Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Named One of Seven Teams that Will Define Offseason

The last few winters have been relatively quiet for the Dodgers. They once had the highest payroll in baseball, but that philosophy has gone away under general manager Andrew Friedman. The club has now focused on developing their farm system and producing homegrown talent, a strategy that has yielded one of the most promising young cores in baseball.

What the Dodgers have not done, however, is go all-in top free agents. They haven’t acquired anybody to help push them over the top and get them that elusive World Series trophy. While they have made some big trade deadline moves in recent years such as Yu Darvish and Manny Machado, the Dodgers got them as rentals and did not extend either of them.



That may change this year, however. MLB.com writer Richard Justice published an article on Sunday naming seven teams that will define this offseason. The Dodgers of course, are listed in Justice’s story or else we wouldn’t be writing this right now.

Justice points to recent reports of Friedman’s interest in trading for Francisco Lindor as well as being linked to Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon as reasons to keep a close eye on LA this offseason.

Could this be the year we see the Dodgers return to being big players in free agency?

13 Comments

  1. Doubtful. They’ll express interest to drive up price of primo free agents but that’s all.

  2. Dream scenario: Dodgers sign Gerrit Cole. Also trade Seager and maybe Lux or Muncy in order to get Lindor. Move Muncy or Lux to 3rd , Lindor plays SS, Kike or Taylor plays 2nd, and Turner plays 1st. Or (and this absolutely won’t happen because it would put L.A. WAY over the luxury tax threshold) they could also sign Rendon, have Lindor play SS, Muncy or Lux at 2nd, and have Turner at 1st. BAM. Commissioner’s Trophy.

  3. Clean the swamp… fire Roberts and get rid of Kiki Taylor Yimi Kelly Pollock trade Pederson for relief and don’t let Jansen ever close again. The team will be better.

  4. No. Freidman is “in” on every trade and FA right up to the point of tendering a REAL offer, then he fades, later feigning regret that we “missed him by that much.” Even on trades he weighs 6 year control of prospects against x years for the target and publicly wrings his hands decrying that “they just wanted too much.” Add to that, more than once Freidman has told reporters that he passed on a top tier pitcher “….because pitchers tend to break.” Unfortunately, he likes bargains better so he occasionally lands some gold, but frequently goes for the has been and IL prone like Kelly and Pollock who end up being mud. Again, No, Year 32 without a World Championship is as good as cast in bronze – UNLESS Ownership steps in and places a “deliver or else” foot on Freidman’s neck.

    1. Well Said. Position players tend to to break as well… RE: Pollock, Justin Turner, Corey Seager. There is no such thing as a sure thing… We thought Jansen and Kershaw were sure things but eventually pitchers, no matter who they are, wear out or decline. Even the older really good ones don’t just lean back and let it rip. So its a chance that has risk. But like my father in law once said, “The only risks worth taking are the ones where you stick you head out far enough that it MIGHT get cut off.” Friedman never does that. He either passes on a player who would make a huge difference or he does like a turtle and sucks his head in and makes a Jed Gyrko type of deal…safe. I’d rather have Houston’s general manager, Jeff Luhnow, who plays to win and takes chances than Friedman who keeps the Dodgers competitive but not winners. He needs to learn from the late Vince Lombardi: “Winning isn’t the only thing. Its everything.” He also said, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” Friedman lacks will. He just can’t pull the trigger on a big deal that will put the Dodgers over the top.

  5. Trade kershaw…. stop with the sentiment on rewarding for past performance. The lakers kept kobe too long and stayed in the cellar. Go get top reliable relivers!!!!!

  6. I will only Trade Kershaw if Kershaw and Baez are a package deal. Enough with these two already.

  7. Crystal Ball says Dodgers sign free agent Yasiel Puig, rehire hitting coaches Turner Ward, Mark McGuire, resigns Brandon Morrow, Joe Blanton, Josh Fields, signs James Loney, Bartolo Colon out of retirement, trade Cody Bellinger for Howie Kendrick, trade Corey Seager for Evan Longoria, trade Gavin Lux and Matt Beaty for Ben Zobrist, DFA Kershaw, Jansen, and Pollock. There’s your 2020 World Series Bound Right Hitting Right Pitching Dodgers lineup.

  8. I will make it simple here: unless said players ,pitchers reside in the dumpster bin, they will not be considered by this Dodger FO. Clearly one should be convinced that winning a WS is not on their agenda, it’s as simple as that.

  9. To the Front Office and Andrew Friedman:

    We’ve all have waited long enough as fans to win a World series Championship. This coming offseason,the Dodgers have money under the cap, approx 45 million, a strong farm system to make trades,drawing nearly 4 million fans, a lucrative TV deal which equates into one the highest revenue streams in all of baseball. There are no more excuses for signing at least one of the big FA,Rendon,Cole or Strassburg. There are no excuses and the only excuse is not getting it done.I personally would sign Rendon for the much needed right hand bat to balance the lineup with a high per year and shorter term in years.. A secondary move would be to acquire Wheeler. I watch Met games if the Dodgers are not on and he has one of the best fastballs in baseball. With working with new pitching coach Prior, he could develop into something special .With a loaded talented farm system and regulars like Pederson,Stripling, Barnes and Kiki or Taylor,the Dodgers could trade and acquire much needed bullpen help. You’re going to lose an important fan base if you bring back the same cast of characters and make no MAJOR changes.

    Long time Dodger East Coast Fan,
    Andy F

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