Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 way-too-early predictions for 2022 season

2. The Bad: No Correa, No Freeman, No Bryant, No, No, No

Before the lockout, the Dodgers lost Max Scherzer and Corey Seager, which sent fans off the edge. That’s led to speculation of which big names the Dodgers might sign when the lockout is lifted, with some such as Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman and Kris Bryant joining the conversation.

But let me stop you right there. The Dodgers won’t be signing any of those three players. The Dodgers have a lot of holes on their roster and have a serious issue with Trevor Bauer’s contract situation. He’s owed $45 million but the team and league are waiting on the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office to announce whether they are going to pursue sexual assault charges against him. The case doesn’t appear to be nearing a resolution, and if Bauer’s not suspended, the Dodgers will be forced to pay him. As a result, they may have to spend in an efficient manner to make up for the amount of production they lost.

That means don’t expect any big-ticket options, especially if Bauer’s issue persists longer and longer with Opening Day just over two months away.

In the end, the Dodgers have a shortstop of the future in Trea Turner, who they likely prefer over Correa, which rules out the former Houston Astro. As for Freeman, it’s still more than likely he re-signs with the Braves, so that would be more of an unexpected dream scenario. And lastly, Bryant is emerging as a utility player, but LA signed Chris Taylor to hold down those duties for the next four years.

Don’t expect the Dodgers to bend to make any of these scenarios come to fruition, simply because there’s so much other work to do.

1. The Ugly: Clayton Kershaw walks off into the sunset

Call this a gut feeling or self-fulfilling negativity, but I don’t think Clayton Kershaw will be pitching for the Dodgers in 2022. Whether he retires as he recovers from his elbow/back issues or heads to the Texas Rangers to be closer to home, these are two very realistic options that have been discussed at length by baseball pundits and insiders.

What makes this so complicated is Kershaw’s age and injury situation. Heading into his age-34, the left-hander is dealing with an elbow issue that could very well affect his output in 2022. It limited him to just 22 starts this past season and he never returned for the playoffs. To make matters worse, players can’t associate with team doctors during the lockout. Why did the owners do this, again?

Before the lockout, Kershaw and the Dodgers did not come to a swift agreement, which isn’t entirely encouraging despite the expedited timeline (with the lockout looming) and the lack of clarity surrounding his elbow. And when the front office said they were expecting Kershaw to take his time and talk over his future with his family, it didn’t have us feeling any better.

With such turnover among the team’s stars, Kershaw not returning feels very real, especially since we know his career might be at a crossroads.

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