The Major League Baseball Winter Meetings have come and gone, and despite being connected to a number of free agents and trades, the Los Angeles Dodgers did not do much.
They did reportedly sign reliever Joe Kelly to a three-year, $25 million contract to bolster their bullpen, although the club has not yet announced the deal.
There is still plenty of time in the offseason to make moves, so Dodgers president Stan Kasten expressed the importance to remain, reminding the team come October 2019 will look different than it does at present time, via SportsNet LA:
“We’re prepared to take advantage of any opportunities. We do feel we’re pretty good. We think we’re good enough within our division to compete right now. But if something comes along to make us better today, then we’ll do that. The most important thing that I always remind the people who work for me is, you can’t expect the team you put together in December to be the team for next October. And in March it’s the same thing. That team won’t be your team in October. You have to be on the lookout, you have to be nimble and ready to pounce on opportunities, whether they’re today, or March, or June or July.”
As it currently stands, the Dodgers have a surplus of both outfielders and starting pitching that they can use in trades to fill needs at catcher and second base.
The big question though is whether Kasten and the rest of the ownership group are willing to go over the luxury tax threshold. If they are, then the Dodgers may have a good chance at signing the biggest free agent on the market, Bryce Harper.
Recent reports indicate that he ‘badly’ wants to sign with Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber may no longer be an option on the trade market after the team trimmed their payroll through other deals.
