Ranking Dodgers’ free agents as offseason officially arrives

Ready for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ offseason? It’s here. And it’s going to move fast. There will be a ton of demand for some of LA’s best players that will hit the open market, and Andrew Friedman and Co. will have to work tirelessly to retain some as well as bolster other areas of a roster that ultimately fell short despite a 111-win regular season.

When you’re set to lose a number of key, core players while also in need of outside help, it makes for a bit of a chaotic situation.

Then again, Friedman has typically navigated every difficult scenario he’s been faced with since becoming the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations. Fans trust he’ll prioritize the right free agents accordingly.

As for retaining some of their own, this might be one of the most undefined and uncertain Dodgers offseasons in recent memory.

Here’s our best attempt to rank the Dodgers’ top free agents that hold an impact either financially or positively on the field.

Ranking the Los Angeles Dodgers’ top free agents as offseason begins

14. Trevor Bauer

Apologies, but Trevor Bauer must be mentioned due to clerical work. He’s currently suspended, but his appeal should be settled not too long after the World Series. He holds a $35.3 million player option with a $15 million buyout.

It’s unclear what’ll happen, but there’s a world in which the Dodgers are negatively affected if Bauer’s suspension is overturned.

13. Danny Duffy

Again, must be mentioned for paperwork purposes. Duffy was acquired at last year’s trade deadline but didn’t throw a pitch due to an injury. He was re-signed in the offseason, and didn’t throw a single pitch in 2022 due to injury. He has a $7 million team option attached to him for the 2023 season. So far, the Dodgers have paid him about $8 million to do absolutely nothing.

With so many other needs, it’s hard to believe Andrew Friedman and Co. will bring the left-hander back, especially at that price after all the money that’s been wasted.

12. Jimmy Nelson

Jimmy Nelson underwent Tommy John surgery in August of last year, but that didn’t stop the Dodgers from re-signing him to a one-year contract for 2022 with a team option for 2023. That team option is just $1.1 million (after LA paid him $700K in 2022).

Expect LA to pick that up because of the low cost and the high upside of Nelson, who was an asset in 2021 before going down.

11. Kevin Pillar

Kevin Pillar was signed as outfield depth into 2022 and was needed pretty early on, but after just four games he needed shoulder surgery. He missed pretty much the entire season and will now be a free agent. With a clearer outfield picture due to the emergence of James Outman as well as others available in free agency the Dodgers would probably prefer, he’s not coming back.

But he did play four games in 2022, which is why he’s ahead of the first three.