4 former Dodgers that could return to LA this winter

Joc Pederson

The return of Joctober! The Dodgers need outfield depth. Another lefty bat won't hurt. A clutch bat is. essential. Taking away from the San Francisco Giants should be a major priority, too.

Pederson was an All-Star in 2022 and injuries held him back in 2023, but he still finished with a respectable .764 OPS and 111 OPS+ in 121 games. His value's been affected by the injuries and worsening defense. But again, the bench/outfield rotation should feature real contributors, not David Peralta. Not a combination of Michael Busch and Miguel Vargas, both of whom have limited experience playing out there. Not Trayce Thompson. You get it.

A championship roster is filled with contributors, not random filler because there are bench spots available. Pederson might be closer to an everyday player than a bench option, too, but when's the last time the Dodgers struggled to find playing time for somebody? Even when he wasn't a bonafide starter in LA, he played in 151, 137, 148 and 149 games in four of his seasons (that weren't affected by injury).

The Dodgers don't need premier defenders at every position. What they need is somebody to offer something more than just a body. Peralta, Thompson, Hanser Alberto, Joey Gallo, Austin Barnes, etc. are and were just bodies (outside of short spurts of production). Pederson might not cover a ton of ground, but he produces runs and comes through when you need someone to most.

Is he open to coming back? We don't know. But this is an easy first move to get out of the way.