One Dodgers player almost certain to get traded during the Winter Meetings

Just because the Dodgers don't have a lot of glaring needs going into Winter Meetings, that doesn't mean other front office members are going to underestimate them on any front.

LA is primarily looking for an outfielder and bullpen arms, but they also have reported interest in utility man Brendan Donovan, who spent most of this past season at second base. Devin Williams got away, so it would come to the surprise of no one if they shift focus to Edwin Díaz and scoop him before the Mets can re-sign him. Their money and prospect firepower will always be a looming threat to other buyers.

It's easier to assume that the Dodgers will be more active on the free agent market, but if reports on their interest in Donovan and Steven Kwan are real, they're going to have to send a lot to St. Louis and/or Cleveland in return.

There's an obvious starting point for any blockbuster trade involving the Dodgers: former No. 1 prospect Dalton Rushing.

Dalton Rushing looks like the most likely Dodgers player to be traded at Winter Meetings

The question of what the Dodgers were going to do with Rushing came up as soon as they signed Will Smith to a 10-year, $140 million extension, and there's still no clear-cut solution.

The Dodgers have remained confident that they'll find ways to get Rushing at-bats, even though he's perpetually blocked by Smith at catcher. Whether that means giving Freddie Freeman more rest days or trying Rushing out in left field alongside Ryan Ward (despite their interest in multiple free agent outfielders including Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger) — they're adamant that they'll make it work.

But Rushing still has some cachet as a former No. 1 prospect, and his defensive versatility would help them sell him. The Dodgers could blame his disappointing showing at the plate on themselves, as he seemed to struggle with the irregularity of being in a backup role.

The Dodgers letting go of Ben Rortvedt made it seem like they were going to do everything they could to work Rushing into the bigger picture in 2026, but he could be far more useful to the Dodgers if packaged into a trade for a player like Donovan or Kwan, and would probably be better off with another team that will actually give him the playing time necessary to see if he can live up to his potential.