The Los Angeles Dodgers face plenty of decisions in free agency this offseason, with the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Corey Seager, Max Scherzer and Chris Taylor among those no longer under contract.
“A lot’s going to be happening this winter,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently said. “I think part of the great thing about players and service time is you get a chance to choose where you want to play and earn what you want to earn.
“So we have some guys that are free agents and we all know who they are. So potentially to not see those guys back, it’s sort of a changing of the guard. If they’re not back, whoever is not back, I’m certainly going to miss them personally and our team’s going to miss them.
“The six years that I’ve been here it’s been a core group of guys that potentially could be turned over this winter. I’m not looking forward to it. I’m not looking forward to it.”
Roberts also lamented not being able to win another World Series with the core roster.
The Dodgers have an estimated $172 million committed in total payroll for the 2022 season and with a luxury tax threshold of $210 million, they have roughly $38 million to spend before facing penalties. However, if Trevor Bauer is suspended as anticipated, that would provide some salary relief.
The Dodgers have not been completely against exceeding the luxury tax threshold, however retaining Kershaw, Jansen, Seager, Scherzer and Taylor is unlikely if not improbable.
Early indications are that most of those players would like to remain in L.A., but it would take a serious financial commitment for the Dodgers to retain them. Particularly when taking into account Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler and Trea Turner will soon reach free agency.
Seager, Jansen interested in re-signing with Dodgers
Earlier in the season, Scherzer expressed interest in spending the rest of his career in L.A.
“Absolutely,” Seager answered when asked if there was interest in re-signing with the Dodgers. “I grew up here, I’ve spent a lot of time here, I believe in what these guys do, I believe in how we go about it. Absolutely.”
Jansen wasn’t quite as straightforward, but clearly values his experience with the Dodgers organization.
“It’s not in my hands. I’ve got to thank God for a great opportunity I’ve had here,” Jansen said after they were eliminated. “I’m thankful to be here for all these years. It’s the only team I’ve known. They believed in me when I was 17 years old as a catcher, then they made me a pitcher and here I am now. It happened fast.
“I enjoyed this journey and I always will be a Dodger.”
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