3 Dodgers moves Andrew Friedman can pursue at GM Meetings to show urgency

GM Meetings get underway in Las Vegas today, and this year's conference has a very good chance of being a doozy. With the lockout looming on December 1, the industry expectation is that things are going to start moving rapidly on both the free agent and trade markets leading up to that date.

Andrew Friedman and the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't typically major presences at either the GM or Winter Meetings, at least in terms of actual activity. Though there's often talk of conversations happening behind the scenes — Tarik Skubal being traded to LA was the biggest talking point of Winter Meetings last year — they don't tend to make any real moves at either.

This year is different. All 30 front offices are going to have to lock in to get their business done before a potentially very, very long period of forced inactivity. The likelihood that we see Friedman work his magic over the next few weeks is greater than ever.

Trade Teoscar Hernández or Alex Call

The Dodgers have to clear one of Hernández or Call to make way for No. 1 prospect Josue De Paula in 2027. Both come with their own pros and cons, but Hernández, despite being the far more expensive of the two, would be able to bring back more in a trade. Last year, the Dodgers didn't actively shop Hernández, but that could change now that they have an immediate need to open up a spot.

Dodgers insider Katie Woo has tried to pump the brakes on the idea of a Hernández trade, citing De Paula's defense and its need for some dramatic improvement before they can trust him out there full-time. His Opening Day spot also might not be guaranteed if the team doesn't see strides in spring training. But with a salary cap potentially on its way, there's more reason than just giving De Paula room to grow to get rid of at least some of Hernández's contract.

Re-sign Alex Vesia, sign Adrian Morejon, add bullpen help

The majority of players the Dodgers lost to free agency were relief pitchers (or, at least, the Dodgers used them as such). Some of them LA will be better off allowing to walk — Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, Kris Bubic, Eric Lauer — but Vesia's departure is most deeply felt by Dodgers fans. After all, he's been a Dodger for the vast majority of his career and was another reclamation project the Dodgers managed to spin into gold.

If not Vesia, then LA's bullpen still needs some help. They could pull another one over on the San Diego Padres by stealing former setup man Adrian Morejon, but there are a number of other viable options — David Bednar, Sean Newcomb, Steven Okert, or even guys who won't be that expensive and who the Dodgers could revamp — who could help rebuild the reliever corps.

Re-sign Tarik Skubal

The granddaddy of them all. It's possible that around or upwards of five teams will be clamoring for Skubal's attention in the weeks before the CBA expires, but the Dodgers and New York Mets are unsurprisingly still thought of as the overwhelming frontrunners. Word on the street is that Skubal and agent Scott Boras will be pushing hard to get a deal across the line before the lockout, but that shouldn't stop him from receiving a record-breaking deal.

The Dodgers might not be willing to give him the long-term guarantee he would no doubt prefer, but that doesn't mean they're just going to call it quits and let the Mets (or Blue Jays or Cubs or Phillies or even Tigers) have him. LA has the upper hand here as the incumbents, and they'll use that to their advantage.

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