What Now?

Posted By on December 11, 2023

With the Dodgers no longer in the market for a Designated Hitter, I am sure that the Giants and Diamondbacks will be looking at JD Martinez and Justin Turner, and I would not be surprised to see both in the NL West next year. Also, with Ohtani in the fold, look for the Dodgers to get a little less Lefthanded. I still think it is likely that the Dodgers will try to trade for Corbin Burns and Willy Adames, with Gavin Lux and Michael Busch being a big part of that deal, along with two RH Pitchers. Adames is RH and a power hitter who just might benefit from the tutelage of RVS. Yes, Burnes and Adames are one-year rentals, but the Dodgers have shown they can sign anyone if they so desire. The Yankees just traded for Juan Soto, a one-year rental.

I also think that the Dodgers have to rely on in-house solutions for LF and CF. Vargas can play LF (another RH hitter who does not strike out much). Then, they have Outman in CF, who will be allowed to play every day, but if he needs to be platooned, there is always CT3 and maybe Kike (if they re-sign him). I think that you have to trust that Vargas and Outman will improve.

Outman needs to cut down on his strikeouts by just 10-15% and learn to hit LHP with more authority. Give him that goal and let him develop even more. He also needs to improve on his jumps and defense, but he has shown that he is a willing learner. Now that the dust has settled, we know what happened to Miguel Vargas last year – he broke two fingers (at different times) and tried to play through it. He was never right and developed some bad plate habits. I thought the Dodgers were tinkering with his swing (which seemed silly) because it was different. It turns out that his broken fingers and the resultant pain from checked swings or swinging derailed the whole season. He is the same player we thought he was, and I still look for him to hit .270+ with 15+ HR while being a good base runner. Part of Andrew Friedman’s plan is for youngsters to have the opportunity to develop, and development is not linear, as we all know!

The lineup could look like this:

  1. Betts 2B
  2. Ohtani DH
  3. Smith C )I like splitting up the L-R hitters)
  4. Freeman 1B (why not?)
  5. Muncy 3B
  6. Adames SS (30 HR/.800 OPS?)
  7. Heyward/Kike RF
  8. Outman CF
  9. Vargas LF

Now… how about some pitching?

P.S. – We await with bated breath to find out what the deal is with the Yankees… Where’s Hoornstra when you need him?

P.S.2 – Of course, as a fan, you are prepared to pay $500 for a “cheap seat” and $30 for a beer?

This article has 82 Comments

  1. If I’m correct, Bear and Eric would be in favor of this move, as both have wanted Adames for a while?

  2. With an aging lineup, we need the youth Lux brings at SS. He has a decent back-up in Rojas so that position’s covered.

    Assuming Heyward’s the strong-side platoon in RF, do we have enough in Taylor, Deluca, Busch & Vargas to cover the rest of the OF at-bats? No way.

    One of those last two will probably be traded in a deal for pitching [Glasnow or Cease] and the team may still upgrade Deluca’s spot with a veteran RH bat.

    Offense is pretty close though.

  3. Love that the Dodgers made Ohtani an offer he could not refuse! Kudos to Freidman and Gomes and the entire organization. It feels good to know that they are all in to win. I feel confident that they will make the proper 40 man moves to get the necessary pitching that is needed. Lets Go Dodgers!

  4. Apparently the Dodgers are pursuing Glasnow and Yamamoto.

    I’d rather have Lux than Adames. The Dodgers keep saying Lux will be the shortstop in 2024, Friedman said it. Gomes said it. Roberts said it.

    No real indication that Milwaukee will trade Burnes and if they did, it would be costly. The Rays seem more intent on lowering their payroll so Glasnow probably gets traded.

    Who better to make that deal other than Friedman.

    1. DIDN’T MEAN POST AS A REPLY

      Baseball Prospectus has their top ten!

      Its ($$$$) but:
      Vargas, Sheehan, Miller and Pepiot graduated.
      Frasso and Rushing up.
      Cartaya and Busch down.

      They summarize:
      The State of the System: The Dodgers have procedurally generated devastating slider and changeup shapes for nearly every arm in their system, while the hitting corps boasts a trio of power-hitting backstops amidst a wider variety of potential impact bats. Despite recent graduations and deadline buys, LA’s system retains its depth.

  5. Sources: The Yankees are sending shortstop prospect Trey Sweeney to the Dodgers in exchange for LHRP Victor Gonzalez and 2B/3B Jorbit Vivas.

    This clears two 40-man-roster spots to make room for Shohei Ohtani and Joe Kelly

    1. Yankees Nr. 8 prospect.
      Who will get traded next to open more roster spots for the much needed starting pitching ?

      Go Dodgers!!!!!!!1

      1. Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (20th) of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, IL).

        Positions: Shortstop and Third Baseman

        Bats: Left • Throws: Right

        6-2, 212lb

        Born: April 24, 2000 (Age: 23-231d) in Louisville, KY

          1. Sweeney established himself as one of the better college hitters in the 2021 Draft by finishing second in the Coastal Plain League batting race (.397) the previous summer before winning Ohio Valley Conference player of the year honors by slashing .382/.522/.712 as an Eastern Illinois junior. He followed Tim Pyznarski (1981) and Stan Royer (1988) as the third first-rounder in school history, signing for $3 million as the 20th overall selection. He batted just .240/.349/.413 with 16 homers in his first full pro season, though he reached Double-A by year’s end and helped Somerset win the Eastern League title.

            Though Sweeney employs a big leg kick and has a hitch in his left-handed swing, his uncanny hand-eye coordination allows him to barrel balls and make a lot of hard contact. He struggled at the outset of last season when he got aggressive, but he toned down his approach and did a better job of controlling the strike zone. Factor in his ability to recognize pitches, strength and bat speed, and he has the ingredients to hit for power and average.

            Sweeney has some deceptive athleticism and has worked to improve his speed, which has gone from below average in college to average as a pro to solid once he gets underway. He swiped 31 bases in 34 attempts last year and also showed improved range at shortstop, where he’s an average defender. He’ll still probably move to third base in the future, and his bat, reliable hands and solid arm strength all will fit nicely at the hot corner.

  6. Good article by Tom Verducci in SI on the Ohtani signing. Estimates AAV at $50 million area after deferrals. Talks about Dodger visit and Ohtani interest in the minor league system. Gives history of Ohtani pursuit by Dodgers back to 2012 high school draft. Details Mark Walter and business interest in the global brand. Indicates Dodgers really like him as a hitter even if he can’t pitch long term. Positive and insightful article overall.

  7. Sweeney is a really nice return for Vivas and Gonzo!

    He will start at Tulsa but likely move to OKC during the season.

  9. DODGERS PRESS RELEASE

    DODGERS ACQUIRE TREY SWEENEY

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired minor league infielder Trey Sweeney from the New York Yankees in exchange for left-handed pitcher Victor González and minor league infielder Jorbit Vivas.

    Sweeney, 23, played in 100 games for the Double-A Somerset Patriots in 2023, hitting 13 homers, driving in 49 runs and batting .252/.367/.411. It was his third season in the Yankees minor league system, where he has hit a combined .248 with 36 homers and 119 RBI in 243 games, including 1,923.1 innings at shortstop. The Louisville, Kentucky native was drafted by the Yankees in the first round (20th overall) of the 2021 First Year Player Draft out of Eastern Illinois University.

    Gonzaléz, 28, made 34 appearances for the Dodgers last season, tossing 33.2 innings, allowing 15 runs with 30 strikeouts. He finished his third season with the Dodgers with a 3-3 record and held opponents to a .233 batting average against. In three years with the Dodgers, he was 9-4 with a 3.22 ERA (32 ER/89.1 IP) and 86 strikeouts. The Tuxpan, Nayarit, Mexico born left-hander was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on July 2, 2012.

    Vivas, 22, split the season with season with Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City last year, hitting a combined .269 with 13 homers and 63 RBI in 135 games. He started the season with the Drillers, slashing .280/.391/.436 with 12 homers and 54 RBI in 109 games before being promoted on August 22 and finishing the campaign with Oklahoma City with one homer and nine RBI. In five minor league seasons with the Dodgers, he amassed 39 homers and 359 RBI with an .805 OPS. He was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent on July 4, 2017 out of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.

    1. Well it seems the Dodgers are going to give Lux a shot at SS and if he succeeds then all is well, if not, Sweeney will be in the wings waiting for his shot.

    2. Well it seems the Dodgers are going to give Lux a shot at SS and if he succeeds then all is well, if not, Sweeny will be in the wings waiting for his shot.

  10. No matter how good Ohtani is, the lineup still looks a bit weak (Or not as powerful). But with a good and already starting LF everything could improve. Any chance Ohtani plays LF? And with another DH (Martínez) then it would be a great and strong lineup, very complete. And we must not forget that there are still needed 2 or 3 SP, so it is still far away, or not very close to declaring the Dodgers as the big favorites to win the World Series, although they have just taken a big step forward.

    1. Ohtani will never play LF this year.

      Also, I do not buy what AF is selling about Lux being a SS.

      1. Mark youre probably right but love see Ohtani in LF with his speed he would be decent OF. Plus would open spot bring JDM back and balance the lineup. Sorry – makes too much sense

        1. It makes no sense!

          He’s shut down because his arm is injured. He isn’t THROWING to rehab the arm.

          Who, in their right mind, would play him in a position that necessitates him THROWING the ball.

          1. Maybe we can put him at 3b? It’s a shorter throw than LF.

            Then move Lux to LF, Muncy to SS, and bring back Reyes Moronta and his belly to patrol CF.

          3. The rehab for TJ surgery at some point consists of a throwing program during the rehab time.
            Season is almost 4 month away so he would be removed about 10 months from surgery.
            From a medical standpoint I would not rule out to see him getting some time in LF later in the season though unlikely.
            More likely the Dodgers will bring in a big RH bat for LF.

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

          4. I do not believe anyone on the Dodgers would be down for a $700 Million Dollar LF’er who is rehabbing his wing have to catch as ball and have his athletic instincts take over resulting in his blowing out his arm again.

            I put the chance of him playing LF at 0.00%

          6. sorry my bad ! initiailly undoable but was think and should’ve mentioned if he cant pitch again put him in LF since Freddie at 1B

  12. Feeling very in tune with my love for the US tonight

    I’m about 10 feet from the front of Ice Cube supported by Cypress Hill – it’s absolutely rammed

    Getting high on the smell of weed….

    Chill Bluto, we just signed your Boy

  14. I’m more confident about the homegrown pitchers than I am about the homegrown position players.

    An ace starting pitcher is needed, but I think the Dodgers can roll with Buehler in the playoffs with the ace and let the homegrown starting pitchers have 3 spots in the starting rotation during the regular season and find out which one steps up and there’s your 3rd starting pitcher for the playoffs.

    Which means the Dodgers need to get a TRUE ace (Yamamoto) not the other names being mentioned here and a GOOD OF (Lee) if possible. The ace is more important than the LF.

    Or shatter the 100 million dollar budget and add either Sasaki or Imanaga. Preferably Sasaki.

    Someone yesterday said a team can get Sasaki without a long term commitment. An international signing. I don’t know if that’s true or not.

    I’m not saying I’m right. This is all just my opinion.

    2. Ooops Burnes is a true ace but the cost for him in prospects is not worth it for a 1 year rental. Plus Adames will probably be attached to the trade. No on Adames. Plus the Brewers might keep him and take a run to win their division.

    3. Sasaki is 22 and falls under international signing rules. The amount he can sign for is limited by the signing teams international signing bonus money. He can not sign a multi year deal. Just like when Ohtani came over. He played a few years then signed through his arbitration years.

      1. So then Sasaki will be reletively cheap through his arbitration years? If that’s true then Git-er-done.

        1. This might offend some people because it might be taken as stereotyping, but Asian people have a better work ethic than others.

  16. DODGERS PRESS RELEASE

    DODGERS SIGN JOE KELLY

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly on a one-year contract for $8 million.

    Kelly, 35, returns to the Dodgers after making 11 appearances with Los Angeles to finish the 2023 season. The righty went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA (3 ER/10.1 IP) and 19 strikeouts after being acquired on July 28 with right-handed pitcher Lance Lynn from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league pitchers Jordan Leasure and Nick Nastrini and outfielder Trayce Thompson. He made 31 appearances for the White Sox prior to the trade, allowing 16 runs in 29.0 innings with a 1-5 record and 41 strikeouts.

    The two-time World Series Champion has been in the Major Leagues parts of 12 seasons with St. Louis (2012-2014), Boston (2014-2018), Los Angeles (2019-2021, 2023) and Chicago-AL (2022-2023) and he is a combined 53-37 with a 3.95 ERA (354 ER/807.0 IP) and 732 strikeouts. He was originally drafted in the third round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of the University of California, Riverside.

  18. RC Dodger posted a link for an article from Verducci that provides some insight as to how the Dodgers ended up deferring a large part of Ohtani’s contract. Turns out Ohtani directed his agent to negotiate the deferrals at interest rates below market value to provide the Dodgers an opportunity to pursue other free agents. Apparently, opportunity to win played was key in Ohtani’s decision to sign with the LAD. Discussions were had regarding player development as a means to forecast sustainability.

    Clearly, he got his cake and has an opportunity to eat it as well. The Dodgers had the most money to spend this off-season and provide him the best opportunity to compete year end and year out.

  19. I’m still not sure what my opinion is if the Ohtani contract. The Dodgers will be an exciting team to watch, for certain. But I still haven’t lifted my jaw off the floor regarding the dollar amount.

    All that aside, I’m a little shocked by the reaction from Angels fans. People are burning his jerseys on social media. I have friends who are calling him a traitor and comparing him to all the NBA stars who have jumped teams half a dozen times. I don’t get that. Many fans actually thought he’d stay in Anaheim. That he somehow promised Arte that he’d resign if they didn’t trade him and went all in at the deadline. Which I know is BS. Angles had 6 years of Trout/Ohtani and managed to do nothing with it. Zero chance he took any offer from the Angels seriously.

    I was sorry to see Seager go but I held no ill will against the man. I was happy to see him get another ring. I’d have certainly preferred the Dodgers win the series lol. But burning jerseys and acting like children? Wow

    1. According to Verducci’s article, winning is/was a priority. Followed by sustained success.

      Can the Angels provide that? I think not!

      In terms of the contact. It doesn’t make sense to me, but it doesn’t have to. The ownership group made that decision and I’m certain the ROI is projected to be a favorable one. After all, the LAD are a for profit organization and even if the end goal is to boost the value of the organization to capitalize on a future sell, the outcome would be counterproductive if the end result failed to produce a profit/gain.

  20. poor Mike Trout!! stuck in purgatory! well at least he’s rich! Blake Snell murmurs starting to leak put. guys on mlb radio think he’s a perfect fit in LA.’ since he’s a 5-6 inning pitcher and that’s what they do! guess we could live that and save a few prospects to trade for a left fielder. maybe Giolita too. did act see someone suggest ohthani in left field? may the baseball gods help you.!

    1. Won’t happen and the reason is simple, and Mark explained it in the post. He has a QO. The Dodgers have already lost their 2nd and 5th picks in the draft plus 1 million in international pool money. They sign a second player with a QO they lose two more picks, 2 and 6. They are not going to lose those picks. Giolito, Flaherty, Wacha, none of those guys are going to cost them draft picks.

  21. Ohtani will officially wear #17. The jerseys on the Dodger site and everything else are already listed for pre sale.

    1. Cash in early. I would bet you that come spring training, there are going to be Japanese fans in the stands at Camelback with Ohtani jerseys. Everyone else too. Then they play the first two games of the season in Korea. Going to be nuts.

  22. Fabian Ardaya:

    Exclusive
    @TheAthletic
    : Shohei Ohtani will defer $68 million per year of his $70 million annual salary over the course of his 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers, allowing the team to keep spending, according to a person briefed on the terms.

    1. So does that mean he will only take up 2 million of the budget each year? If so, wow. A lot of money left to spend.

  23. Jeff Passan
    @JeffPassan
    Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract calls for him to be paid only $2 million a year for the next 10 seasons, with $680 million deferred until the end of the deal, sources confirm to ESPN.

    The CBT hit on the contract is going to be around $46 million, a huge discount for L.A.

    1. WOW, JUST WOW. Money available for all of Yamamoto, Lee, Sasaki, my choices. I hate to stereotype but that’s Asian people for ya and they have a better work ethic than others.

      1. Well I guess all the people in the Pacific rim can thank you for not calling them orientals.

        1. As offensive as you find Eric’s post, I find your’s equally offensive. Could you please not take Jesus’ name in vain? Thank you

          1. LOL.

            No, I don’t think so.

            And for the record Eric isn’t offensive in the least! He’s a good read when he doesn’t say inane stuff.

          2. Is it me or has Bluto just completely taken his foot off the brakes of his insufferableness? I think he used to at least make a half-hearted attempt at respecting others.

  24. Ok. I knew the Dodgers would never do a conventional $500m 10 year deal. This is obviously creative as shit. Dodgers will have spending flexibility for the life of the contract. Insane.

    1. Seriously. The Dodgers and Ohtani have games the whole thing.

      It’s like that scene from Rainman at the blackjack table.

    1. Probably correct. Because a smart player (and his agent) and smart owners shouldn’t get together to find a win win contract. Pirates owner is lobbying for all contracts to be determined by rock paper scissors and a a game of slap jack.

        1. Ah! Yes, I envision some sort of required interest if it comes up as a debate point in the next negotiation.

  27. Hey bluto…we all need to put up with your worthless posts so suck it up if you don’t agree with others. Eric, the rest of us enjoy your opinions and insights but more importantly your passion for Dodgers’ baseball. VIVA AZUL!!

    1. I think anyone who makes it to the major leagues, no matter his ethnicity, has to have a strong work ethic. You do not make it to the big leagues without hard work.

      1. Yep you’re right. Asians more so. My experienses. But I don’t want to stir up things. So I digress.

    2. Can’t argue with the first part of the post. My posts are definitely devoid of worth.

      Not sure about the second, or if anyone enjoys Eric’s most recent post at all.

      Yes, Bear. Hard work is universal. And accepting deferred salary or compensation is not in any way associated with the APAC region. Or whatever inanity Eric was initmating.

  28. At a 3% discount rate, the net present value of Ohtani’s contract thru 2043 is (only) around $460 million, which when divided by ten years is how I am guessing they are getting the $46 million per year hit for the CBT.

    No one was expecting Ohtani to sign for anything under $500 million – Maybe AF with his Wall Street background had more to do with the contract than we previously thought.

  29. DODGERS PRESS RELEASE

    DODGERS SIGN TWO-TIME MVP SHOHEI OHTANI

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed two-time American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year contract.

    Ohtani joins the Dodgers after spending six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. The three-time All-Star has hit .274/.366/.556 (.922 OPS) with 171 homers and 437 RBI during his MLB career while posting a 38-19 record with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings across 86 career starts.

    “Dodger fans, thank you for welcoming me to your team,” said Ohtani. “I can say 100 percent that you, the Dodger organization and I share the same goal – to bring World Series parades to the streets of Los Angeles.”

    “On behalf of the L.A. Dodgers and our fans everywhere, we welcome Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers, the home of Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax and Hideo Nomo, three of the sport’s most legendary and pathbreaking players. We congratulate him on his historic contract with our storied franchise,” said Mark Walter, Chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Guggenheim Baseball. “Shohei is a once-in-a-generation talent and one of the most exciting professional athletes in the world. Our players, staff, management and ownership look forward to working together with Shohei to help the Dodgers continue to add, improve and strive for excellence on the field. Together with Shohei, we will work to help grow the number and breadth of people around the world who enjoy the excitement of Major League Baseball.”

    The 29-year-old Ohtani was voted the 2023 AL Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, winning the award unanimously for the second time in his career and becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to win the award unanimously more than once. He is the 28th player in MLB history to win the award multiple times and the 16th player in American League history with multiple MVP awards. During his stellar 2023 campaign, Ohtani clubbed 44 homers and drove in 95 runs while hitting .304/.412/.654 (1.066 OPS) as well as going 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 23 starts (132 innings) on the mound. In July, Ohtani was selected to his third consecutive All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player. In addition to home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS, Ohtani led the AL in extra-base hits (78) and total bases (325), while finishing second in intentional walks (21), third in triples (8), fourth in batting average (.304), tied for fourth in runs (102) and fifth in walks (91). He also led AL pitchers in opponents’ batting average (.184) while finishing second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.4).

    The two-way player won his first career AL MVP award in 2021 after slashing .257/.372/.592 with 46 homers, 26 doubles, eight triples, 100 RBI, 103 runs and 26 stolen bases in 155 games and going 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 130.1 innings (23 starts) on the mound. He became the first Japanese-born player to win the award since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001.

    Ohtani also won the 2023 World Baseball Classic MVP award after leading Team Japan to the title. Ohtani batted .435 with a 1.345 OPS while going 2-0 on the mound with a 1.86 ERA, striking out Mike Trout of Team USA for the series-clinching out.

    Ohtani made his Major League debut in 2018, starting as the designated hitter against the Oakland Athletics on March 29. He singled in his Major League debut while recording his first Major League victory on April 1 after tossing six innings against Oakland. He would go on to win the American League Rookie of the Year as he finished his inaugural campaign with a .285 batting average, .361 OBP, .564 slugging percentage, .925 OPS, 22 homers and 61 RBI alongside a 4-2 record with a 3.31 ERA in 11 starts.

    Prior to coming to the United States, the 6-foot-4 Ohtani led the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to the 2016 Pacific League Championship in an MVP season, hitting .322 with a 1.004 OPS, 22 homers and 67 RBI while posting a 1.86 ERA with 174 strikeouts. He made his professional debut at age 18 on March 29, 2013 and played five seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League, tallying 403 games, batting .286/.358/.501/.859 with 48 homers and 166 RBI at the plate and a 42-15 mark with a 2.52 ERA and 624 strikeouts in 543 innings on the mound.

    Ohtani will be the 11th Japanese-born player to wear a Dodger uniform, joining Dodger Manager Dave Roberts (2002-2004), Hideo Nomo (1995-1998, 2002-2004), Masao Kida (2003-2004), Kazuhisa Ishii (2002-2004), Norihiro Nakamura (2005), Takashi Saito (2006-2008), Hiroki Kuroda (2008-2011), Kenta Maeda (2016-2019), Yu Darvish (2017) and Yoshi Tsutsugo (2021). The Dodgers’ rich tradition with Japan began while the team was still in Brooklyn, with goodwill tours to the country that featured the likes of Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges and Duke Snider. The Dodgers became the second team to introduce a Japanese-born player to the majors when Nomo broke through and went on to win the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year.

    Originally born in Mizusawa, Oshu, Japan, Ohtani has played 11 professional seasons, receiving numerous accolades in his career, including Pacific League MVP (2016), American League MVP (2021, 2023), Nippon Professional Baseball League All-Star (2013-2017), American League All-Star (2021-2023), All-MLB First Team (2021-22), All-MLB Second Team (2021-2022), Pacific League Pitcher Best-Nine (2015-2016), Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize (2016, 2018), Louisville Silver Slugger (2021, 2023), Edgar Martinez Designated Hitter Award (2021-2023) and Japan Series Champion (2016).

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