Trea Turner, Andrew Friedman clearly hinting at Dodgers’ Juan Soto pursuit

Juan Soto at Dodger Stadium just sounds right, whether he’s smashing walk-off dingers in the Home Run Derby or handing off a souvenir baseball to the tiniest Dodgers fan in his vicinity.

Why does it “sound right”? Because Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman has made LA the premier destination for stars yet again. Every offseason — and midseason! — there’s likely a reload coming, regardless of the talent already on the roster and the farm system percolating beneath.

Do the first-place Dodgers have a need for Soto that exceeds the needs of the Padres and Cardinals? Absolutely not. But Friedman can put together the best package of any contender, including young stars like Gavin Lux (or even the salary-matching Cody Bellinger), if he so chooses.

While the Dodgers have mostly lurked on the outskirts of the Soto talks thus far, alongside the Yankees, Friedman was still grilled about the proceedings on Monday night with the Nationals in town.

He was predictably cagey about it, but didn’t deny a potential pursuit, whether it heats up in the coming days or arrives during the offseason when all these midseason talks peter out — after all, is something this massive really going to get done right now?

Trea Turner, Andrew Friedman giggle over Juan Soto to the Dodgers

“We’ll dig in and try to make something make sense.” Happy to draw it up for you if you need any help, sir! Just connect the dots. It’s very possible!

The best thing about the Dodgers’ operation is that their immediate future, long-term future, and present always seem to line up. No one is deterred from making a massive move by their best-laid plans. When stars enter the conversation, the Dodgers are happy to hop in it. When the farm system gets plucked apart by a fancy move or two, they have the infrastructure in place to rebuild it. The big names change, but there will always be something massive around the corner.

One of those big names with an uncertain future is Trea Turner, acquired at last year’s deadline and starring in the final year of his contract.

Regardless of whether or not he re-signs in Hollywood, Turner seems invested in winking in his old teammate Soto’s general direction.

Again, it’s a comfort factor with this Dodgers roster. Will Soto end up in Los Angeles? There’s a ways to go before the team crosses that finish line.

But will the Dodgers be involved? When are they ever not, as Turner well knows at this point.

If Friedman wants to go full-throttle here, he can in the blink of an eye. He didn’t need Turner advising him, but it certainly helps.

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