After a disappointing end to the 2019 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers entered the offseason with a goal of adding elite talent to their roster.
Though they fell short of signing one of the top free agents during the Winter Meetings, the club still managed to make one of the biggest splashes by acquiring Mookie Betts and David Price from the Boston Red Sox in February.
Betts, one of the best two-way players in all of baseball, gave the Dodgers a third former MVP winner on the roster. He joined Clayton Kershaw, who won the National League version of the award in 2014, and Cody Bellinger, who most recently took home honors for his historic performance last season.
With a team that could field up to as many as seven former All-Stars on any given night, Bellinger opined that the 2020 Dodgers could go down as the most talented clubhouse he will ever be a part of, via David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports:
“Probably the most talented clubhouse I’ve ever been in and may ever be in. … I think baseball is a team sport, so we’ve just got to feed off each other. Everyone is going to be themselves, go out there every day and do what they do, and it should all blend together and work together.”
Prior to trading for Betts and Price, the Dodgers were still considered the heavy favorites to win an eighth consecutive NL West title this season.
The front office, however, felt the opportunity to acquire a game-changer such as Betts and an established pitcher like Price was too great to pass up — especially when considering the organization was looking for its first World Series since 1988.
Although Price ultimately opted out of the season because of concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Betts was instrumental in the Dodgers ending their championship drought.
Bellinger recovering from shoulder surgery
Bellinger had one of the Dodgers’ many highlights during the postseason with a go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Unfortunately Bellinger dislocated his right shoulder upon celebrating with Kiké Hernandez by way of a forearm bash.
The training staff popped it into place and Bellinger didn’t miss any action after that. He has a history of a loose shoulder and though the latest incident was downplayed, Bellinger underwent surgery.
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