6 Dodgers still at risk of being traded after recent offseason additions

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been aggressive in the offseason, taking care of their own free agents and making a couple of additions to the club. In addition to bringing back Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen, Los Angeles has added Blake Snell, Michael Conforto, and Hyeseong Kim this offseason.

The additions the Dodgers have made in the offseason have begun to squeeze established players off the roster. Gavin Lux was the first notable player to get dealt, going to the Cincinnati Reds for a prospect and a draft pick earlier this week. Lux was deemed expendable after Kim signed a three-year deal with the team.

Attempting to defend their World Series title, the sense is the Dodgers are far from finished this offseason. They're linked to Japanese star right-hander Roki Sasaki, as they were one of seven listed teams to have a meeting with him and his agent in Los Angeles. Should Sasaki choose to join Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani as Japanese players on the Dodgers roster, it could have a similar domino effect with their young pitchers.

Former Rookie of the Year finalist could be on the trade block for the Dodgers

The signings of Conforto and Kim have all but cemented super utility player Tommy Edman as the team's primary center fielder. As such, it has blocked the path to consistent playing time for a couple former top prospects. The player most affected is James Outman, who was a finalist for the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year award.

With his playing time blocked for the foreseeable future, the Dodgers should be shopping Outman around to see if there are any takers. When the outfield is at full strength, there isn't room for him on the active roster, and he has just one minor-league option remaining before he can no longer be freely demoted. The timing of a potential deal makes sense, provided they're able to acquire more outfield depth.

It won't be easy to find a taker, as Outman's bat has major red flags. He owns a career strikeout rate of 32.9% in 739 plate appearances, which handicaps his offensive value. Even in his rookie year, he relied on a .343 BABIP to hit .248. Unless he can cut that rate down to a more manageable number, his upside might be capped as a fourth outfielder who plays the strong side of a center field platoon.

Of course, that is easier said than done. The main argument for keeping Outman on the roster is he's one injury away from being an everyday center fielder. With the Dodgers trying to defend their World Series title and dominance of the National League West, they can't afford to be one injury away from their season potentially spiraling out of control.

Could the Dodgers part ways with a long-tenured veteran utilityman?

Depending on what additional moves the Dodgers could make, veteran infielder Chris Taylor could be on the way out. Taylor has been with the Dodgers for the past 10 seasons, providing value as a super utility player. In 2024, he spent most of his time in left field and third base on the short side of a platoon. He's in the last year of the four-year, $60 million deal he signed after the 2021 season.

Taylor struggled mightily in the first half of 2024 but rebounded in a big way in the second half. The Dodgers could look to leverage that strong second half to offload some of his salary and make room for a fan favorite to complete the platoon at third base with Max Muncy.

Dodgers could deal pitching depth to shore up roster

The Dodgers have plenty of pitching depth, necessitated by the fact their rotation has been decimated with injuries the past two seasons. If they ultimately prevail in their pursuit of Sasaki, they could deal a young starter to shore up some depth concerns. They could look to deal one of Landon Knack, Nick Frasso, Justin Wrobleski or Bobby Miller for a major league ready prospect in the outfield who has more options remaining than Outman.

The Dodgers have to be careful about trading too much pitching depth. They already have four starters who are going to be on the shelf to begin the 2025 season, with Kyle Hurt, Gavin Stone, and River Ryan all unlikely to throw meaningful pitches for them. Emmet Sheehan is on track to return from Tommy John surgery during the season, but is more of a second half option.

As the Dodgers gain more healthy rotation options, the position is going to become more crowded, necessitating trades to get value from the superfluous pieces. That's a situation that's more likely to be alleviated closer to the trade deadline, as they try to shore up weak spots on their roster.