The Dodgers' eight additions (and re-additions) this offseason have made them one of the most active teams in the league behind only the Cubs, Mets and Rangers, and they're not even done yet. Clayton Kershaw remains a free agent after opting out of his contract, but he's already made it clear he'll re-sign with the Dodgers. Kiké Hernández is also still out there, and there seems to be mutual interest in bringing him back to reclaim his spot on the bench.
If the Mets hadn't signed Juan Soto to the gargantuan deal he got, the Dodgers would be, by far, the year's highest offseason spenders. The money they've deferred over the last five years now exceeds $1 billion, and they don't seem afraid to undergo roster crunches as they come. Former No. 1 prospect Diego Cartaya got the push when the Dodgers re-signed Teoscar Hernández, and at least two more will be sacrificed when the corresponding move for Kirby Yates' signing is announced (and if Kershaw returns before teams can add players back onto the 60-day IL).
GM Brandon Gomes made the front office's thinking on this stockpiling clear — apart from the obvious benefit that the team will just get better because of them. On the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast, he said that he's trying to avoid scrambling at the trade deadline, when "prices are two or three times what they normally are."
This ...
— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) January 28, 2025
'The goal is to not have to not have to buy in July because prices are two or three X what they normally are' https://t.co/aW1LrPrSE9 pic.twitter.com/Jl4iPKKFLE
GM Brandon Gomes says Dodgers are trying to avoid an active trade deadline with an active offseason
President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman alluded to a similar sentiment during Blake Snell's introductory press conference, when he said the Dodgers were "naive" to believe that they had enough pitching depth last season. Because of all of the injuries to the pitching staff, the Dodgers were forced to scramble on a trade for a new starter at the deadline — they wanted Garrett Crochet but ended up getting Jack Flaherty when the White Sox waffled on letting go of Crochet.
Of course, injuries are completely unpredictable and could end up forcing the Dodgers to make a few calls at the end of July, but they've done their best to avoid that. The rotation has perhaps too many starters, and the bullpen made up for the losses of Daniel Hudson and Joe Kelly with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates. Michael Conforto will take up a regular spot in the outfield and, if the Dodgers don't re-sign (Kiké) Hernández, Hyeseong Kim will bounce around at multiple positions much like Hernández did last year.
Barring disaster, the Dodgers' roster should be fortified throughout the season. This isn't to say that the Dodgers will be totally inactive at the deadline, but it's definitely better that they're getting most of the heavy lifting done now.
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