Entering the offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a focus on signing Shohei Ohtani and addressing their starting rotation, but their outfield was a need as well.
Following the 2023 season, James Outman was the only everyday outfielder on the Dodgers roster with Mookie Betts making the move full time to second base and Chris Taylor best served in a utility role. Jason Heyward, David Peralta, Jake Marisnick and Kiké Hernández all reached free agency.
Even while they were big game hunting, the Dodgers checked around on outfielders, and their interest in Teoscar Hernández was one of the earliest reports of the offseason. In addition, the Dodgers also checked in on Kevin Kiermaier, according to J.P. Morosi of MLB.com:
The Dodgers — and their famously pristine lawn — made an early inquiry.
Kiermiaer eventually went on to re-sign with the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year contract worth $10.5 million. The 33-year-old had a strong first season with the Jays, batting .265/.322/.419 with a 104 wRC+ and 2.2 WAR in 129 games.
The Dodgers went on to quickly re-sign Heyward to a one-year deal, and later in the offseason they ended up signing Hernández as well. Both are expected to play major roles for the club with Heyward forming the strong side of a platoon and Hernández slated to play nearly every day.
Manuel Margot was also acquired in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays along with Tyler Glasnow. Margot could platoon with Heyward, and he also provides the Dodgers with a quality backup in center field for Outman.
This is the second consecutive offseason the Dodgers have pursued Kiermaier. Last year, after Cody Bellinger signed with the Chicago Cubs, the Dodgers made a strong push for Kiermaier before he joined the Blue Jays.
The left-handed hitter is considered one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, so with just league average offensive production, he provides a lot of value to any team he is on.
Luckily for the Dodgers, Outman and Heyward are both elite defenders at their respective spots, while Hernández has also been about league average, while also providing extra offensive value.
How will the Dodgers outfield shape up?
The outfield remains somewhat of a question mark for the Dodgers, but they still have the talent in place to have a productive group. They are betting on a bounce back season from Hernández while hoping Heyward doesn’t regress.
They will also look for Outman to take another step forward in his development. Should he falter, he could find himself in a platoon with Margot.
Taylor could also mix into a platoon as well, which could end up being with Heyward in a corner outfield spot. The Dodgers have not ruled out utilizing Hernández in both corner outfield spots this season, depending on the matchups.
The best combination for them would be to play Hernandez and Outman every day while platooning Taylor and Heyward. Margot would fill in as a backup at all three spots.
That combination would require Hernández to play right field against left-handed pitching while sliding over to left field against right-handers. Taylor would start in left field against southpaws, while Heyward starts in right against righties.
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