The Los Angeles Dodgers enter free agency aiming to fill a few vacancies in their starting lineup with their eyes on improving on their World Series winning roster.
Using a handful of names at the shortstop position, the Dodgers relied on Mookie Betts, Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman as their primary options to get through last season. Gavin Lux was supposed to fill the role, but he settled into second base after a disastrous showing at shortstop in Spring Training.
With the offseason opening up the conversation again, the Dodgers are in the mix to sign Willy Adames, whom they’ve been rumored to acquire for over a year. Now that he’s a free agent, the defending World Series champions could be the team most likely to sign him, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post:
People around the league see the Dodgers as a possible favorite to land star free-agent shortstop Willy Adames.
Batting .251/.331/.793 this past season with the Milwaukee Brewers, Adames had 65 extra-base hits, 32 being home runs. The 29-year-old posting his career-high in homers in a free agent year boosted his value, cementing himself as one of Major League Baseball’s top power hitting shortstops.
He’s projected to receive a contract around six-plus years and north of $152 million, placing him in the upper echelon of shortstops.
Should the Dodgers sign Willy Adames?
Shoring up the shortstop position is something the Dodgers front office has attempted to do in recent years, making Adames a real possibility.
The Lux scenario failed and Betts was rushed into the position, while Trea Turner and Corey Seager left in free agency over the last few years. Adames is the current top prize of the market, and since 2020, he’s hit 120 home runs, second among players at the position.
In that same span, he’s sixth in win probability added at 4.99, with the third-highest clutch rating of all qualified shortstops. He’s also a plus defender at the position and brings a speed element along with his power.
With the Brewers, Adames became a clubhouse leader and someone the front office valued highly for his presence on the team. That is the kind of player the Dodgers tend to target, and with his ability as one of the best all-around shortstops in baseball, he would be a fantastic piece for L.A.
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