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LOS ANGELES — Days after winning the World Series, the Dodgers took to the streets of Los Angeles to celebrate with the fans. It was an afternoon the Dodgers had waited decades for.
But in the middle of that celebration, the Dodgers were already thinking about wanting to do it again in 2025 – preferably with as many of the same faces as they had this past season.
Baseball, of course, is a business. No team ever looks the same from year to year. This year’s Dodgers will be no exception, as evidenced by the addition of Blake Snell to their rotation, meaning a pitcher — or multiple — will be replaced this winter.
With that all being said, however, the Dodgers are going to try to “run it back” as much as possible for the ‘25 season. Now that the winter is in full force, let’s take a look at the team’s five key free agents and their chances of coming back to L.A.
Nobody endeared himself to the fans of L.A. over the last calendar year more than Hernández. The Dominican outfielder signed a “prove it” contract last winter with the Dodgers, and it all paid off. Hernández had one of the best seasons of his career, setting himself up for a nice payday this winter.
Hernández said throughout the season — and thus far all of the offseason — that he wants to be back with the Dodgers. Of the current free agents, he is the most likely to return to the lineup. Both sides have maintained communication, and a resolution could come sooner rather than later.
Flaherty only spent three months with the Dodgers after being acquired from the Tigers at the Trade Deadline, but the Burbank native made his mark during that time. The right-hander was the Dodgers’ Game 1 starter throughout the postseason and should have a pretty healthy market.
With Snell now in the mix, it’s unlikely that Flaherty returns.
The Dodgers don’t win the championship without Kiké.
After the Dodgers fell behind 2-1 to the Padres in the NL Division Series, it was Kiké who set the tone and the attitude for the rest of the postseason. The veteran utilityman not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk, opening the scoring in Game 5 with a solo homer.
It took some time for Kiké to sign a deal last offseason; it didn’t happen until almost midway through Spring Training. He will likely need all of his patience once again, but in the end, the Dodgers should look to bring back the Puerto Rican spark plug to solidify both their bench and their October presence.
After sitting out most of the last two seasons, Treinen was back on the mound in ‘24 and quickly showed why he was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Majors before undergoing surgery on his right shoulder.
Treinen didn’t throw as hard as he did pre-surgery, but the stuff was still just as sharp. When he’s right, there aren’t many hitters in the world that can hit his slider. In the postseason, Treinen was leaned upon as the de facto closer, especially once Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips were hit with injuries.
The Dodgers and Treinen have talked since the start of the offseason, and there’s mutual interest, but it remains to be seen if they can make something work. There won’t be a shortage of interest for the right-hander.
“I will never speak poorly about the Dodgers,” Treinen has said. “I obviously would welcome, with open arms, any type of deal to bring me back there.”
Kershaw underwent surgeries on his right toe and left knee at the start of the winter and will need some time to get healthy before pitching in Major League games in 2025. Regardless of how long it takes, however, he and the Dodgers will come to an agreement on a one-year deal.
The surefire Hall of Famer made it clear that he’s a “Dodger for life” and would be back in L.A. for an 18th season.