edwin Rios, Tommy Kahnle, Kevin Pillar, Trevor Bauer, Duffy, Alberto, David Price (received’t pitch in 2023)

The Dodgers have already been dealt a pair of great harm blows in Spring Coaching, between Tony Gonsolin’s ankle sprain and the a lot larger-scale downside of Gavin Lux’s season-ending ACL tear.  These accidents solely added to a common sense of unease throughout the L.A. fanbase, contemplating that within the aftermath of one other playoff disappointment, the Dodgers took a fairly conservative method to reloading for the 2023 season.

To this finish, Dodgers followers would possibly take solace in the truth that there would possibly nonetheless be a niche between their group and the remainder of the Nationwide League, contemplating that Los Angeles received 111 video games final season.  The group’s obvious (and now abandoned) plan to get beneath the Aggressive Stability Tax threshold and reset its penalty standing isn’t precisely a brand new technique for the Dodgers, contemplating they didn’t pay any luxurious tax in any of the 2018-20 seasons.  Plus, the usual winter plan for president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has been to take issues comparatively gradual within the offseason aside from maybe one main addition, i.e. signing Freddie Freeman in 2021-22, signing Trevor Bauer in 2020-21, or buying and selling for Mookie Betts in 2019-20.

This offseason merely lacked that one headline-grabbing transfer, although it isn’t as if Los Angeles didn’t make some explorations.  The membership reportedly had some degree of curiosity in such marquee free brokers as Justin Verlander, Xander Bogaerts, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Rodon, and even Aaron Judge, in addition to different notable free agent and commerce targets like Andrew McCutchen, Seth Lugo, the Brewers’ Willy Adames, and Kolten Wong (who ended up dealt from the Brewers to the Mariners).

In fact, the Dodgers’ monetary energy and farm system depth can permit them to no less than take into account just about any participant in baseball, and it might be that a few of these pursuits had been easy due diligence.  The tip results of the Dodgers’ winter machinations was a sequence of short-term signings, as L.A. didn’t give any free agent past one assured 12 months.  Shortstop Miguel Rojas was signed to a contract extension quickly after being acquired from the Marlins, however even that deal is just assured via the 2024 season.

Rojas joins Betts, Freeman, Gonsolin, Austin Barnes, and Chris Taylor as the one Dodgers formally beneath contract for the 2024 season, and Betts, Freeman and Taylor are the one gamers on the books for 2025 and past.  As such, Los Angeles may probably look to reset its luxurious tax standing subsequent winter, although it’ll be a bit trickier for Friedman since he’ll should navigate a plethora of membership choice selections, in addition to deciding whether or not or to not try to re-sign any of this 12 months’s free agent additions, plus Julio Urias’ impending entry into free company.

Bauer’s state of affairs was undoubtedly a significant component within the Dodgers’ method to the 2022-23 offseason.  The league issued Bauer a 324-game suspension final April beneath the MLB/MLBPA joint Home Violence, Sexual Assault and Baby Abuse coverage, and after Bauer appealed the choice, an impartial arbitrator reduced the suspension to 194 video games.  This coated the time Bauer had already missed, and thus he was reinstated from suspension and his remaining $22.5MM in wage was returned to the Dodgers’ payroll.  (The Dodgers released Bauer inside just a few weeks of the arbitrator’s ruling, however naturally the group continues to be obligated to pay the cash owed.)  Because the membership’s estimated luxurious tax quantity is roughly $245.1MM, Los Angeles would have been beneath the $233MM tax threshold with room to spare with out Bauer’s wage on the books.

With this monetary outlook in thoughts, Kershaw and Jimmy Nelson had been the one members of the Dodgers’ prolonged free agent listing to return to Chavez Ravine, because the group noticed Trea Turner, Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney, Chris Martin, and Tommy Kahnle all head elsewhere on multi-year contracts.  The Dodgers additionally added to their listing of free brokers with some notable non-tenders and declined membership choices, most notably Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner.

Los Angeles’ give attention to filling these roster holes was cut up into two fronts.  Firstly, the Dodgers are desperate to see what they’ve in a big selection of huge league-ready younger expertise.  Miguel Vargas is slated to be the membership’s common second baseman, as the previous prime prospect has nothing left to show on the Triple-A degree.  James Outman figures to be a part of the outfield image in some unspecified time in the future this season, if maybe not on the Opening Day roster.  Ryan Pepiot and Michael Grove are competing to see who earns a rotation spot in Gonsolin’s absence, and pitching prospects Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone are additionally on the verge of debuting within the majors.  Different top-100 prospects like Michael Busch and Andy Pages may be within the huge leagues earlier than 2023 is over, and the Dodgers additionally picked up an attention-grabbing younger participant from outdoors the group in utilityman Yonny Hernandez.

Many groups could be excited to have only one or two of these prospects able to step up, so the Dodgers’ deep minor league pipeline is one thing of a humiliation of riches for a big-market membership that can also be keen to spend.  Slightly than put an excessive amount of strain on the children, Los Angeles augmented the roster with some veteran names which may show a extra instant profit in 2023.

The Dodgers seemingly saved up hope that they might re-sign Justin Turner for a lot of the winter, however in the end pivoted to a different skilled former All-Star in J.D. Martinez.  As just about a DH-only participant at this level in his profession, Martinez’s lack of versatility is a little bit of a departure from the Dodgers’ normal mannequin of participant acquisition, but the group is hopeful that Martinez can get absolutely on monitor after his energy numbers dipped with the Pink Sox final season.  Even with a scarcity of slugging, Martinez nonetheless supplied Boston with above-average (119 wRC+) manufacturing whereas hitting .274/.341/.448 over 596 plate appearances.

Whereas Bellinger’s precipitous dropoff on the plate had already turned the previous NL MVP into extra of a platoon participant, Los Angeles nonetheless wanted to exchange Bellinger’s sturdy protection and bolster the outfield depth on the entire.  In signing Peralta and Heyward, the Dodgers added a pair of left-handed hitters to stability out the lineup, with Peralta most likely extra of an offense-focused signing whereas Heyward brings the glovework.  Peralta initiatives because the common left fielder in opposition to right-handed pitching, whereas Heyward’s enjoying time figures to hinge on how a lot the Dodgers are keen to play him in heart area when Trayce Thompson is out of the lineup, or how a lot time Heyward would possibly get in his customary proper area spot if Betts is getting used at second base.  The versatile Taylor can even get enjoying time in each the outfield and infield, at a number of positions.

Lux’s harm was an enormous blow for a lot of causes, most clearly as a result of an up-and-coming younger participant has had his profession sidetracked for a complete 12 months.  The Dodgers had been assured sufficient in Lux’s means to change into the on a regular basis shortstop that they didn’t make a lot of an effort to re-sign Trea Turner, nor did the group make too deep an incursion into the free agent shortstop market (aside from checking in on Bogaerts and Swanson).  With Rojas acquired from the Marlins to offer some extra depth, Los Angeles was prepared to present Lux a full alternative to determine himself as an on a regular basis huge league shortstop.

With the worst-case state of affairs now visited upon Lux and the Dodgers, Rojas has been thrust into on a regular basis responsibility.  It definitely isn’t an unfamiliar spot for Rojas given his years of expertise in Miami, and if he continues to ship his normal sturdy protection, the Dodgers is likely to be okay with Rojas’ inconsistent bat contemplating the offense elsewhere within the common lineup.  Taylor and Hernandez may chip in at shortstop if wanted, however this additionally stands out as a place the place the Dodgers may add some outdoors assist.  Spring Coaching is “not essentially the most pure time to make a commerce,” Friedman recently noted to media, however speculatively, L.A. would possibly look to focus on shortstops on the commerce deadline if Rojas and firm can maintain the fort till midseason.

On the pitching facet, the rotation nonetheless seems to be sturdy even with Gonsolin is quickly out of motion.  Assuming Pepiot or Grove can capably fill in because the fifth starter, Los Angeles has Urias, Dustin May in his full-season return after Tommy John surgical procedure, franchise icon Kershaw, and newcomer Noah Syndergaard within the prime 4.

Although it took near a month for Kershaw to formally re-sign with the Dodgers after information broke of his settlement with the group, there wasn’t a lot thriller about his newest free agent enterprise, as Kershaw fairly shortly agreed to return for his sixteenth season in Los Angeles.  As a result of Kershaw is getting into his age-35 season and has such a prolonged harm historical past, he can’t be thought of a wholly certain factor, but Kershaw has established a fairly clear “new regular” for himself at this stage in his profession.  The southpaw has been restricted to 22 begins in every of the final two seasons because of wear-and-tear kinds of accidents, but when Kershaw has pitched, he has nonetheless regarded like a front-of-the-rotation arm.

Anderson posted excellent numbers in his one season in Los Angeles, however whereas Syndergaard isn’t being counted on to really change Anderson, Syndergaard would naturally like to comply with that mannequin of a profession resurgence.  Whereas the righty had a stable 3.94 ERA over 134 2/3 innings with the Angels and Phillies in 2022, Syndergaard is hoping for extra now that he’s extra absolutely faraway from the Tommy John surgical procedure that value him nearly all the 2020-21 seasons.  It stays to be seen if Syndergaard can get again to his previous All-Star degree from his days with the Mets, however such a state of affairs can’t be dominated out given the Dodgers’ previous success at getting veteran pitchers on monitor.

L.A. principally stood pat with its reduction corps, no less than within the quick time period.  The acquisitions of Alex Reyes and J.P. Feyereisen are longer-term upside performs for later within the 2023 season, since each pitchers are recovering from shoulder surgical procedures.  Nelson additionally missed all of 2022 because of TJ surgical procedure, however the Dodgers had been assured sufficient in his means to return that Nelson was re-signed to a brand new assured huge league deal.  Los Angeles additionally gave Shelby Miller a one-year MLB deal within the hopes that Miller can lastly set up himself as a reduction pitcher, regardless of Miller’s lack of outcomes and even enjoying time on the Main League degree in recent times.

Whereas these signings could look uninspiring, an argument may be made that the Dodgers didn’t have to do a lot past tinker with a bullpen that was one of many league’s greatest in 2022.  Seeing who (if anyone) steps right into a full-time nearer function might be an attention-grabbing story to observe because the season progresses, and the Dodgers determine to be considerably fluid with their bullpen combine relying on whether or not any of the rotation prospects find yourself debuting as relievers, or if commerce potentialities emerge.

That form of wait-and-see aspect would possibly prolong to the roster as an entire, because the entrance workplace has proven up to now that it is going to be aggressive in making in-season strikes, whether or not it’s lower-level pickups or commerce deadline blockbusters.  It might be that Friedman will save the “one headline-grabbing transfer” for the deadline, when the Dodgers have a greater thought of their wants, how the youthful gamers are becoming in, and what veterans have or haven’t contributed.  There may be some danger on this technique, however these are the dangers an 111-win group can afford to make contemplating that it appears fairly unlikely that the Dodgers will fall out of the playoff race.

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