Dodgers swiping former Twins manager could massively help in trade talks

Only the Los Angeles Dodgers could wake up on a random Tuesday at the Winter Meetings and say, “You know what we need? An ex-manager with inside intel on one of the most interesting teams in the league.” And boom — Rocco Baldelli is suddenly a special assistant to Andrew Friedman.

This isn’t just a vibes hire. This is a trade-season weapon.

In Baldelli, LA is adding someone who knows the Minnesota Twins’ roster, personalities, pitching programs, medicals, tendencies and internal decision-making quirks at a level no other team can touch. And the Dodgers — the big, blue winter machine — just plugged that knowledge directly into their offseason war room.

The Twins fell off in a big way in 2025, capped by budget realities and a roster with both high-end talent and big-question-mark contracts. They’re exactly the type of team the Dodgers prey on during trade season. And guess who knows that roster better than anyone who’s not paid by the Twins right now?

Hello, Rocco Baldelli.

Dodgers' Rocco Baldelli hire makes them even more dangerous during trade season

Let’s talk targets. Baldelli alone isn't going to land one of these players, but he does give the Dodgers a massive informational head-start and a deep understanding of Minnesota’s internal landscape heading into heavy trade talks.

First up, Joe Ryan –– the most obvious reclamation project-turned- Cy Young candidate alive. The Twins love him, but they also know he’s inconsistent and getting increasingly expensive. Baldelli knows what Ryan responded to, what frustrated him, what unlocks his best version. If the Dodgers want to turn Ryan into their next Tyler Glasnow-level heist? They just hired the one man who’s seen under the hood.

Then, there's Pablo López — the ace who suddenly isn’t untouchable. The Twins aren’t shopping him, but they’ve quietly explored ways to rebalance payroll. López has ace moments but also went through regression in 2025. Baldelli knows whether that’s fixable and how. Imagine the Dodgers pairing López with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell — that’s a playoff nightmare.

Finally, there's Byron Buxton — the ultimate Dodgers buy-low swing. The Dodgers love tools. They love upside. They love “we think we can fix him.” Buxton is practically the test case for that. And Baldelli? He’s the guy who spent years navigating the Buxton rollercoaster — his usage, his injuries, his confidence. If any front office can get the “real” Buxton out again, it’s the Dodgers ... with Baldelli's help.

Most people will see the headline about Baldelli joining the Dodgers and call it a soft landing spot for a former manager. But Dodgers fans should see it as an espionage-level advantage. Baldelli knows which Twins pitchers are due for breakouts, which players the front office is quietly lower on, which prospects are actually better than the public thinks, and which trade asks Minnesota would realistically consider.

This is what the Dodgers do. They build edges. They build information networks. They build infrastructures the rest of baseball tries — and fails — to replicate a decade later.