The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings are underway, and the Los Angeles Dodgers once again figure to be involved in nearly every rumor as agents look to drive up prices on free agents and teams try to increase their negotiating leverage in trades.
But the Dodgers don’t have many needs to fill, and the core of their roster is already in place. Adding an outfielder and high-leverage reliever remains on the agenda, but the Dodgers appear to be waiting for the right deal after already missing out on a few of their relief targets.
Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker would both fill a need for the Dodgers and represent two of the top available players this offseason, but the team is unlikely to be in play for either one.
It also seems the Dodgers won’t pursue any of the top free agents that would require a significant financial commitment, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
The Dodgers will be thrown into every single rumor because of their massive payroll, and they do have $80 million coming off the books, but the reality is that they won’t be involved in the bidding war for any of the biggest stars.
After consecutive offseasons making multiple splashes in free agency and via trade, the Dodgers were eventually going to pull back on their spending. As it stands, they would open the 2026 season as World Series favorites once again without any offseason moves. Thus, they can focus on making improvements on the margins, rather than adding another influx of high-end talent.
Upgrading from Michael Conforto in the outfield could be done via trade, or with a lesser free agent such as Harrison Bader, and it seems that’s the way the Dodgers are leaning. They can also upgrade their bullpen by handing out a one- or two-year deal to someone such as Robert Suarez, rather than making a commitment to Díaz for roughly five years.
Still, the Dodgers will remain involved on some of the top free agents, including Cody Bellinger, just in case their market doesn’t develop as expected, and then they can potentially pounce if they see a deal to their liking. But the odds of that happening are slim, and it seems the Dodgers are set up for a mostly quiet offseason.
Twins not trading star players
Byron Buxton was a popular trade target for the Dodgers, but the Minnesota Twins are expected to hold onto their stars, rather than continue to tear down their roster.
Buxton is under team control for multiple seasons, so the Twins can continue to hold while they attempt to build the rest of their roster.
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