Since being named Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations in 2015, Andrew Friedman has taken an opportunistic approach when it comes to improving the roster each year.
When the Dodgers lost Corey Seager to the Texas Rangers early in free agency last year, they already had a natural replacement to fill the void at shortstop in Trea Turner. Turner of course was acquired alongside three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer in last year’s blockbuster trade with the Washington Nationals.
Seager’s departure nevertheless weakened the Dodgers lineup from the left-handed side. While they didn’t have a pressing need at first base, Friedman bolstered the group by signing Freddie Freeman to a six-year, $162 million contract.
Freeman is one of the premier bats in baseball and gave the Dodgers a fourth former MVP Award winner on their active roster, making them just the fifth team in MLB history to boast such talent at one time.
Turner and Max Muncy recently praised Friedman for always making the necessary moves to put the Dodgers in the best position to win, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“The way they structured the team and they spend the money, but then they can trade and they can draft and develop, it seems like no matter what they do, it seems like the right move. You tip your cap to Andrew (Friedman) and all the guys in front office that make these decisions because they put us in a good chance to win every single year. He’s gonna be a big piece for us.”
For Max Muncy, “it’s nonstop amazement that we’re able to make moves like this … and yet at the same time, we still have the best farm system in baseball. I think it just speaks to Andrew and the job he can do that we can replenish every single year and still have the prospects that we have,” he said. “It’s a pretty incredible job. … It amazes me every time.”
As Turner and Muncy noted, the Dodgers seemingly are always in the mix to add elite talent to the roster while also boasting one of the best farm systems in all of baseball.
Even after trading away several top prospects over the past calendar year, the Dodgers’ Minor League pipeline was ranked in the top 10 by both Baseball America and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel this season.
Will Dodgers sign Aaron Judge?
After a season in which the Dodgers set a franchise record with 111 wins but were eliminated by the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series, they are among the teams being mentioned in Aaron Judge rumors.
Whether or not the Dodgers sign Judge figures to be impacted by and involve Turner. L.A. is said to be prioritizing a top shortstop rather than Judge in free agency.
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