The Dodgers have already lost two of the biggest free agents on the market this offseason. How will they respond then?
With Trea Turner Signature With an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the short market.
And they have no shortage of options.
There are free agents like Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson. It’s hard to imagine Correa signing the Dodgers, considering his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal that defeated Los Angeles in the World Series. Swanson, whose friend and former teammate Freddie Freeman jumped from the Braves to the Dodgers last winter, could make sense for a contract in the $150 million range.
But the Dodgers can also explore the commercial market. They have expressed interest in Willy Adames from the Brewers, according to major league sources, though Milwaukee executives remain adamant they want to keep the shortstop. They could scout Tim Anderson of the White Sox or Ames Rosario of the Guardians as backup options.
Internally, the Dodgers were optimistic that Gavin Luks could be their daily shortstop. But replacing Turner will be difficult — there are some evaluators who consider him the best shortstop in baseball — and Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, will certainly be aggressively exploring outside options.
How will the Dodgers bounce back after losing Jacob DeGrom and Justin Verlander?
On Monday, just hours after the winter meeting, the Dodgers lost another of their top targets, Justin Verlander. They had earlier met early on Zoom and felt the meeting went “well”. But after Jacob DeGrom left the Mets, Verlander became New York’s top target — and signed a two-year contract for $43.3 million a season.
There are options for the Dodgers to explore in the free agent market, but they are complex. Carlos Rodon, the best pitcher available, asks for a six-year contract. Would the Dodgers, who prefer short-term contracts, be willing to give him such an offer? Other free agent options include Andrew Heaney and Kodai Senga while Pablo Lopez, who the Dodgers expressed interest in last season, remains a logical target for a trade.
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