I am extremely grateful that Mark has asked me back. I always enjoyed writing here. This has been a great season for Dodger fans although the last 2 games of the World Series had a few cardiac moments. In the end, it was one of those moments you will remember forever.
I am old enough to have seen all of the Dodgers World Series wins. In 1955 I was a 7-year-old who was just learning the game. When the Dodgers moved to LA, my birthplace and home in 1958, I was 10 and just starting to collect baseball cards and play the game almost every day I had the chance.
I will really try to select topics that I think you will enjoy! If you have any ideas, please feel free to post them. The hot stove season is getting ready to start. This week is awards week. Two Dodgers, Ohtani and Yamamoto are up for MVP and the Cy Young respectively. I believe Ohtani will win the MVP. Yoshi has some serious competition in Skenes and Sanchez.
Bochy is back with the Giants in an advisory position. Just one managerial vacancy remains The Rockies are the only team yet to hire a new manager. Paul DePodesta just took over as President of Baseball Operations, so he is probably making a list of potential candidates right now.
Justin Turner has said he wants to play in 26. Not sure how many teams will have an interest in JT, he is little more than a DH at this point in his career. Miggy Ro has said he wants to play in 26, but only for the Dodgers.
Many Dodger fans want the Dodgers to pursue Kyle Tucker in free agency. Tucker is primarily a right fielder. The Dodgers biggest needs are in the bullpen, and bench in my humble opinion. I think they have too many bench guys who are better suited as utility players with little power.
The starting lineup will probably look the same except for a new leftfielder. Ohtani, Betts, Smith, Freeman, Teo, Pages, Muncy, and either Kim or Edman at second. I think second is Edman’s best position. He should be starting there. That would mean a bench of Kim, Rortvedt or Rushing, Rojas and Call. Except for Rushing, not one of those players have that much long ball potential.
They have 12 possibilities for starting pitcher, but the rotation will probably be Ohtani, Yoshi, Glasnow, Snell, Sasaki and pick em, Sheehan, Stone, Ryan, Knack, or Wrobleski. Wrobo showed a lot in the series as a reliever, so that could be where his calling lies.
The bullpen will have the usual suspects, and probably a new face or two. I would like to see them target Robert Suarez in free agency which would give them two closers, one left and one right. Treinen will be back in the last year of his contract along with Vesia, Graterol, Banda, Casparius, Stewart, Dreyer and Klein.
As he does every season, Freidman will load up on minor league depth. Whoever does not make the 26-man will be available at OKC. Most likely there will be several minor league free agents added to that roster as well. It remains to be seen who in the system already gets moved up a notch or two.
The next couple of months will show us in which direction the team is leaning. Other than maybe a reliever or two, I do not seem to think they will target any big-ticket player. They need to get younger sometime soon.
I believe that process will begin sometime soon, hopefully with a couple players this year. Not sure who they might be, but there are several young guys ready to step up as pitchers. Position players who are MLB ready are not a large commodity.
This time around I am going to try and be as impartial as I can. Sometimes I let my ego get the better of me. I don’t know it all and will never assume that I do. A lot of what I post is based on watching AF work over his tenure as President of Baseball Operations. If I have learned one thing about the man, it is that he never makes knee-jerk moves. Go Dodgers!
Freeland should be on the bench unless he’s traded.
I used to think Freeland would succeed Miggy in the UT role in ’26. But now it looks like Miggy will return and Freeland will be back in OKC, improving his game. (OKC is OK. Freeland would be just an injury away from being called back up.)
The 2B/UT options will be Edman, Kim and Rojas–one of whom (probably Edman) will always be in the starting lineup at 2B, and perhaps Miggy serves as a partial platoon partner for Max. The Dodgers will probably give Kim more work in the OF to make him more Kiki-esque.
Rushing is the backup C, and it looks like Call will be the 4th outfielder.
I don’t expect Kike back in the spring. But if there’s a need, the Dodgers could try to deal for him after the all-star break to bulk up for the post-season. Seriously.
My FA wish list for the Angels includes Gonsolin, Kike and Shota Imagawa–and Taylor Rogers if the Dodgers don’t sign him. The Angels need a lot of help.
Not so sure Miggy is a lock. AF said the other day that he has to wait and see how things play out. They will sign or trade for an outfielder. Bank on that.
Any chance of Bellinger?
Chance? Maybe, just do not see that happening with the price tag he will bring. Also, he loves being in New York. Mets are said to be interested also. According to the defensive stats, he grades out better in LF than center now. Mets will want him for first if Alonzo leaves.
OK, here’s the plan:
Sign Miggy as a coach…. but he stays in shape and can be activated as a player after an infielder gets hurt.
Didn’t the Dodgers do something like this with Jim Gilliam? Is there a rule now that would prevent this?
One reason I suggest this is that I suspect the Dodgers have a serious interest in the Cards’ Brendan Donovan, who is 28 and could possibly be Max’s successor in ’27.
I also think the Dodgers might go after Murakami or Okimoto.
Imagine that you are Murakami. Let’s say the Dodgers offer you a three-year, $50 million contract to join Shohei and the gang. But you get bigger, longer offers from the Cubs, the Mariners–say 5 years at $100 million.
Do you pass up bigger money just to join the Dodgers?
The Dodgers won’t have Rortvedt on the bench. He was claimed off waivers by the Reds today.
Means Rushing is not going anywhere. They signed a catcher from the Tigers, Eliezer Alonzo to a minor league deal. He will most likely end up at AAA. Frank Rodriguez is the only other catcher on OKC’s roster.
Not really. The team acquired Rortvedt for bubkes, no reason they can’t repeat that action.
I still think it’s about 52% that Rushing is traded. Maybe in a package for a young SS.
Update on that. Prior to being placed on waivers, Ben signed a 1.25-million-dollar deal avoiding arbitration. LA’s hope was that he would pass through waivers and could be assigned to AAA. The Reds put the kibosh on that. They obviously saw something they liked during the playoffs against them.
Welcome back Michael! Looking forward to your contributions again. Love you historical Dodger pieces. Great reads for the off-season!
Thanks Evan. I am still writing for Dodger Chronicles too.
Always appreciate a new dispatch from Bear…
Regarding the bullpen, I admit to a fondness for bringing Kenley back. He was terrific for the Angels, saving 29 in 30 tries. But perhaps Roberts and the front office aren’t as fond of Kenley as I am.
Suarez and Devin Williams both seem like good targets. That said, I also like the idea of River Ryan as a potential closer. (And I’m still rooting for Bobby Miller to get his mojo back.)
Under the radar a bit is Taylor Rogers, the submarine thrower who in ’25 led the majors in inducing weak contact and ground-ball rate. I’ve always heard the Dodgers like to throw different “looks” at rivals, and Rogers would certainly be that. A great guy to have when you need a double play.
Two other priorities should be defense and youth.
For those reasons a trade built around Teo for either Steven Kwan or Wilyer Abreu could make sense. Both are gold glovers, and both are about 5-6 years younger than 33-year-old Teo. Dodgers could add Miller as a sweetener….
Correction…. I think:
Just read that Tyler Rogers is the free agent, not his brother Taylor. (I think they are twins.)
Adding a submarine arm to the pen would be fun.
They are twins and according to a post I read, both are unrestricted free agents.
It’s funny to see how many Dodger fans had lost faith in Rushing and had him traded… only to find out how the Dodgers felt about it. Rushing is not getting traded. Rortvedt was in the right place at the right time, but I doubt he makes the Reds 2026 26-man roster.
I guess we won’t know for a while. But what are the plans for Ward. Will he get a shot or just be trade bait
I think it depends upon what happens with Teoscar…
If he goes to LF, well… we will see.
He’s a decoy and we have no plans to play him. We need OF help badly.
It was surprising to me that Rushing’s bone bruise kept him out of the World Series. I didn’t see much reporting on this–but I guess a healthy Rortvedt was prefered to an ailing Rushing. (As it happened, of course, Smith caught every inning, setting a WS record.)
Rortvedt pretty much came out of nowhere and impressed very quickly as a backup with his defense and handling of pitchers. He provided some unexpected offense in a small sample.
His performance was a reminder that Rushing, for all his potential, didn’t flex much offense in ’25, posting a .582 OPS in 142 ABs. His advocates say he just needed “regular at bats,” and so I wanted the Dodgers to give him more action at 1B and LF to help him get untracked. That didn’t happen. But think back a few years: Barnes was more impressive as a backup to Grandal than Rushing was to Smith. (Remember when Smith was expected to be Barnes’s backup?)
It’s funny to see how many Dodger fans want to push Smith, an all-star catcher and World Series hero, to 3B or LF to make room for Rushing, who despite the hype still hasn’t proved himself to be more than a backup catcher. To me it has always made more sense to train Rushing for 3B as Max’s potential successor than to move Smith, who at 30 should play several more years at catcher. Many catchers stay at the position until their mid-30s, including 35-year-old Salvador Perez and 34-year-old Realmuto. Posey retired at age 34.
If the Twins were to insist on Rushing in a package for Buxton, the Dodgers should consider it. They can always bring up Chuckie Robinson or someone else who might produce a .582 OPS in 142 ABs.
A “decoy”? Are you are likening Ward to Shohei’s dog?
The adorable pooch that Shohei kissed instead of his wife upon learning he’s the MVP?
I expect the Dodgers to deal Ward to a team that needs power and can play him at DH, LF or 1B. I just hope Ward, at 27, gets a chance to play.
If we are to believe Brandon Gomes, Ward is a “solid” leftfielder who can also help a team at 1B. Many of us assumed that Ward’s fielding must suck for him to have never been called up. Anyway, he’s certainly paid his dues and has earned a chance. If Ward isn’t traded and has a good spring, he might factor in a platoon in LF with Alex Call.
We can hope that Ward is a late-bloomer. There are a few guys scattered around the majors who didn’t reach The Show until their late 20s.
Glad to have you back here Bear, where you belong.
Thank you, Andrew. I am still leading a double-life though as long as Jeff keeps Chronicles open.
while most rumors have the dodgers pursuing diaz, i believe they are far more likely to sign pete fairbanks, possibly even robert suarez. Diaz is 31 and looking for 5 years and in the neighborhood of $110 million. Fairbanks fits what the dodgers love, versatility. he can close, setup, or pitch in long relief. 3 years for him would sound about right. …. Looks like Boston is looking to make a big splash. this offseason. pete alonzo, freddie peralta just 2 that they are looking to acquire. of course there’s dbag bregman. I’m in the mindset he joins ole AJ Hinch in Detroit. Bang the cans! …. The pirates are supposedly going to spend some money this offseason! That’s all well and good, but it’s not enough to skeenes in pittsburgh long term. ……. Mad Max to San francisco? might happen. …. Dbacks considering trading Marte? now there’s a second baseman who would look good in blue! Won’t happen though. …. Padres rumors swirling around tatis. how would dodgers fans feel about him in LA? i’ll pass! …. Bellinger to the mets makes sense if they can’t resign Alonzo. Cody is a fine first baseman. ….. Will the Rockies spend any money this offseason? doubt it. they may be even worse this upcoming year!……. reading several teams wants to be in on bichette. not all of them need a shortstop. i guess he’s open to playing second base. Now him in LA, very intriguing! …. The Marlins are rumored to be in the spending mode. They could be a very solid team if they do! …. And the Angels. it looks like they are going to spend. the problem is they don’t ever get any bang for their buck! They will go down in history as the team who wasted Mike Trout. Maybe some team like the yankees will pry him away from the angels (doubtful), and give him a chance to play in the playoffs. Rendon. anyone? …. Looking forward to your posts Old Bear! I appreciate your knowledge and perspective regarding this beautiful game. Heck, maybe ole Bradley will come back and give you some of his trade proposals! i always get a smile on my face when he does his deals!
Mad Max should retire. Any team that signs him will be sorry
If they go after another closer, I think they will go harder after Suarez than Diaz.
How about Williams?
He finished strong for the Yankees…
I still think Kenley would be fun after he converted 29 saves in 30 chances for the Angels… but he may have worn out his welcome with the Dodgers?
Williams is definitely of interest. Fans seem to want Jansen back more than the front office. Most chatter about him returning is from fans.
Iglesia makes sense. A lot of possibilities.
Will the misfires on Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates give management pause?
I think the strategy of over-paying during the winter to avoid over-paying in the trade market is flawed.
Welcome back Bear! Looking forward to reading posts young man.
I appreciate it, but young I am not.
Absolutely!
Unbelivably great piece on Will Klein on Dodger Digest.
Thanks for the tip, Brian. That was a good article on Klein.
Interesting guy. Ihope he becomes a stalwart in the pen.
The great Craig Goldstein versus Conforto:
https://rememberthatguy.beehiiv.com/p/craig-goldstein-vs-michael-conforto
Great news on Bear.
Ward probably won’t get a chance but I wish he would just to see how he performs and increases or decreases his trade value. I think we need a RH 3B to replace or spell Muncy. How about making Miggy a player/coach? I also think the Blue should focus on some better D in the outfield, meaning replace Teo, despite the power. Keep Call, Pages’, Kim (IF/OF), try Ward, By June they will know what we got. would Belli go back to the OF? Fans would love it! Man, I can’t wait for Spring training.
I think Ward gets a long look in spring for two reasons. The team needs some pop from someone besides the big 5. And if he has a good spring, he becomes trade fodder.
Ward deserved a good look last season but there were 17 million reasons he didn’t get one.
Welcome back Bear!!
I have always appreciated your posts.
I agree that the Dodger’s need to get younger, so it is hard for me to see how Kiki stays with the team.
I do think a trade from Kwan is a possibility, while it is true you can never have enough pitching it is almost absurd how many quality arms the Dodger’s have and since they all cannot play here, they can be great trade capital.
As to 2nd – I think the Dodger’s are set with either/both Edman and Kim. With a full year behind him I think Kim may surprise the lot of us next year – he definitely has the skill sets the Dodger’s need, contact hitter, fast, defense and youth.
I think Suarez would be a good fit – but a part of me wants to see Klein and Henriquez given a long-opportunity to succeed after their Game 3 performances.
Raisel Inglesias is incredibly underrated and has a history of staying on the field. For one year, he’s an outstanding signing.
That’s a good list of pitching talent than Brian produced. Not sure why my comment is above it.
I also see it as a list of trade commodities if the Dodgers want to go big game hunting in the trade market.
These pitchers, I think, are the “untouchables”: Shohei, Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow and Sasaki.
Every other pitcher could be traded, including Sheehan and top pitching prospect Jackson Ferris. (Stone or River Ryan could replace Sheehan as the ‘sixth starter.’)
The untouchable hitters are Shohei, Mookie, Freddie, Smith. The Dodgers would be very reluctant to deal Edman with his long-term contract and versatility
You know, we wouldn’t be pondering Diaz or Williams or Iglesia or Kenley…. if AF had taken my advice last summer and swung a blockbuster for Mason Miller.
On the other hand, we may have never learned that Sasaki could be a strong closer, and the World Series might have been a boring sweep.
Thank you, Shawn. I am going to do my best. Anyone has a former Dodger or current one for that fact that they would like a post on, just let me know here.
I feel like there’s a pretty long list of pitchers who weren’t necessarily core members of last year’s team but will be asked to cover a lot of–potentially important–innings.
Wrobleski
Stone
Ryan
Klein
Hurt
Henriquez
Graterol
as well as a laundry list of valuable options eith for trade or immediate use:
Casparius
Frasso
Gervase
Knack
Stewart/Phillips
What will become of these players. Without checking, I’m guessing we coukd build an entire bullpen without any of them.
(Test: Treinen. Vesia. Dreyer, Banda, Scott . . . almost)
Miller
how about the marshalls. mike and mike
Are the Marshall’s brothers?
The pitcher would have struck out the hitter.
The pitcher Marshall had one of the more amazing–and forgotten–seasons in winning the Cy Young in 1974.
He pitched 208.1 innings in 106 appearances, recordng a 15-12 record and 21 saves
Can we find another one of those guys?
I can do that. Moose was one of my favorite players back in the day. Iron Mike, not so much. I thought he was really arrogant, especially after he refused to warm up during a delay in game five of the World Series and then gave up a bomb to Joe Rudi, the game winner, on the first pitch. No John, I don’t think they were.
Welcome back, Bear! Looking forward to your posts.
Much appreciated
Szymborski Chat
TameImp: Is it safe to say that if Fairbanks had no takers at $11mm then Devin Williams probably isn’t worth $22mm for one year?
Dan Szymborski: I’d definitely be surprised if Williams got that
Oaktown Blues: Which of the 2000 Zyhirs Hope had the most surprising projection to you?
Dan Szymborski: Well, the one in which Zyhir Hope projected to 7 point something WAR. That’s a lot for Hope
Keith Law chat:
davealden5 What a remarkable four innings in Game 3 from Will Klein! Fluke or does he have a future?
Keith Law He’s never thrown strikes consistently enough to have the kind of future you might be envisioning. It’s high-leverage stuff, and if he has a Kimbrel-like leap in control, he’ll be an elite closer or setup type. Very low odds of this happening.
Chris Hi Keith! This will be my first year cooking a thanksgiving turkey and I want to go the spatchcock route. I did a search on your site and found a 2022 Twitter live stream you did, but do you have any go-to recipes or other resources you can share?
Keith Law Serious Eats is probably the best bet. I don’t use baking powder, just salt, because the baking powder always left a bit of a weird texture on the skin. Also definitely make sure you have at least a cup of water in the sheet pan to prevent the rendered fat from hitting the hot pan and smoking.
Crew Do you think the Dodgers should go into another year of planning to use Rushing as a back up C/fourth OF?
Keith Law Seems like a poor use of the player.
Henry In thinking about the Dodgers robust baseball ops system, why haven’t other teams replicated their model of hiring as many top professional development staff as they have to support their players? Even if you were a small market team, that would probably be my biggest priority in developing talent.
Keith Law I don’t understand why more teams haven’t replicated some of their org structure, or just hired away a Galen Carr or an Alex Slater to be a GM and bring their institutional knowledge.
Jason With the number of OF prospects the Dodgers, should they pursue Kyle Tucker given the term/salary required? Are they better off looking for a 1 to 2 year solution before their prospects are ready?
Keith Law I know the Dodgers are just linked to every good FA, but I don’t think Tucker is a great investment for them. They do have a ton of OF depth coming, and I’m more concerned about the age of their infield.
I agree with Keith Law, we have to get younger in the infield. Bo Bichette would be a step in the right direction. At 27 years old, Bichette is entering his prime years. I was impressed by his bat to ball skills. Came up with some big hits during the WS.
ohtani does it again! judge does it again! repeat manager’s of the year! repeat world series champs! Probability it happens three years in a row? if ohtani and judge stay healthy, probably a 90% chance they 3peat! if the dodgers stay healthy, and upgrade their outfield, probably an 80% chance they 3 peat! Managers? not a high probability they will win it again. Feel bad for Cal! But the numbers Judge put up were hard to make a case against. If Cal had won, the same argument could have been made. Personally, i would have given it to Cal by an eyelash simply because of the position he played. not one passed ball during the regular season. 60 homers, the rbi’s. tough call! Ohtani? no question. of course if he hadn’t pitched, then Kyle S. had an opportunity to steal it. wonder if there was just one winner in the game, judge or ohtani? probably very close, ohtani would be the one! i guess Doc is a victim of his own success! As far as the CY YOUNG award. Can’t penalize Skeenes for his overall record. the numbers are extraordinary. Skrubal? no arguments here! But!! that little guy in Chavez Ravine? Maybe not quite the same as Orel Hershieser’s 88 run , but DAMN he was outstanding! That guy who ridiculed the Dodgers for signing him? shove it buddy!! And for all the haters who cry about the dodgers spending money on him, i’m pretty sure at least 2 teams offered as much and maybe more than the dodgers. It’s going to be hard to dethrone Skeenes for the Cy Young award if he stays healthy, but Yamamoto has nothing left to prove! Speaking of Cy Young award winners. Look for Blake Snell to be in the running next year season! His performance in the world series is not indicative of the talent he possesses! If Ohtani did not hit, he would probably give Skeenes a run for his money. And i firmly believe that Glasnow will have a healthy season in full next season! I’m just bubbling over with excitement for this rotation next season. Sasaki or Emmit? Maybe Stone? Ryan? Maybe a trade or signing? Framber Valdez? probably not. But as Mark stated earlier, they may want another lefty in the rotation. As far as the bullpen goes, i stand by my prediction of pete fairbanks becoming a dodger. Suarez ? i absolutely agree with Bear. he could be one they covet. Pass on williams and diaz. What’s the odds Graterol comes back healthy for an entire season? probably not the greatest odds. I’m really hopeful Evan Phillips is healthy and can get back to his self. Really like that guy. As far as position players, the more i think about it, the more likely it is that they acquire Kwan than sign tucker or bellinger. Could Teo beca part of that deal? He would be a perfect fit in cleveland as the DH. One last question. Could the dodgers be interested in Byron Buxton ?? Health? yes a concern. But, what a great addition to center field he would be! A package headlined by Sheehan, Ward, and more? you never know!
I love the rotation–on paper–of:
1. Yamamoto
2. Snell
3. Glasnow
4. Ohtani
5. Sheehan
6. Sasaki
But I fully expect the others you named (and others) to contribute significant innings as well.
Snell owes us a good year.
In some ways, the bullpen coukd function as a farm system for the rotation this year.
Best case: Phillips returns in August.
I think it worked so well this year that 2 or 3 of our starting studs will have “injuries” that require a month or two rest after the all star break. Rested starting pitching rules!
As well as some time off in August for Smith
Word
Please separate your thoughts with double spaced paragraphs.
Congratulations to Shohei Ohtani on his 4th MVP!
His offensive numbers are likely going to take a hit as he pitches a full season in 2026 but could end up becoming a serious contender for the NL CY Young award next season. The two way talent is off the charts.
Go Dodgers!
i don’t see him making regular starts all season. i know he’s a stud, but it’s hard to imagine he will hold up to the grind for 162 games. i personally wish he would do one or the other. imagine him starting 30 plus games without having to worry about hitting. or imagine him hitting 60-70 homers and playing right field! just me!
Good for Shohei, sorry, but I think Raleigh got robbed. A catcher with 60 bombs?
It’s a tough one, for the stats you cite.
But, on the other side of the equation:
Judge had an OBP of .457 and an OPS+ of 215! Two hundred and fifteen.
Not to mention 9.7 WAR.
Twas a close vote, though.
The decision was correct, but it’s a shame Raleigh had his season when The Judge was incredible. If he were in the NL, he would have beaten Ohtani!
Beyond a doubt Judge had a great offensive season and Raleigh had a very good offensive season. Which I thought that was what the Hank Aaron award was for. As for Most Valuable Player I would put Judge third behind Raleigh and Rameriz. If Judge was out for the season the Yankees would probably still be a playoff team. Take Raleigh and Rameriz out for the season and the Mariners and Guardians miss the playoffs. Judge has to worry about keeping one swing working right and take a few flyballs each game. Raleigh and Rameriz both have 2 swings to keep working right as both are switch hitters. Top that off with Raleigh having a 13 man rotation to keep working well. Best offensive season beyond a doubt that’s Judge most valuable give me Raleigh or Rameriz .
Not a surprise, but somewhat formalized:
Brandon Gomes recently confirmed that the plan is for Roki Sasaki to be a starter next season.
Yamamoto
Ohtani
Sasaki
Sheehan
Glasnow
Snell
Wrobleski
Stone
Ryan
A ton of depth and a ton of talent. Would anyone be surprised if one or two of these guys were traded? I enjoy making people roll their eyes so how about Glasnow and Pages for Tatis? Add players as needed.
Hell yeah!!
I would do that.
Preller would not.
not in that clubhouse!!! no way! might as well bring johnny hustle ( manny) back too!!
“Fresh off their World Series triumph, the Los Angeles Dodgers are casting a long shadow over Japan’s preparations for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.Japanese media reports indicate the Dodgers may restrict or outright discourage participation from key Samurai Japan stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, citing injury risks and fatigue following a grueling postseason”.