3 players the Dodgers should keep and 3 they should trade

Ryan Yarbrough

After being traded to the Dodgers from the Royals at the deadline in 2023, Yarbrough made most of his 11 appearances out of the bullpen. He started one game and appeared in relief for the rest, for a total of 38 1/3 innings pitched and a 4.89 ERA. Now, there might be a question of where he'll fit in the roster. Most depth charts list him as a starting pitcher, and he does have a history of eating innings for the Rays (with mixed results), but it seems unlikely that he'll get more than a couple starts, if any, for the Dodgers in 2024, as they just rounded out their rotation by signing James Paxton.

The team could kick Yarbrough back to the bullpen permanently, but with the Dodgers' apparent intention to keep looking for relievers in free agency, it might be time for them to let go of him altogether. His numbers have never been fantastic, even less so when put up against those of Graterol, Phillips, and Ferguson, and he could go to another team that's in need of a starter in return for a perhaps less experienced bullpen arm and/or prospects. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season, but the Dodgers could get almost $4 million off of their payroll sooner if they deal him away, and it wouldn't irreparably damage the bullpen.

Manuel Margot

Although Tyler Glasnow headlined the Dodgers-Rays trade in December, Margot was also a solid get for the Dodgers. He has a pretty good history as a hitter and center fielder with the Rays, and he'll come in handy as the team moves Mookie Betts to second base this season. However, it's also worth noting the team is set to pay him $10 million this year, with a mutual option worth $12 million next year. He has a higher ceiling than Chris Taylor, who the Dodgers will kick back into a utility role after adding Margot and Teoscar Hernández, but he's also not the best they can do in the outfield. Post-trade rumors indicated he wasn't their top choice.

For now, especially with a shallow free agent pool, Margot will be more than serviceable, but he could be a trade piece at the deadline or before the Dodgers need to come to a decision about his option at the end of the season. With prospects like Andy Pages working through the minors and expected to land in MLB soon, the Dodgers could get Margot off of their payroll, take a chance on some homegrown talent, and get a nice return from wherever they send him, or they could free up some money to afford a free agent upgrade.