3 Dodgers acquisitions that deserve more love after 2024 World Series berth

The Mets managed to squeak out of the NLCS with two wins, but the Dodgers' eventual triumph felt inevitable after they shut out New York for the second time in just three games. The Dodgers are far from a ragtag bunch, but there are definitely a couple of underrated names on the roster that deserve some more recognition.

3 Dodgers acquisitions that deserve more love after 2024 World Series berth

Tommy Edman

Edman became the undisputed biggest win of the Dodgers' trade deadline as soon as he was handed the NLCS MVP trophy. He scored four of LA's 10 runs in Game 6 all by himself, with a two-run double followed by a two-run homer in his very next at-bat. But that isn't all — he was added to the Dodgers' active roster on Aug. 19 after spending most of the season on the IL with a wrist sprain, and immediately became a key piece of both the infield and outfield, jumping between shortstop and center field in platoons with Miguel Rojas and Kevin Kiermaier.

The Dodgers had him hitting cleanup during Game 6 with LA facing lefty Sean Manaea, and it turned into an MVP-winning turn for him. Edman will be a Dodger at least through 2025, with one year of team control left, and is setting himself up to be a key piece of their World Series effort this weekend.

Anthony Banda

Banda was a pickup from the Guardians back in May, when the Dodgers' bullpen was very much in flux. It seemed partially self-inflicted, as the Dodgers kept sending relievers who performed perfectly fine in the majors back to the minors, seemingly never satisfied that they'd found the right mix. Although Banda was sent to Triple-A after the trade, it took the Dodgers just two days to call him up, and he remained on the roster ever since (outside of an embarrassing incident when he punched a paper towel dispenser and broke his hand).

He pitched 2 2/3 innings during the NLCS against the Mets, only giving up one hit in his first outing and then cleaning up a potentially dangerous mess made by Brent Honeywell Jr. in his second. He was shook in his last appearance, hitting a batter and then being held accountable for the man on base when Ryan Brasier gave up a homer, but the Dodgers still went on to win to clinch a World Series berth. Not too bad for a reliever who had a 6.43 ERA in seven innings for the Nationals last year.

Brent Honeywell Jr.

Honeywell was a waiver claim from the Pirates in July, and he was subjected to a lot of the up-and-down bullpen indecision that Banda steered clear of. He was DFA'ed in mid-August but returned to the Dodgers organization, and he made the NLCS roster (along with Ben Casparius) after Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol went on the shelf.

During Game 5, the Dodgers tasked Honeywell with a 4 2/3 inning outing, his longest appearance of the year by far. He gave up four runs en route to a Dodgers loss, but his comments after the game made him a Dodgers folk hero: "Save the dogs" (subscription required). Max Muncy gave him his due, telling Honeywell after Game 5 that he'd won them Game 6. The Dodgers saved the dogs for Game 6, another bullpen game, and Los Angeles then turned the rallying cry into a World Series berth.