Not months anymore, now it is only weeks until the pitchers and catchers report to Camelback ranch for spring training 2026. There are not a whole lot of openings on this roster. Some are ticketed for OKC and don’t know it yet. Some, like Ward and Siani are going to get long looks in spring as will Freeland, Rushing, Kim and some young pitchers, Hurt, Stone, Ryan, Henriquez. There are few openings for a position player. Left field and an everyday second baseman top the list. First, short, 3rd, center, right and catcher are pretty much settled.
The bench will have Rojas and Rushing along with Call for sure. Edman could be the super utility guy playing second, CF, and occasionally SS. Many are calling for the Dodgers to bring back Kike at some point. Not sure when he will be available since he had surgery this winter. I like Kike but think he is a redundant piece. They have plenty of utility type players. I would love to see them get an A-list outfielder before the season starts, but not sure at all what their plan is.
AF does pull of a surprise signing now and then. They might just try and trade for one. They know the team’s holes and weaknesses better than we do. The defense needs some tightening up. Muncy is never going to be a gold glover. Right now, the best defensive players on the team are Rojas, Edman and Kim. Freeman is very good at first, but age might be catching up with Freddie. Smith is excellent at cutting down runners and call’s a very good game. He does need to work on blocking balls in the dirt better.
Pages and Call are their two best defensive outfielders at this point in time. I would rather see Pages in right where his cannon arm would be more effective, but he has improved as a center fielder. His catch in the 9th inning of game seven is proof that he can be an excellent defender. The fly in the buttermilk is Teo. He did a decent job in left in 24, but his defense in right was not all that great in 25. Maybe it was partially due to his hammy issues, but along with his decline offensively, it raised the issue of whether or not LA should attempt to trade him over the winter. Teo loves LA and his charisma and obvious love for his teammates is a clubhouse plus. But they need to see better production, less chasing of really bad pitchers and better defense from him.
It looks like fan favorite target; Nolan Arenado will most likely be traded by the Cardinals with the Angels emerging as a legitimate destination with Rendon being bought out of his contract, it also looks like the Cardinals are now actively trying to move Brandon Donovan. Donovan can play the outfield but is best suited at second. It also looks like St. Louis is trying to move Nootbaar. Whether LA has an interest at this point is unclear at this time. I do know they were interested in Donovan earlier last season.
So many questions, so few answers. Other than signing Diaz, LA has not made a major signing or trade. Will that happen? Remains to be seen. Fans have been waiting for a big move for a while now. Does the front office feel the need? Or are they content to go with what they have? Inquiring fans want to know.
Born June 14th, 1948, in Los Angeles California. AKA The Bear
Boston has made a serious offer to Bregman. As soon as one of the big chip’s falls, I think the market will open up. Will LA be active? Remains to be seen.
If we can’t get Tucker or Bregman on short-term high AAV deal, maybe we pivot to Bader.
Yankees signed Paul DeJong to a minor league deal and are talking with the Marlins about RHSP Edward Cabrerra.
The Dodgers’ brass may not feel the urgency that other teams do.
Diaz already represents a big upgrade, and both Shohei and Sasaki are expected to be in the rotation from Opening Day. Simply replacing Conforto with Siani is a glove-first upgrade, and of course Edman is an OF option too.
Some of the Foul Territory guys suggested this scenario:
–Bregman stays with the Red Sox.
–The Jays win Tucker with a long-term deal
–Bichette signs with Yankees, replacing Volpe at SS. (An offense-first move.)
–Belli winds up with the Mets.
Meanwhile, Boston is playing hard to get. But a blockbuster for Duran still makes a lot of sense.
I still prefer Edman at second. Sorry to me he is not your prototypical outfielder. He is best at second. I do think they need to upgrade the bench and get an everyday outfielder. I do think you are correct in the statement that they do not feel as urgent as the fans do.
I prefer Edman in a pure UT role. He’s a finished product, as they say, and with Kike gone, his ability to shuttle between infield and outfield will be more valuable.
Best-case scenario: Kim is afforded a full opportunity at 2B, and he thrives. If Kim is successful, the Dodgers’ starting lineup is faster and younger with a brighter future.
BTW, Kim’s OPS last season was about 50 points higher than Edman’s.
If they get an everyday outfielder they improve the bench at the same time.
Depends on who heads to the bench. There is virtually no power on that bench except maybe Rushing.
If they get an outfielder, Kim or Edman is going to the bench. If they get Bichette, it’s likely Kim to the bench. If they get both Bichette and an outfielder (my choice) both those guys go the bench, making it an overcrowded bench.
Edman should be the regular second baseman. Kim hasn’t proved he can play everyday, and in spotty use, he hasn’t impressed all that much.
I disagree.
1.7 bWAR in 161 at bats. As a rookie. Some will dismiss bWAR and go with fWAR of course, which will be less, but no matter which site is viewed, Kim outperformed Kiké, Call, Rojas, Freeland, Rushing and Edman in WAR/PA. As a rookie.
Edman was injured much of the time. With his ankle healed, he is a better option than Kim. Switch hitter, excellent fielder. Plenty of playoff experience. Kim is an unknown.
Kim should have a chance to be known.
Kim was a rookie last year. Of course hes not “proven” yet
I have seen plenty of rookies who had an immediate impact. Kim is a very good defender and has shown some ability to make contact. He also has great speed. But I am not just putting him at second base and leaving him there. I prefer veterans with a track record. Let Kim earn his way onto the roster.
I think Kim and Edman should share 2B and Muncy and Rojas share 3B. Not a strict righty lefty platoon. Edman is a switch hitter but is bad from the left side.
The other night I watched a bunch of the Friar’s Roasts they did in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Low and behold, on the show where they were roasting Milton Berle, who should appear on the dais as one of the roasters? Don Drysdale. He did a pretty good job. I saw this on Prime. Not sure if you could you tube it. Big D towered over those guys.
I wanted to check on something about how often and when the last time was the Dodgers traded with their division rivals. Baseball reference gave me some answers. The Last time the D-Backs and Dodgers traded an everyday player, or pitcher was 2009 when Arizona traded Jon Garland to LA. LA sent Tony Abreu to complete the deal. 2022 LA got River Ryan from the Padres for Matt Beaty. In 2007, the Giants traded Mark Sweeney to LA for PTBNL. Player was Travis Denker. Their last trade before that was when LA traded Candy Maldonado to the Giants for Alex Trevino in 1985. Dodgers traded Justin Bruhl to the Rockies for cash in 23. Before that LA got Juan Nicasio for Noel Cuevas in 2014. LA got Ramon Hernandez for Aaron Harang in 2013. So, don’t hold your breath waiting for a division rival to trade LA a player who is worth anything.
The Pads must really regret trading River Ryan. He’d be penciled into their rotation.
Now that was a heist….
I would think so, Beaty has not played organized ball since 24 when he was in the Royals system. He is 32 now and Wikipedia describes him as a former ballplayer. My best memory of Beaty is when 3 rookies won games on 3 consecutive games with homers.
Do it AF! https://dodgersway.com/dodgers-have-one-move-in-their-back-pocket-to-bury-blue-jays-after-okamoto-signing
Bichette, like Diaz, has a QO attached. If they sign him, they lose a couple of draft picks and some international signing money if memory serves me right
They already lost $1MM international bonus money with Diaz. If they sign another QO FA, they will lose their 3rd and 6th draft pick, but no more internatioanl $$$. They already lost their 2nd and 5th with Diaz. That will leave them with thier #1 (40th pick) and #4 draft pick (around #135) and then to #7 (around #225). Losing 4 of the top 6 picks and the #1 moving down to #40, their draft pool $$$ will be extremely los. Probably enough for one shot at #40, and then a lot 4th year seniors or HS kids with a high upside and with an equally low floor.
I think Bichette is worth much more than a #3 and a #6 draft pick. If they do not sign Bichette or Tucker, it will not be because of loss of draft picks.
Thanks for correcting me. I was not sure just how it worked.
We have a billion prospects so t’aint no thing
How many in the top 100? How many are offensive players? LA hasn’t had a top tier player make an impact in a while. AF loves his draft picks and the international money is important to LA>
The Dodgers have 7 Top 100 prospects in MLB Pipeline, 7 in espn, and 7 in Baseball America. However Baseball American included Rushing and Sasaki who should have been graduated out. The 7 in MLB Pipeline and ESPN are Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, Alex Freeland, Mike Sirota, Jackson Ferris, and Emil Morales. That is 6 offensive players and 1 pitcher. None will be helping LAD this year, as the closest to MLB ready is Jackson Ferris, and there are at least 10 SP candidates considered better. That is a lot of depth pieces to make a good trade.
However your point that LAD has not had a top prospect make an impact in awhile is extremely valid, and one I have made countless times. Trade them before they become Diego Cartaya, Bobby Miller, Maddux Bruns, Kody Hoese, and Jerren Kendall.
Yankees made Bellinger another offer and the Cubs have re-entered the bidding.
Cubs are dumb
Belli did well in Chicago for two seasons. Found his swing again and cut down his K rate, something a bunch of hitters in Dodger blue should learn to do.
Good Dodger content, Bear
Thanks, I appreciate it. Got to do the leagues news too though.
Most of you who have followed me on this site know I have always been a huge John Wayne fan. I know this is not baseball, but tonight I read a story about something that happened at the premier at Grauman’s Chinese theater in 1949 of the Wayne film, Sands of Iwo Jima. In the audience was a Marine Gunny Sergeant named Harold Shultz, who had been at Iwo during the battle. After the movie was over Wayne spotted Schultz and asked him if he got it right. Schultz replied that he had because unlike many war films, Sands showed Marines who were scared, tired, and just wanted to get home alive. Harold Schultz was a modest man who spent a career in the Marine Corps. He was one of the six Marines who raised the flag on Suribachi that day in 1945. He was not originally identified as one of the six who did it. Just like Harlan Block was not identified until much later. His gunnery sergeants name was Malone, and he was KIA 3 days after the flag raising. Like Wayne’s character, Sgt Stryker, he was holding a photo of his child when he died, he was also killed by a sniper. Schultz took the photo and mailed it to Malones wife. Schultz felt Wayne had honored the memory of the men who did not come back. Schultz and Wayne remained in touch until Wayne passed away. But that night at the premier of the movie, Schultz saluted the Duke. I had never heard of this story, but I knew about Schultz when researchers checked the photo and proved he was one of the men. He never wanted the recognition that went with that photo, so he kept quiet about being one of the men. Schultz died in 1995.
I think cinema took a huge step forward when it left the phony heroism of John Wayne and his ilk. Realism was a huge step forward in film art.
On my way back from R&R I was in DaNang for a day and the new John Wayne movie The Green Berets was playing on the base. I went. It was terrible of course, in fact so bad a group of Green Berets got up and walked out.
Wayne never served. In fact, despite his famous war hero image he was widely considered a “draft dodger” getting 3A Family deferments. There were plenty of actors who served admirably but he ain’t one of them. He was also considering by many to be an “asshole” due to his problematic personal views and behind the scenes reputation.
All that is true. But Wayne always regretted the fact that he did not serve. But the man was 34 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He had 4 kids and had a deferment. The Green Berets was not even close to being a good movie. It did not stick to the book. It was by all account’s pure propaganda. Sands of Iwo Jima was a different type of movie. Wayne tried really hard to be more realistic in his portrayal and not just a movie hero and Sands was made AFTER the war. Wayne was not reclassified as 1A until 1944. He was willing to go, but the head of the studio threatened to sue him because of his contract and the studio got him reclassified. Those are facts. I don’t know about his political views, but he was extremely right wing. But every actor I have ever seen interviews with said Wayne was very professional on site. He was a heavy drinker and he and some of his friends got into some fights. He actually tried to join the OSS. I don’t believe a man who was in 1944 married with 4 children and 37 years old at the time would have been of much value on a battlefield. He played heroic figures because that was his movie image. I looked at his films as pure entertainment, I never felt he was a hero in anyway. The story I read is more about Schultz and his reaction to a movie about an event he was a huge part of. I served during Nam for 9 years, and never was sent there, mostly due to the fact that my MOS was not needed. There was 1 HAWK missile battalion in Nam a Cam Ran Bay. But I have always felt guilty that I did not see action like many of my friends, and I lost several during the war.
Respect and thank you for your service.
Thank you. It was an honor and a privilege to keep the communist menace off the shores of California.
🙄
Al Bundy would disagree with you.😀
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If it was up to me I would trade for Buxton and roll from there.
CF IMHO is THE position that needs an upgrade for 2026. Buxton though injury prone is an exceptional talent and the Dodgers do not need him to play 140 plus games .
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buxton is 32. The oldest of the CF the Dodgers might target. With his injury history and age, no thanks.
Getting a CF seems the most straightforward way to address the teams OF weakness, but you’ve got to admit Bichette is intriguing.
The Dodgers drafted Mitchell White right in front of Bichette. Yoiks.
The draft is a crap table. The drafting of White was a crap pick.
I agree with Les Snead on this one. If we can Bichette, f*** them picks.
And much to the chagrin of Jeff we drafted Lux ahead of Bichette as well.
Hey, Alex Verdugo is still available. Maybe he can win that batting title that Mark predicted back home with the Dodgers!
I totally agree with today’s discussion regarding the lack of power off the bench with Rojas, Kim, Rushing. For that reason, i would not be surprised to see us sign Bregman to play third.
This would allow Muncy to play fewer games while impacting the game in a meaningful way, while also spelling Freddie at 1st base and playing a little 2nd and 3rd base.
DodgersDigest relays some encouraging news from the farm system, including this:
Ko, from Taiwan, is one of several reasons I’m not inclined to hug top prospects Hope, de Paula, Sirota and Quintero–each of whom are ranked as “the best” in various assessments. Others are named Tibbs, George, Davalan, etc. I’ve read that Ko, despite his size, is a swift, capable outfielder–but perhaps he could shift to 1B.
A blockbuster for Buxton, for example, could draw from the Dodgers pitching depth and include both a prime prospect like Hope and ML-ready (or near-ready) OF talent like Ryan Ward or Tibbs.
Also there’s this tidbit from Baseball America:
The Dodgers have the best Hit+ in the minors.
That was a great read
I hope Sirota can assume CF by mid June and push Pages to RF. I also hope Freeland takes 3B by mid June.
So which one (or two) of those guys are keepers NOW? The others can go to teams in the AL, Boston or Minnesota, and the Dodgers get who they want for THIS year.
Sign Bichette and trade for Duran/Buxton/Abreu and away we go.
Today is the anniversary of Vin Scully being elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Mattingly signs on with the Phillies as their bench coach. Vogelbach signs on as a coach for the Brewers. Dodgers showing interest in Freddy Peralta.
I wish someone smarter than I am would explain the Peralta rumor.
I do not get it either, but there it was in black and white.
Vogelbach will be teaching player how to steal bases.
….or how to consume large at the buffet table.
Nice! LOL