Rumors Upon Rumors

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1. like your rotation Mark, but i would still kick the tires on Hoskins for left field. i just can’t see Friedman handing out an 8 -10 year contract. a 3-4 year contract with incentives and an opt out as you suggested. and i still keep seeing the blue jays will consider moving bichette and or even guerrero if they sign ohtani. i would rather have Bo, hoskins, and JD , rather than 500-600 million in ohtani. does Clayton figure in the plan when healthy?

   1. I do not see this:

      1. Toronto being a player for Ohtani
      2. Trading Bichette
      3. Ohtani even considering Toronto (Seattle…maybe)

   2. You don’t see that coming from their GM. This morning there was a story they are targeting guys like Pederson and a couple of others. There are also rumors that they are trying to pry Alonso away from the Mets. But I am an I will believe it when I see it guy. Where CK goes is entirely up to him. AF has said that since he became a free agent, and he isn’t going to pitch at all until the middle of the season.

2. The rumors mill has the Dodgers all in on Yamamoto only if they don’t sign Ohtani. Fir the numbers being tossed about (upwards of 600 million), the Dodgers could sign Yamamoto and Snell/Imagana. That would significantly improve the Dodgers pitching for next year.

   1. … and JDM

   2. No on Snell. Guy walks too many. 5 inning pitcher puts a strain on the pen.

      1. Also doesn’t hold runners on to good.

3. It’s hard for me to believe that Christine McVie is dead.

   1. I agree she was a great vocalist, I liked her songs better than Stevie Nicks.

      I would rather have Yamamoto and another front line starter than signing Ohtani. Seems more reasonable. Like to have all 3 but don’t see them going that route.

      1. Just the other way around with me. LIked Stevie Nicks better. An incomparable voice. Just like Mark Knopfler playing the guitar . If they are part of a song you can tell it from the first accord.

         If the choice is Yamamoto plus another front line starter or Ohtani I take the two pitchers. But the Dodgers can afford Ohtani plus two front line starters. Easily.

         Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

         1. Both excellent singers. But nowhere near the range of Patsy Cline.

            1. She had the voice of a gosh darn angel!

            2. Yes she did. My personal choice for the best female pop singer would be Whitney Houston. Her range was unreal.

4. I don’t buy Toronto. I can’t see them trading Bichette or actually signing Ohtani.

   More teams seem to be dropping out by the day. Who can blame them? The numbers being thrown around are beyond crazy.

   How many teams can afford Ohtani?

   All those pointing out that you could use Ohtani money to greatly improve the Dodgers in other ways are totally correct. Maybe that’s the smart play.

   But the Dodgers seem to have this thing for Shohei. They tried to sign him out of high school and almost did. They tried again when He opted for the MLB, but they were at a disadvantage. The American League had the DH and the NL didn’t. Again, the Dodgers are in pursuit, only this time they also have the DH. Third time the charm?

   I’d stay away free agent Blake Snell. Not a fan of the high number of walks. Just a gut feeling. Sooner or later that can bite you.

   They could always go big, I mean really big and sign Ohtani and Yamamoto. What? Why not? Only cost $550 mil or $700 mil or maybe $750 mil. Go big or go home, Friedman’s new mantra. Think that wouldn’t shake the very foundation of the MLB. Trade for Cease. Now we’re talking.

5. Or Prior could “fix” Giolito like he fixed Syndergaard. Mark, give me your top 5 of our young starters besides Miller and Pepiot. Thanks

   1. That is all on Thor. Syndergaard tried to keep being the power pitcher he was before. His fastball was straight as an arrow. Like horses, you can lead them to water but you can’t make them drink. Thor did not buy into the philosophy and it cost him. Well it is getting down to the nitty gritty now. All questions will start to be answered.

6. I’m wondering whether Hoonstra, a guy who has covered the Dodgers for years, is just speculating,
   If he has sources telling him that Mookie will play a lot of SS and Lux really won’t, when will we see the article? ( I don’t care if these sources are on-the-record or anonymous–providing that they are actually plugged-in, like coaches and scouts. This is just baseball, not national security.)
   It would be fascinating if the Dodgers commit to Mookie at SS. Trea Turner said he thought it was a real possibility. I don’t think the idea of shifting Mookie back and forth between SS and 2B makes sense because Mookie would need more reps at SS. The job is too important. Plus, both Lux and Busch are lefthanded batters. But Mookie at SS would be a kick.
   Then there’s the matter of pitching…
   Can the Dodgers reel in Yamamoto? I sure hope so. He’s only 25, which could mean (a) that AF is willing to do a long-term deal because he is so young or (b) Yamamoto is willing to do fewer years with high AAV, so he could test the market again before he’s 30. I guess an opt-out would also be a possibility.
   Who knows? Perhaps the fix is in. Perhaps Shohei and Yamamoto want to play together. If the Dodgers land both, people will wonder. And those who aren’t Dodger fans will be pissed.
   But I assume that they’re not, and so I think acquiring a frontline SP via trade sense–and Burnes should be the primary target, and that Burnes + Adames still makes sense. Instead of hoping Mookie can be a quality SS, Adames is a sure thing. And his bat adds balance to a lefty-heavy lineup. But just Burnes would be fine too.
   Possible rotation: Burnes, Yamamoto, Buhler, Miller, Pepiot, Ryu.
   Or maybe Giolito is signed and Pepiot is dealt….

   1. Mookie Betts as a full time SS is speculation and unrealistic. Mookie is 31 now, and older players do not move to the most demanding position on the field as they age. Mookie played 16 games at SS last year and had a very poor fielding % of 935. He is a great athlete and he could possibly make it work for awhile at SS, but as a long term solution it is unrealistic. The Dodgers already have Lux, Rojas and Taylor who have played SS for most of their baseball careers. The Dodgers extended Rojas last year for insurance, and he is a great defender. The Dodgers are paying Taylor $60 million for his flexibility and ability to play SS. He played 232 innings at SS in 2023 with a fielding % of 980. If AF thinks they are not adequate at SS, then he can also trade for Adames or Bichette. I would be willing to wager with JP or Mark that Mookie does not become the everyday SS in 2024.

      1. I don’t think Mookie will be the SS either, but I would argue that it may be better on his body than RF!

      2. Mookie at SS is a long shot.
         But again, I’m wondering why this is coming from Hoonstra, who as a beat writer should have legitimate sources. I saw a Trea Turner interview in which he suggested Mookie was a serious option since they did daily infield drills together.
         How many other outfielders take infield? That’s Mookie being Mookie. Nobody doubts Mookie’s athletic ability. With more reps, his fielding would surely improve.
         People who question whether Lux can handle SS must consider Mookie a legitimate alternative given the current roster. Otherwise, the job falls to Rojas or a lesser glove in Taylor. If it’s decided that Mookie is a more capable SS than Lux, why not? (I expect we’ll see some trades that will resolve some of these questions.)
         Mookie at 2B has already happened.
         I assume he’ll keep shuttling between 2B and RF because Heyward is coming back. Also happy to see that Joe Kelly is coming back–but I might prefer Brasier.

         1. I heard the MLB interview with JP Hoonstra. The Lux topic came up at the end of the interview and JPs point seemed to be that Lux would not play 162 games at SS. He still seemed to imply that Lux would likely be the primary shortstop but “guaranteed” that he wouldn’t start 162 games there. He said that Betts may be able to spell him at SS a little bit especially now that Heyward is resigned. I didn’t get impression that JP expects Betts to be the primary SS.

            1. So it’s about Lux’s stamina and/or durability and not his proficiency?
               I don’t think any Dodger played all 162 games last season. I think Freddie wanted to but Roberts insisted he take a day off.
               Stumbled upon an old documentary on YouTube the other day about the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry. Thurman Munson once played 157 games in a season. He would routinely catch 140+ games. Does any catcher approach that now? Yogi Berra caught both halves of a doubleheader many times.
               When I was 21 and spending a summer in NYC, a friend who rooted for the Red Sox organized a small group to attend a Sox-Yankes game. We sat in the leftfield bleachers and witnessed several fistfights in our section and others scattered around the stadium. Just wild.

   2. I’d rather have Pepiot over Giolito

      1. Me too.
         Unless the Brewers insist on Pepiot for Burnes.

7. One thing that is troubling is if you read the new MLB article about each team’s need going into the Winter Meetings, well over half of them reference the need for starting pitching.

   It is expensive to buy, even on the low end. Creativity is required: international market, trades, swaps of years of control for experience.

   We need to add two SPs, I believe. One should be a type that could start a postseason game. The other could be an upside play. We have tons of good young arms. I wouldn’t mind seeing them put to use this year.

   1. Excellent point on the demand for starting pitching. The Dodgers need multiple starters, but several other clubs need multiple starters also. Mets, Padres, Braves, Cubs, Twins, Yanks, Giants, and others need starting pitching as much as Dodgers do.
      I think it would be wise to sign Lugo, Ryu, Lorenzen, or Giolioto as a lower cost backend starter now, before the bidding for Yamamoto, Snell, and Montgomery gets out of hand.
      I would take Lugo for 3Yr/$35 million over Montgomery for 7yr/ $172 million like Nola got.
      If the top 3 remaining starter FAs are costing $175 million or more, sign some depth now, and look to trade market. And if necessary, use more of your young pitchers to start the season.

   2. I think the Dodgers can afford to sign a starter or two!

      1. Two!
         Including a Nr. 1 starter.

         Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8. Joe Kelly and the Dodgers close to signing a new deal. This would be an excellent signing to further the BP dominance of the Dodgers.

   My guess is Brasier was a bit too rich for the Dodgers coupled with the return to active duty of Trienen and Freyersien. Good work by AF and Gomes

   1. They have reached an agreement, pending his physical.

      1. I approve.

   2. Brasier is older than Martin was last year, so I would not count him out … yet!

   3. My guess is we are trading someone, possibly Brusdar.

9. When do we give one of our young arms a chance in our bullpen? Hurt, Frasso, Rivers or Kopp

   1. Good point, Cassidy. Play them or trade them .

      Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   2. All four could see action this year, but Hurt is ready now.

10. Looks like more of the same with Friedman ! Lets try this again with the same people?!? Enough already sign Otani, Yamamoto, or Snell, or Cease and a shortstop and a third baseman and dominate! Lets Go Dodgers!!!

    1. Yep, same ole, same ole. For five of the past seven years, all he has done is win 100 games, and the two years he did not, they got to the World Series and won one.

       1. Talking more post season, which seems obvious but yes of course regular season success is incredibly well done. Post season not so much

    2. If they were to sign Snell and Ohtani, they would lose four draft picks and 1 million in international pool money. I see them making that sacrifice for Ohtani, not Snell. He is not going to guarantee them anything. Ohtani is an instant money maker.

11. Still don’t get baseball and the off season and it takes so long for signings to take place. When the NFL and NBA start there signing period’s there is a flurry of activity but baseball just drags along at a snails pace.

    1. Here’s why:

       1. Everyone is exploring what they want to do and who has the best offer.

       2. The NFL has very few trades.

       3. The players run the NBA!

12. Ben Nicholson-Smith, who covers the Blue Jays, reports that Ohtani and his agent will be meeting with “a small group of” teams here in L.A. this weekend.

    It would be nice if a final decision is made within the next couple of days, because Shohei’s destination is holding up a lot of other potential deals.

    1. Agreed

13. I say let the giants sign Ohtani and the dodgers go after Yamamoto Snell and Giolito get those three and bring back JDM as DH and resign Kiki and get Hoskins to play LF with Taylor platoon or he can Dh and even play first base some times and Freeman can DH they can do more with Hoskins Taylor Kiki and Hayward JDM and Deluca trade Rojas ans Vargas for some pitching then paying all that money for Ohtani and that way they fill in all the missing pieces that are missing

    1. Giants are the one team that scares me about Ohtani.

       1. Johnny,

          I think they will offer him the moon… and the stars.

    2. Bradley,

       Most brilliant thing you have ever written!

       1. Thanks Mark. I think all that money for Ohtani to only be a DH the dodgers loke players that can play all over ethe place Kiki Taylor Hoskins Muncy Heyward can play all three outfield spots and Betts all over that way they can do different lie ups against the pitcher there up against Kiki makes sense cam play outfield and I field as can Taylor and Rojas is light hitter so trade him for some relief pitching you got mix that can play infield Taylor Betts Kiki an d Muncy and get a better backup catcher then Barnes if they have the money get Garver he plays threw positions that’s the players they need not all that money for a guy that can Dh so let the giants have him And he will hit 40 homers but who elese do they have in the lineup the dodgers are still a better lineup then the giants with Ohtani in it.

    3. One of your better (more reasonable) comments, Bradley.
       Highly unlikely all of these events happen………………….but they could, and the team would be better if they did.

       1. Hoskins, Yamamoto, Snell, Giolito, Kiki, JDM Heyward Taylor Muncy Freeman Betts Deluca Feduccia Outman Lux Smith that looks good there
          They just need one more player to make them like be the world series favorite.. who to add to that? My big wish would be Josh Hader if that happens just give them the title pass on Ohtani.

          1. Or trade for Clase (Guardian closer who might be available).

          2. Dont see Hader but I agree these teams that are willing to tie up a half-bill to one player will spend like crazy elsewhere once he decides.

             Let it rain . . .

          3. Snell and Hader will never pitch for the Dodgers. One player is not going to make a difference no matter who he is. Ohtani is their main target. If they miss on him, look for them to target Yamamoto. Why? Unlike Snell, he does not cost them anything in prospect capitol. Snell was offered a QO and turned it down. Same with Hader. And will you guys please learn to spell KIKE????? Kiki sounds like some belly dancer.

14. Just speculation but it seems that every day that passes with no deal between the Dodgers and Ohtani decreases the chances of both parties coming to an agreement. If both parties are interested seems like an agreement would have been reached by now. Would love to wake up tomorrow to the news of The Dodgers signing Ohtani and Yamamoto!!

    1. Doesn’t work that way. Ohtani is in meetings this weekend in LA with a small number of teams, the Dodgers are one of them. His decision will come down to where he feels the most comfortable playing. Angels are said to be in the mix as are the Giants, Dodgers and Blue Jays. I cannot see him going to Toronto. Why would he want to play in a domed stadium on turf? Dodgers offer the best chance of postseason appearances. Giants and Angels, not so much.

15. hopefully Friedman isn’t just playing with dodger fans emotions! we very well could be looking at Luca Giolita as our “big” acquisition! it doesn’t have to be ohthani, but this dodger offense can’t stand pat. they need 2 big bats! they need a front line pitcher and a lefty. please AF, don’t bargain shop this winter! we’ve all been good! put something special under our blue christmas tree!

    1. Relax, you’ll give yourself a coronary. Whatever AF does, his main focus is making the team better be it through trades or free agency. Now, the roster right now stands at 40, there are no openings and they just announced they are signing Kelly. SO, either a trade is in the works, or some poor slob on the 40 is about to be let go. The Dodger offense was not the problem. They had the second-best offensive team in the NL and they and the Braves were the only two teams to score 900 or more runs. The problem was the starting pitching. None of the free agents they have lost were huge contributors to the offense.

       1. You don’t think JDM was a major contributor to the offense?

          1. Yeah, I missed that one, but his bat is easily replaced especially if they do sign Ohtani. I think the offense is going to be ok. Pitching, pitching, and more pitching.

             1. Agreed.

16. agree Bear the offense was good during regular season, not so much in the playoffs last 2 years. i would love to take a chance on hoskins. so if you don’t sign ohthani you have hoskins with big time power. they could still go after another bat for the outfield and use hoskins as DH.

    1. Hoskins is coming off of a major injury. Is he likely to be the same guy? People saying Ohtani won’t be the same. Hoskins has hit 30 or more homers exactly twice. Not what I call big time power. I think the lack of offense in the playoffs is tied directly to the having 5 days off. The playoffs need to be restructured so the wild card teams do not have that advantage. Ohtani is a bona-fide 40 plus homer guy. Something the Dodgers have not had in Los Angeles at all. The only multiple 40 homer player in LA was Shawn Green and he did it twice. Duke Snider was their last legitimate 40 homer a year threat. He did it five years in a row. Hodges was the only other Dodger in those days with multiple 40 homer seasons.

17. I’ve settled on what I’d like to see.

    1) It’s time to use the young starting pitchers at the bottom of the starting rotation (Miller, Pepiot, Sheehan) sign 2 top shelf starting pitchers at the top and that’s Yamamoto and Imanaga. Do not rely on Buehler coming back, but if he does, that’s the icing on the cake. And if he does come back, he will need a piggy-back apparently and I think it should be Sheehan, and if Buehler doesn’t come back, then Sheehan should be a starter. There are Stone and Knack on the 40 man roster in the minors to step in for injuries.

    2) Figure out who plays what position in the middle infield between Betts and Lux. Both in the middle infield.

    3) Do not sign a backup catcher. It’s always been the case that the backup catcher only needs to hit fairly good. Barnes sucked, DFA him or trade him for a case of beer/whatever you can get. Do not waste money on a backup catcher, use the money elsewhere. Feduccia is the backup catcher.

    4) Sign Hoskins and Lee for the outfield and they do not need to be platooned. Let’s get away from all the damn platoons. Outman is the other outfielder.

    5) Save money on the DH position so you can sign all the above players, and with all the above position players you will have a strong offense and strong starting pitching. You don’t need more strong hitting with a strong offense at the other positions and strong starting pitching. If Busch takes off as a hitter that’s icing on the cake. Busch is not an outfielder and the infield is taken already with the players the Dodgers already have. Busch is the DH with a long runway. Or if there is money still available in the budget to sign JD Martinez then I would do it.

    6) Bench: Heyward and DeLuca are LHB and RHB pinch hitters when needed and can play all outfield positions. Taylor is the utility infielder. Feduccia is the backup catcher. Trade Rojas for a small bottle of tequila/whatever you can get.

    7) There is still prospects in the minors for a trade at the deadline if needed.

    With the apparent signing of Joe Kelly, who I don’t like, I’ll leave the bullpen alone.

    Starters not starting lineup:
    C Smith
    1B Freeman
    2B Lux or Betts.
    SS Lux or Betts.
    3B Muncy
    OF Outman
    OF Hoskins
    OF Lee
    DH Busch or Martinez.

    Bench: Heyward, DeLuca, Taylor, Feduccia.

    Starting pitching:
    1 Yamamoto
    2 Imanaga
    3 Buehler with Sheehan as the piggy-back.
    4 Miller
    5 Pepiot. Or Sheehan if Buehler is not back and move Miller and Pepiot up one spot.
    Stone and Knack in the minors for depth.

    Just my opinion of what I would do. I’ve settled on this and won’t talk about it anymore. Again, just my opinion.

18. Well, you can forget the not platooning idea. This team loves versatility and versatility means platoons.

    1. Heyward, DeLuca, Taylor can play all outfield and infield positions. That’s versatility.

       1. What position in the infield does DeLuca play?

          Heyward has played 1B… a couple of times… about as good as me… not quite!

          Taylor plays IF and OF… not Heyward and DeLuca!

          1. Of course Mark. Read number 6. I already said that. Heyward and DeLuca play all outfield positions. Taylor plays all infield positions. Heyward and DeLuca have the outfield covered. Taylor is the only bench player that plays the infield.

             1. Sorry, I could have sworn that you wrote this:

                “Heyward, DeLuca, Taylor can play all outfield and infield positions. That’s versatility.”

             2. That was a response to Bear. But I said it clearly in number 6.

             3. Eric, I’m not arguing with your roster construction, but it isn’t going to happen the way you want in the outfield.

                They just signed JHey to a $9MM contract. They didn’t pay him that much to pinch hit a few times a week and come in as a defensive replacement in the late innings a few times a week.

                As far as DeLuca is concerned, he’s not a bat-to-ball guy so if he rarely gets at bats he’ll wind up hitting .150. If that’s the plan, do him a favor and trade him now.

             4. Singing the Blue

                Ok then scratch either Lee or Hoskins.

                Heyward platoons with DeLuca.

             5. Eric, I’d love to get Lee but I think someone (probably the Giants or Yanks) will pay him more than AF will. He’d be my choice between the two. Except for power, he’s a better hitter and a much better fielder.

19. The Dodgers will not trade for a closer.

    Why?

    Because they have Phillips and several others.

    That’s what is called “felony stupid.”

    Why trade prospects for pitchers you already have?

    Hader is trash anyway!

    1. Not that I’m advocating for a trade or sign a relief pitcher, but to answer your question, because the relief pitchers you’re talking about besides Phillips and Graterol and former relievers from last year Brasier and Miller. The rest sucked. When you have 4 DOMINANT pitchers last year that I mentioned, no wonder the bullpen was one of the top even with the other ones that sucked.

       So those “several others” that you said suck. Don’t come back at me with Kelly. Look at the innings he pitched last year, VERY little.

       Again I’m not advocating a trade or free agent relief pitcher. Just pointing out the bullpen last year sucked besides those 4 guys WHO WERE DOMINANT, that I mentioned.

20. Also, don’t assume that Feduccia will hit.

    I let him compete for a job in Spring Training, but Barnes has the confidence of every pitcher on the staff.

    You don’t just cut Barnes and hand the job to Feduccia.

    1. Life is tough and most of the time you don’t get your way. I don’t care what the veteran pitchers think of Barnes, which veterans are left anyway??? his time has expired, give him a minor league coaching position there is no way any of our other catchers can’t match his output. The youth movement needs to begin.

       1. Exactly.

    2. Cut, no; trade, maybe.

       1. He has to be wanted by another team. Barnes is one of the more liked players on the team, and he does his job well. Here is something you might have missed. The Dodgers had two 1-0 wins last year. The player who drove in the winning run in both of those games, Austin Barnes. One of them was an 8th inning homer at Dodger Stadium. He is a more than adequate catcher. You can’t say that of Feduccia.

          1. I have never had a problem with Barnes. People who blame him are morons. He’s a back-up catcher for God’s sake.

             1. Truth!

                Reality is that most backup catchers do not hot well.

21. Let us be really honest for a minute. First, the Dodgers roster as it stands right now is at 39. Heyward is not officially on the roster right now. The just made an agreement with Joe Kelly making him # 41. He has to pass his physical first and that can take a few days. The meetings begin on Monday, but the GM’s and players and agents will begin coming in tomorrow. So, in order to add any free agents, the Dodgers have to first make room on the roster. This can be accomplished by trading multiple players and getting back one. It can be accomplished by a player being DFA’d. No one can be placed on the IL until they report to spring training.

    Here are the names on the official roster, P Almonte, Buehler, Ferguson, Feyereisen, Frasso, Gonsolin, Gonzalez, Graterol, Grove, Hudson, Hurt Knack, May, Miller, Pepiot, Phillips, Sheehan, Stone, Treinen, Vanasco, Varland, Vesia, Yarbrough. That is 23 pitchers. 4 catchers, Smith, Barnes, Feduccia, Cartaya. 8 infielders, Busch, Freeman, Lux, Muncy Rojas, Taylor, Vargas and Vivas, and 4 outfielders. Betts Deluca, Outman and Pages. That is 39.

    Technically they could sign Ohtani or any other free agent and make roster space after the physicals. I think the most vulnerable players are Almonte, Ferguson, Gonzalez, Hudson, Varland and Yarbrough. Any one of those guys could be traded or DFA’d. Cartaya, Busch and Vargas are likely targets of other teams in trade, and maybe even Lux.

    But no one has a clue which direction AF is going to go. I think there will be a couple of surprises and maybe even some disappointment when players fans might feel they should sign, or trade for go somewhere else. I do know this, AF is not going to sign two players who have the QO attached. So if he signs Ohtani, forget about Snell, Hader, Bellinger, or any of the other players who got the QO because AF does not like giving up draft choices and it doesn’t matter which free agent he signs with a QO< he is going to lose his second and fifth pick and 1 mil in international signing money.

22. For the record, I bet Heyward’s production falls to below .800 OPS. More like .775-.790 OPS, he’s aging. Same goes for Martinez, but still above .800 OPS, he’s aging. I don’t want to get into any of the rest of the slashline.

    The first 2 relevant signings have been Heyward and Kelly. Something tells me it’s stay the course on the same philosophy.

    1. You could be right, and they might not sign any of the big-ticket free agents. But the mandate is to improve the team. Heyward and Kelly alone do not do that. There will probably be a trade of some sort. But this year it seems like anything is possible.

       1. Big FAs and perhaps a big trade.
          Yes, this year it seems anything is possible.

       2. One thing I took away from listening to Andrew’s interview with Kirsten yesterday was that ownership is totally behind improving the club. That’s why Big things will be happening soon.

23. Big FAs and perhaps a big trade.
    Yes, this year it seems anything is possible.

24. Agree with Bear on his post summarizing 40 man roster. I think they sign Ohtani. Too much smoke not to be a fire. There are valid on the field risks but his value to the business side is not a risk. They will not sign two FA who cost them draft picks and international money if history is any indication. They need a left hander in the rotation. I don’t think Yarborough is the answer there so I think they sign Imanoga and trade for Burnes or Cease. Fallback is a non QO signing like Giolito . With Ohtani, Freeman Betts and to a lesser degree Muncy and Smith, you can afford to give Lux, DeLuca, Vargas, and Busch enough at bats. Feduccia v. Barnes is a battle they can have in spring training but Feduccia will have to knock him out not win on a decision, to use a boxing analogy. The bullpen will look similar with some holdovers, guys returning from injury and hopefully a guy like Hurt given a chance to be a multi inning reliever role.
    The Dodgers will have two acquisitions like Imanoga and Burnes plus Buehler and three young pitchers that are not traded – Miller, Pepiot, Sheehan for example. Six man rotation makes sense in this situation with Buehler coming off 2nd Tommy John and young pitchers still building up their innings pitched year over year. In fact, Yarbrough makes sense as a piggy back for Buehler early on.
    Would not block young hitters by signing Hoskins or any other veteran bats. If the young bats don’t provide enough by All Star break there will be ways to acquire solutions.

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