3 intriguing non-tendered free agents the Dodgers could sign

2. Jeimer Candelario

If the Los Angeles Dodgers do not re-sign Justin Turner, then they are going to be in the market for an infielder, even if Michael Busch is slated to make his big-league debut to start next season. There are several options for the Dodgers to consider with these qualifiers and Jeimer Candelario makes the most sense.

There are bigger names that are available such as Dominic Smith and Luke Voit, both of whom are very promising power-hitting bats when they are at their best. The problem is that both guys are pretty much limited to first base (Smith has played outfield, but is poor at it).

Candelario can also play third base, which would be very beneficial for the team’s depth. He would not be an everyday starting player, but because of his versatility to play on either side of the infield, and the fact that he is a switch hitter, he could get decent playing time.

At the very least, Candelario is someone who has produced against left-handed pitching in his career, which is something the Dodgers need, considering they’re currently comprised of several left-handed bats and reverse-split righties.

There is potential for the 29-year-old to produce at a higher level, though. He had a down season in 2022, but put together two really promising seasons in 2020 and 2021 that put him on the map.

In 201 games split between those two seasons, Candelario slashed .278/.356/.458 with 23 home runs, 96 RBI and 53 doubles. In a much more talented lineup where he will be protected, the Dodgers could see that production return to Candelario’s bat.

1. Alex Reyes

To the St. Louis Cardinals, right-handed flamethrower Alex Reyes represented a sunk cost. His injuries caught up to him, and it was not worth the roster spot for the team to keep him around — at least, not at an escalating price. To the Dodgers, Alex Reyes could represent opportunity.

There is a long laundry list of pitchers that teams kicked to the side only for the Dodgers to import them, get their hands on them, and get the absolute most out of what remained. With Blake Treinen’s Dodgers career likely coming to an end, Reyes can be the team’s new reclamation project out of the bullpen.

At his best, Reyes is an extremely promising arm that can get outs at the big-league level. He put together a great rookie season (in a small sample size) back in 2016, and he was electric for most of the 2021 season.

Reyes was an All-Star in 2021 as he sported a 1.52 ERA at the break. While a few bad outings in the second half of the season hurt Reyes’ overall numbers in 2021, the extremely high ceiling was still there.

There is so much raw potential in Reyes’ stuff that the Dodgers can have a lot of fun with. He has a true four-pitch mix with one of the best sliders in the entire sport when it is right. With the Dodgers’ minds behind him, Reyes will maximize the things he is great at, limit the things he struggles at, and could become a lights-out pitcher once more.

Reyes did not pitch at all in 2022 after having shoulder surgery but that should not stop LA from taking a chance. He is still only 28 years old with relatively low miles on his arm (only 145 big-league innings).

3 high-profile trade targets Dodgers need to revisit this offseason

The Los Angeles Dodgers explored a number of trades at this year's deadline. Some didn't happen. Time to try again this offseason.

If there was ever a perfect Andrew Friedman target, it is Alex Reyes.