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This story was excerpted from Juan Toribio’s Dodgers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
LOS ANGELES — While most teams typically wait until at least December to make impactful moves, the Dodgers have wasted no time this winter.
If the Dodgers don’t do anything else the rest of the winter, they have already done enough to improve a roster that won the World Series last season. Of course, the Dodgers aren’t done just yet. In fact, things will undoubtedly continue to heat up next week during the Winter Meetings in Dallas.
Before all that takes place, let’s take a look at a couple things the Dodgers still need to get done this winter.
Club needs
The biggest need for the Dodgers coming into the offseason was starting pitching. Obviously, landing Snell and inserting him at the top of the rotation will be a significant boost. However, with the Dodgers likely going to a six-man rotation to help Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, the team could benefit from landing one more proven option.
As the Dodgers find out just about every year, you can never have too much starting pitching. Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, assuming he’s still a starter, will be back from injury this season and should help. Both players, however, are coming off significant injuries and have battled through inconsistencies in the past.
The name that has been linked to the Dodgers for years is Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who will be posted by his team in Japan this winter. Sasaki will have a long list of suitors, but the Dodgers will be right at the top. You can make an argument that the Dodgers already have the best rotation in baseball — at least on paper — and that would only get better if they’re able to land the Japanese right-hander.
Another area the Dodgers will look to address the rest of the winter is the bullpen. Blake Treinen is the biggest loss from last year’s group, but there’s mutual interest for a reunion. When healthy, there aren’t many relievers more dominant than Treinen.
Potential trade candidates
The Dodgers don’t have any clear trade candidates this winter. A lot of those decisions will ultimately come down to what the team is able to do the rest of the winter. Chris Taylor, who is entering the last year of his current deal, could be an option if a team is willing to eat most, if not all, of his salary. Gonsolin, May or Bobby Miller could be trade pieces, though it’s hard to imagine the Dodgers getting rid of starting pitching options. With Mookie Betts coming back to the infield next season, there was natural speculation surrounding Gavin Lux. The Dodgers, however, believe they’re a better team with Lux in their lineup.
Prospect to know
The Dodgers seemingly have a couple of players who take huge leaps every season, and perhaps nobody boosted his stock more in 2024 than No. 3 prospect Alex Freeland. The 23-year-old shortstop started the season in High-A Great Lakes and finished the year in Triple-A Oklahoma City, posting a combined .829 OPS. Freeland’s ability to hit from both sides of the plate and his defense make him a candidate to get called up as early as the 2025 season.
Rule 5 Draft
Like most seasons, expect the Dodgers to maybe lose a player or two in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft. It speaks to the quality in their Minor League system. On the other hand, don’t expect the Dodgers to be very active stealing a piece away from another club.
Burning question
Will Teoscar Hernández be back?
The Dodgers’ top priority this offseason was to add a top starting pitcher to their rotation. They accomplished that early on this winter after signing Snell. But now, the focus shifts to the offense. The Dodgers still need to add one impact bat to the lineup. Will that be Hernández? The veteran outfielder was an integral member of the lineup that carried the Dodgers to a World Series title in ‘24. Both sides have had continued talks throughout the winter, but the time in Dallas could help expedite a resolution.