MLB.com is conserving observe of all the newest free-agent and commerce rumors involving the Dodgers proper right here.
Dec. 9: With Ohtani signed, what will likely be Dodgers’ subsequent transfer?
Mookie Betts. Freddie Freeman. Shohei Ohtani. It doesn’t matter what order you set them in, these three are a fearsome mixture on the high of any lineup, and they are going to be wreaking havoc in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future after the Dodgers inked Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract on Saturday.
USA Immediately’s Bob Nightengale wrote earlier this month that the Dodgers are “going for the jugular” this offseason, with their eyes on lots of the high names in free company and the commerce market. Now that they’ve landed the very best participant out there, what is going to the Dodgers do subsequent?
Addressing the beginning rotation will be the most sensible reply. The Dodgers’ beginning workers contains Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, Ryan Pepiot, and Walker Buehler coming off of Tommy John surgical procedure. They are going to miss Dustin Might and Tony Gonsolin for many or all of 2024 as a result of similar process. Clayton Kershaw is a free agent whose standing is unsure following shoulder surgical procedure final month. And Ohtani will not pitch subsequent 12 months after present process his second notable elbow surgical procedure in September.
The Dodgers have been tied to the very best pitcher on the open market, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 25-year-old is being pursued by many groups, together with the Mets, Yankees and Cubs. Nevertheless, it is unknown if the Dodgers’ $700 million expenditure for Ohtani will influence their possibilities of signing Yamamoto, who will seemingly require a monetary dedication between $200-300 million.
The Dodgers are additionally within the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, the Rays’ Tyler Glasnow and the White Sox Dylan Stop, all of whom have garnered a lot of curiosity within the commerce market. Burnes and Glasnow will likely be free brokers following the ’24 season whereas Stop has two years of membership management remaining. MLB Community insider Jon Heyman stated Wednesday that there’s a “good probability” Stop will likely be traded, though rival golf equipment have steered {that a} deal will not occur till after Yamamoto has signed.
A potential commerce for Burnes may additionally embody Brewers shortstop Willy Adames, based on The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required). If that’s the case, the Dodgers could supply up shortstop Gavin Lux as a part of their package deal to Milwaukee.
Dec. 6: Dodgers amongst bevy of groups desirous about Glasnow (report)
The Dodgers are among the many many groups to have inquired in regards to the commerce availability of Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow. In keeping with Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Instances, “no less than half of the groups” in MLB checked in on Glasnow, together with the Dodgers and Braves. The Cubs — who have been beforehand linked to Glasnow — have been additionally amongst these groups, as have been a number of AL East golf equipment. MLB Community insider Jon Paul Morosi reported Tuesday that the Reds have been additionally vying for Glasnow.
Set to be with out Clayton Kershaw (assuming they re-sign him in free company) for a majority of 2024, the Dodgers have a critical want in relation to their rotation. With the Rays hoping to shed Glasnow’s $25 million wage for 2024, Los Angeles might be a becoming commerce associate for Tampa Bay. In keeping with Topkin, Tampa Bay would additionally wish to deal outfielder Manuel Margot and designated hitter Harold RamÃrez.
Dec. 6: May Dodgers embody Lux in commerce for Brewers’ Burnes?
Shohei Ohtani is the Dodgers’ high goal this offseason, however he will not be capable of assist their pitching workers in 2024 as he recovers from elbow surgical procedure. So, no matter whether or not or not the Dodgers signal the largest free agent out there, they nonetheless have to fill out their beginning rotation.
In keeping with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required), one possibility on the desk for Los Angeles is hanging a deal for Brewers ace Corbin Burnes. The Dodgers have been typically linked to Burnes within the rumor mill, and Rosenthal writes {that a} commerce with Milwaukee may embody shortstop Willy Adames. Each he and Burnes are slated to be free brokers following the 2024 season.
If Adames is within the deal, the Dodgers must work out what to do with Gavin Lux. The previous high prospect missed all of this previous season resulting from a serious proper knee damage, however he’s anticipated to be able to be the workforce’s main shortstop in 2024. Nevertheless, Rosenthal writes the Dodgers may embody Lux within the commerce, which might ship him again to his dwelling state of Wisconsin and see him transfer to second base. The Brewers may then shift Brice Turang over to shortstop.
On the primary day of the Winter Conferences, the Brewers struck for a pair of strikes to bolster their pitching depth, reaching a deal to convey again Wade Miley and in addition reportedly agreeing to a Main League contract with Joe Ross, who final pitched within the Majors in 2021.
These offers recommend the workforce has a watch on contending in 2024, although it’s actually potential Milwaukee is including to its rotation depth to make it simpler to half with Burnes.
Dec. 4: Roberts says Betts will play second base
Mookie Betts spent virtually half his enjoying time at second base in 2023, a scenario born largely out of necessity after the Dodgers, having let shortstop Trea Turner go away in free company, misplaced Gavin Lux to a torn ACL in Spring Coaching and did not get a lot out of Chris Taylor, Miguel Rojas or Miguel Vargas early within the season. Even so, in an look on MLB Community on Monday, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts appeared to verify the membership’s plans to maintain Betts at second base for the foreseeable future.
The choice to depart Betts at second is probably going one being made with the present free-agent class in thoughts — the Dodgers’ latest settlement to reunite with Jason Heyward nonetheless leaves the membership with a possible beginning outfield consisting of Heyward, Taylor and James Outman. Assist does not look like on the way in which internally, both, with simply one among seven outfielders on the Dodgers’ listing of high 30 prospects (as ranked by MLB Pipeline) above Double-A.
Ought to shoring up their shaky outfield alignment take precedence within the coming weeks, we do have some concept of the place the Dodgers may look first; per Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Instances, the membership has already been tied to two-time Silver Slugger Teoscar Hernández, who hit .258 with 26 dwelling runs and 93 RBIs in 160 video games with the Mariners in 2023.