5 former Dodgers that will have a shot at securing 2023 World Series ring

The 2023 World Series is set. The Arizona Diamondbacks will battle the Texas Rangers in one of the most improbable matchups in modern history. For the first time since 2016, the Fall Classic will not feature the Los Angeles Dodgers or Houston Astros. Wild to think about.

BUT ... one of those teams has a pretty large imprint on the upcoming matchup. The Dodgers have plenty of former players suiting up with a chance to capture their first (or second) championship ring. Some are obvious. Some you might've forgotten about.

Without question, though? ALL of them could've played key roles on the 2023 Dodgers, who found themselves lost when the calendar flipped. At the very least, some could've provided much-needed depth -- another area the Dodgers were lacking in -- as the long season wore on.

There are lessons to be learned from both of these teams for the Dodgers. The D-Backs executed a near-flawless youth movement that only got better as the year progressed. The Rangers went all in during free agency and at the trade deadline to get the right players and supplement their talented roster.

The Dodgers' youth movement? Kind of hit or miss. The Dodgers' endeavors in free agency and via trades? A lot left to be desired. Either way, for LA fans' rooting interest in this year's World Series, these players have direct Dodgers ties.

5 former Dodgers that will have a shot at securing 2023 World Series ring

Josh Sborz

Another unfortunate ripple effect from the Trevor Bauer signing. Will that haunt the Dodgers forever? Sborz was designated for assignment shortly before the 2021 season to make room for Bauer on the 40-man roster.

Days later, the Rangers came calling, and the right-hander was traded to Texas for minor-league pitcher Jhan Zambrano. There's little information on Zambrano, but he hasn't pitched for the Dodgers since 2022 and just resurfaced in the Venezuelan Winter League (it's unclear, but he might've been injured).

Either way, this was a considerable loss for the Dodgers. Bauer made just 17 starts before his suspension, while Sborz thrived in his first full season with the Rangers. Though he's been pretty bad the last two years, he's emerged as a go-to option for Bruce Bochy in the postseason, hurling 9.2 innings and allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. Not sure how that happened, but this is life now.

Andrew Heaney

The HeanDog! Dodgers fans may not miss him, but the left-hander certainly could've played an important role eating innings for the starting rotation this year as injuries continued to pile up (presuming he would've stayed healthy himself).

Heaney appeared in 34 games (28 starts) this season after signing a one-year, $12.5 million contract with a player option for 2024. In 2022, he couldn't stay healthy for the Dodgers, but he logged a 3.10 ERA, 3.75 FIP and 1.09 WHIP in 16 games (14 starts).

In Texas, he's been good for a 4.15 ERA, 4.66 FIP and 1.38 WHIP. Not great, but his 147 innings proved valuable following the losses of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer. Heaney also held his own against the Orioles in the ALDS, allowing one run on one hit and a walk over 3.2 innings of work. He got knocked around by the Astros in the ALCS in his lone start, but he was able to come on in relief in garbage time later in the series to help preserve the bullpen.

He has one career start against the D-Backs, which came last year, and he got rocked (4.2 IP, 6 ER, 4 H, 4 BB), so we'll see how it plays out for him, Cotton.

Max Scherzer

The lone, indisputable villain on this list is Max Scherzer, who spent the second half of 2021 with the Dodgers after coming over at the trade deadline. He was an unstoppable force for LA through the NLDS. Then, the NLCS arrived and he let everybody down.

His lackluster outing against the Braves certainly wasn't what the Dodgers paid a premium to acquire, and nor was his decision to sit out because of a dead arm. That wasn't an issue, though, until he decided to call out the Dodgers for how he was utilized following the season.

It became apparent Scherzer's actions were more of a ploy to preserve himself for free agency that year, considering he backtracked on his criticism of the Dodgers as a result of his "injury." He signed a record deal with the Mets, completely blew their postseason chances in 2022, got off to a terrible start in 2023, and was then sent to the Rangers at this year's deadline for Luisangel Acuña.

Scherzer missed the Wild Card Series and ALDS with a shoulder injury, but returned for Game 3 of the ALCS after five weeks on the shelf. He completely shifted the momentum when the Astros shelled him in that game, but he redeemed himself with a competent showing in Game 7 that was won by the offense (and Jordan Montgomery's gutsy relief appearance).

It's safe to say Dodgers fans wil not be rooting for Scherzer whenever he's on the mound this World Series.

Corey Seager

Andrew Friedman let Corey Seager go, and fans were under the impression Trea Turner was the succession plan after he came over from Washington with Scherzer. Then Turner left the following year in free agency and, like Seager, thrived in the playoffs (well, until the last few games).

But it's safe to say LA fans preferred Seager, the homegrown shortstop that was the team's undisputed best player during their 2020 World Series run. Though his playoff career with the Dodgers was up-and-down, Seager has pulled out that 2020 magic this time around with the Rangers.

Seager and Adolis Garcia have led the charge here and have delivered clutch hit after clutch hit. As of this moment, the former first-round pick is looking like the Dodgers' missing October piece the last two years. It's unclear if Seager was keen on re-signing with the Dodgers, especially with Scott Boras as his agent, but it's safe to say their offer of $300 million with deferred money wasn't preferable to the Rangers' straight up $325 million deal.

Seager is beloved by Dodgers fans and is certainly missed, which makes his involvement in the Fall Classic worth watching. It might have a bittersweet feeling to it, but Seager capturing another ring will hopefully remind the Dodgers front office of the mistake they made so they don't ever let a player like this leave again.