The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a busy offseason so far by bringing in new players and retaining some of their own, but a void remains in the outfield and bullpen. The good news is there are many opportunities still available to improve the roster, and they’ve had a great start to upgrading the team.
During an appearance on the “On Base with Mookie Betts” podcast last month, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts laid out what his dream offseason looks like, and they could very well accomplish his vision.
The Dodgers have made two free agent moves so far, signing Blake Snell and Michael Conforto, which checks starting pitcher off Roberts’ list and gives them another quality bat for their lineup. They have also fulfilled another of his wishes by bringing Blake Treinen back on a two-year, $22 million contract.
And while Roberts didn’t explicitly ask for it, Tommy Edman is locked up long term on a five-year, $74 million extension.
There are still some boxes on Robert’s list that need to be checked, namely re-signing Teoscar Hernández and adding another high-leverage bullpen arm. But as the skipper waits for those moves, he is pleased with how events have unfolded so far.
“I like it. I like the way the offseason’s played out certainly,” Roberts said. “I think obviously last year there was a lot of deliberation, waiting, so I think that players, agents wanted to be a little bit more aggressive.
“Certainly with what we’ve done so far, we’ve gotten better. I can’t discuss too much as far as the detail and the players, but I like the direction we’re going certainly.”
All of that was accomplished by the Dodgers in the first month and a half off the offseason, with plenty of time to make additional moves.
Negotiations with Hernández have been drawn out and some doubts have begun to creep in about his return, but the expectation is the two sides will eventually come to an agreement.
As for bullpen help, the Dodgers were in on Devin Williams before the Milwaukee Brewers traded him to the New York Yankees. They could pivot to purse free agent Tanner Scott as there is rumored to be mutual interest in getting a deal done.
Even with the remaining needs, the Dodgers could still enter the season with their current roster and be the World Series favorites once again, putting them in a fantastic spot to upgrade as they see fit and not get too desperate for a deal.
Dave Roberts named Baseball America’s 2024 Manager of the Year
Baseball America recognized Roberts’ fantastic season manning the helm this past season, naming him their Manager of the Year for 2024. Roberts expressed his gratitude and gave much deserved credit to the entire Dodgers team.
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