Despite winning a franchise-best 106 games during the regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were denied a third consecutive trip to the World Series after falling to the Washington Nationals in the National League Division Series.
The earlier than anticipated postseason exit led to speculation the club could look to shake things up this offseason. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters at the Winter Meetings he expected significant roster turnover before the start of Spring Training.
The Dodgers aggressively pursued Gerrit Cole before he signed a record-breaking contract with the New York Yankees, reportedly offering him an eight-year pact worth $300 million. Though L.A. finished second in the sweepstakes, they continue to have their sights set on acquiring elite talent.
The Dodgers’ lone transaction to this point was the signing of Blake Treinen to a one-year contract, but they have been strongly connected to Francisco Lindor in trade talks with the Cleveland Indians. His teammate Mike Clevinger is also rumored to be a target of L.A.
While it remains to be seen if a significant transaction comes to fruition this winter, Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten believes fans are typically more enthused about developing their own talent over acquisitions from outside of the organization, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“Not only is it important that they contribute to our winning, it’s also what gets fans juiced up. No one minds seeing success if it’s built on your own homegrown kids. Everyone enjoys that, I think, more than just going out and making trades.”
Kasten has long preached a homegrown approach, believing it is the key for sustainable success. Under his leadership, the Dodgers have routinely boasted one of the league’s most impressive collection of Minor League talent.
It’s a unit that ranked No. 3 in MLB Pipeline’s 2019 midseason update. Former top prospects-turned stars such as Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager and Walker Buehler have all been pivotal to the Dodgers’ success in recent years.
Kasten recently highlighted the contributions of the Dodgers’ rookie players from this past season as well, opining that their seamless transition to the Majors went under the radar.
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