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1 offseason move by each NL West rival that should scare Dodgers fans
The Los Angeles Dodgers underwent a reload and reset this offseason, adding low-risk veterans on cheap-ish deals (Noah Syndergaard, JD Martinez) while tossing the keys to the kids.
The same can't be said for the rest of the NL West, a division featuring the Dodgers' new primary rival without a cap on their checkbook. Also featured are a scary upstart team making wise moves at the margins, the Classic Brand Rivals in San Francisco, and also the Colorado Rockies. They're also there.
The Dodgers and Padres are clearly favored to battle it out for the top spot in the division, and the Pads are the early favorites at the moment, as most prognosticators have been won over by their big-money additions and superstar core. That doesn't mean AJ Preller is the only executive whose offseason work will throw a wrench into LA's best-laid plans, though.
These offseason NL West upgrades should all put a scare into the Dodgers, especially in a division where the margin for error could rival 2021, where LA was edged by a bizarre Giants team by a single one of their 107 wins.
San Diego Padres: Xander Bogaerts, SS
The San Diego Padres ultimately inking Bogaerts was not the scariest possible addition they could've made. Rather, it was the capper on an absurd few weeks of the offseason that left the MLB world with one conclusion: the Padres, as currently managed, are willing to do anything and everything to obtain stars. And they're apparently not done yet, based on the rumors that they plan to scrounge up more cash to re-sign Manny Machado after he opts out, as well as chase Shohei Ohtani, who's been the Dodgers' White Whale for several very obvious seasons.
Bogaerts is an excellent ballplayer (who maybe, kind of, sort of should've been a Dodgers target). Ignore his somewhat-regressing advanced metrics; there aren't many shortstops like him, in terms of power and calm in the clutch, and he'll be an effective hitter for the next 4-5 years, no matter what position he plays.
That said, San Diego signing him wasn't the worst-case scenario for the Dodgers. That would've been Aaron Judge accepting SD's $400 million offer, keeping him in the NL West even after the Giants struck out.
The Bogaerts deal should have the Dodgers sweating because he's the nightmare addition. It should have them on guard because it was representative of the fact that the Padres would not be denied in their quest for a star -- unlike the Giants, who were rebuffed several times over (and skittish when they briefly landed one in Carlos Correa).
Somehow, despite the intense financial commitments already laid down on their books, this is just the beginning of the Padres being a gilded thorn in the Dodgers' side. Frustrating, to say the least.
San Francisco Giants: Michael Conforto, OF
Quite frankly, once it became clear the Dodgers' patented offer of "a ton of money on a short-term deal" wasn't appealing to Aaron Judge, we were worried about him bolting to his hometown in San Francisco. We were especially worried about that happening when people started tweeting that it did happen. In conclusion, phew.
In the wake of the Judge debacle, the Giants managed to foist the right fielder's money on Carlos Correa, only for the deal to collapse faster than the carbonite plate in the shortstop's ankle. That was worrisome, too! The Giants having a primary Dodgers antagonist on their roster for the next decade wouldn't have been particularly enjoyable, even if it brought new spice to a slightly-dormant rivalry.
Without a centerpiece, it's difficult to get truly worked up about the Giants' offseason. It's no fun to see the underrated Ross Stripling wearing orange and black, but adding another clone to the rotation shouldn't make a major difference. Sean Manaea seems like a beneficial addition for the Dodgers; they roast him.
We'll go with Michael Conforto here, who might have more power left in his bat than JD Martinez, a player who ended up as the Dodgers' DH out of a sense of familiarity with the coaching infrastructure. Odds are in Martinez's favor for a bounce back, but Conforto offers the same offensive upside from the left side of the plate, further balancing the lineup while also presenting more positional flexibility (eg, he's allowed to roam in the outfield).
If the Dodgers were going to stay above the tax anyway, they could've offered Conforto to fill in the AJ Pollock role left deserted last season. He makes perfect sense as a Giants reclamation project at the tail end of an otherwise bummer offseason, and weirdly seems more likely to stay healthy than their other major acquisition, Mitch Haniger.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Trading for Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Special shoutout to the addition of Evan Longoria, who brought some form of sneaky veteran voodoo magic to the San Francisco Giants' 2021 team and might use a few good years in the desert to springboard himself into Scott Rolen-esque Hall of Fame consideration (we're not kidding).
The Diamondbacks will be frustratingly good this season as they integrate top prospect Corbin Carroll, the current Rookie of the year favorite, into their overflowing outfield. Alek Thomas is unlikely to be worse in Year 2, while Jake McCarthy will continue being a speedy rotational fourth outfield option.
Occupying the final spot will be Loures Gurriel Jr., obtained from the Blue Jays, along with top catching prospect Gabriel Moreno, in exchange for Daulton Varsho. Varsho could go and get it with the best of 'em in the outfield, but metrics suggest his 27 homers last season were somewhat inflated, and Arizona sold as high as they could've.
Pour one out for the All-Rookie Outfield, but it's nice to have a veteran slugger out there, and the Dodgers won't have a fun time next year dealing with Gurriel, the big-haired brother of their nemesis in Houston who also has a flair for the dramatic. He was worth 2.2 WAR in 493 at-bats last season, but bashed 21 bombs and knocked in 84 the year prior, selling out for power a bit more. He smashed 20 homers in just 84 games in 2019! The 29-year-old is controllable for the next two seasons, and has never had a below-average offensive year in his career. He might be just the type of electric bat who could steal a win or two for the Snakes next season.
Colorado Rockies: Holding Onto SS Brendan Rodgers
What to put for the Rockies here ... what ... to put for the Rockies here ...
Congratulations on moving on from Trevor Story at the right time? Y-you knew what you were doing, I guess?
A fully healthy season of Kris Bryant will likely be the Rockies' best "addition" this season, and Dodgers fans who've long "enjoyed" this rivalry know that no matter who's on the roster, there will be a 13-7 lead at Coors that becomes 13-12, bases loaded, two outs in the ninth. As top prospects like Ezequiel Tovar (close) and Zac Veen (further away) get worked into the lineup, this offense-first team could get even friskier.
For now, though, if we have to give this dormant offseason a "WARNING" sign, we'll award it to the Rockies' Brendan Rodgers non-trade. Colorado almost cut bait on their former top prospect this offseason, dealing him to the Marlins for pitching (Edward Cabrera?) before talks fell apart.
After years of not quite getting an opportunity, Gavin Lux-style, Rodgers had a representative season that moved him in the right direction in 2022. He earned a Gold Glove at second base for his defense, while also hitting .266 with 13 bombs, 63 RBI and a .733 OPS (which Rodgers should work on raising in the thin Denver air). Still just 26 years old until midsummer, if Rodgers can fill out his frame and add some pop, the Rockies will have a very valuable player on their hands (and the potential cornerstone they'd dreamed on in 2017-18 when he was rising up the prospect charts).
Rodgers' emergence should scare the Dodgers more than, say, a potential Edward Cabrera acquisition. Barely, though.
READ MORE: 3 Dodgers Players Who'll Be Better Next Year, 2 Who Won't