Happy New Year!

Posted By on December 31, 2025

2025 is History.

2026 is a Mystery.

Today is a Gift – That’s why they call it the present. — Mike Ditka (but I am sure someone else much smarter said it first.)

The Dodgers will be set for 2026 and another World Championship IF they just do this:

Trade with the Red Sox for Jarren Duran! Why?

  1. He is ready, young and controllable in 2026, 2027, and 2028;
  2. He has speed, power, and defense – all rolled into one;
  3. He can play a good CF.

Just Baseball wrote a great piece about him last month. Click on the link to read it.

I’ll cut to the chase: The Dodgers should trade Sheehan or Stone (Red Sox choice), Landon Knack, and Kim for him. Who says no?

  1. Ohtani DH
  2. Betts SS
  3. Freeman 1B
  4. Smith C
  5. Muncy 3B
  6. Hernandez LF
  7. Duran CF
  8. Pages RF
  9. Edman/Rojas 2B

Print the Tickets and Happy New Year!

This article has 61 Comments

  1. Who says no? The Sox say a very loud no.

    They’ll be happy to have Sheehan but you’re going to need to add something better than Knack and Kim, neither of whom have had any major success at the MLB level. Keep in mind that there are probably a dozen teams who want Duran and one or more of them will offer substantially more than your suggested trade.

    And one more thing………………………………………..Happy New Year everyone!!!!

  3. Happy, Healthy and Safe 2026 to all!!! We have all we need for a repeat. I would NOT include any of our young starting pitchers in any deal. The West is weak and we have plenty of time to decide and finalize an October roster with the trading deadline and if some of our young outfielders mature and are ready this year. Too many factors to make a trade that will hurt us when some of our pitchers start hitting the IL. Pitching depth will carry us through the 162 game schedule as it has in the past.

  4. I’m in! Either upgrade at second, or upgrade in the outfield. I wanted Duran last year! Duran, Bichette, or Donovan! Pick one and roll!

          2. TRyan was very impressive before he got hurt–and now he’s added about 20-25 pounds of muscle.
            Among all of the “touchable” pitchers on the Dodgers, he’s the one I’d least like to trade.
            The arrival of Edwin Diaz as closer will make it easier to trade from the pitching depth.

  6. I can’t believe how few position playes we have on roster. I feel like Siani is the only one who woukdn’t make team right now.

  8. Tatsuya Imai reportedly agrees to a 3-year deal with the Astros worth up to $63 million. That’s a lot less than he was seeking. Some thought he was the equal of Yamamoto. He can’t carry Yoshi’s jock!

  9. The Astros and right-hander Tatsuya Imai are in agreement on a three-year, $54MM contract, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman adds that Imai can earn up to $3MM per year in incentives if he reaches 100 innings. The deal contains opt-outs after every year, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

  10. I often put things that I am about to say (like this) into comments, rather than blog posts, to keep anonymity:

    There was a person who was instrumental in convincing me that Adrian Beltre, Russ Martin, Matt Kemp, Corey Seager, and Cody Bellinger would be notable players. I can’t say who that is, but I can tell you that this person is very high on Quintero, Sirota, and Morales.

    It’s possible that we see Sirota in 2026.

    1. That’s why we shouldn’t overpay for an outfielder in a trade or in free agency. Need to have patience and let things play out. What team in the NL West is better than the Dodgers right now? None is the answer. Remember our overpaid bullpen last year blew 27 saves. We now have Edwin Diaz to close out games which moves all the other quality relievers down a notch where they belong.Dodger Stadium will be electric when he enters the games with his trumpet walk up song. Whoever we put in the outfield can NOT be any worse than Conforto offensively and defensively to START the season. It’s a long way from October ’26 and AF and BG will work their magic as always.

    2. If your inside guy is really that good at identifying future stars, then maybe this is the time to use DePaula and/or Hope in a trade to get our future third baseman (whomever that might be). We have sometimes been known to hold our prospects too long until their trade value disintegrates (see Cartaya, Diego).

      1. I never discussed Cartaya with him, but he did think Vargas would be a good player… only that it might take a while.

  11. Signing or trading for a younger outfielder won’t hinder the young prospects the dodgers have! Teo may only be a Dodger one more year. Andy Pages has all the tools, but his nonexistent bat during the playoffs could be cause for concern. Plus there’s always the possibility not all of the prospects will become major league players. There’s plenty of room at the inn!

      1. Just a what if comment. Pages is no Bonds. Although I like him a helluva lot more than Bonds.

        1. I was not comparing him to Bonds. I was comparing that even the best players sometimes don’t produce in the playoffs.

  12. DePaula needs to move to 1B and replace Freddie. And we’ll need to sign a 3rd baseman

  13. The only outfielder who, in my opinion, would be worth signing is Bellinger. He knows the city, the stadium, the fans, the front office, the manager, and most of the players. Plus, he could move to first base when Freeman retires, and by then at least one of the many good prospects would already be on the team. Besides, we all know Bellinger’s value: a Gold Glove defensively and offensively, 20-25 home runs, 75-80 RBIs, and a .250-.265 batting average.

    But not only that, two of the most important left-handed hitters are about to retire, Muncy and Freeman, and who else besides Ohtani would be left on the team? I think they need a left-handed hitter, at least one with power, good defense, and good speed.

    Bellinger is the perfect player at the perfect time!

        2. Not lately. Bader has been much better.
          The Phils dealt for Bader at the deadline, and he finished strong, with an .824 OPS and .305 BA in 50 games. For the full season, Bader hit to a .796 OPS with 17 HRs.
          Meanwhile, Edman had trouble staying on the field due to injuries and produced a . 656 OPS in 346 ABs. (Kim, in his too-limited role as a rookie, had a .699 OPS in 161 ABs.)
          Frankly, the Dodgers should have nabbed Bader last season as a full-time CF to put Conforto on the bench. Alex Call was a consolation prize.
          The sticking point now may be that Bader is reportedly is seeking the security of at least a 3-year deal, while the Dodgers want flexibility to accommodate their rising prospects.
          Tucker, Belli, Bader–all remain viable FA options for the outfield. If none work out, AF could turn to the trade market.
          Or maybe the Dodgers could do nothing more… and they’d still be the favorites to win it all.

    3. I’d pass on Bellinger. His out field defense is just so/so at this point in his career; Pages is much better. Freeman has him blocked at 1st base; and, he doesn’t hit enough to be an all star 1st baseman-where you really need to rake.

  14. Love it, Indiana crushed the Tide 38-3. Take on Oregon next. I like Edman better in the infield. He does not fit the traditional CF mold. Not a great arm and not much power.

  16. Duran is much more proven than Sheehan. And with River Ryan and Gavin Stone as competition, Sheehan might not evenmake the six-man rotation.
    So why be stingy?
    I think it would take Sheehan + ??? to land Duran. Boston would be right to drive a hard bargain. Perhaps another pitcher, like Casparius or the young reliever Henriquez with his triple-digit heat. (He’s no longer as valuable with Edwin Diaz as the closer and Graterol coming back.) But maybe the Sox would ask for Sheehan + Rushing + Henriquez.
    If AF and Boston can’t come to terms, AF could pivot to Robert Jr. or Buxton. The White Sox and Twins may prove more amenable. (I still think Buxton would waive his no-trade rights to join the champs.)
    Or perhaps Tucker just agrees to a fat deal with the Dodgers and all of this speculation is moot.
    And then the Dodgers deal for Donovan….

    1. 1. The Dodgers don’t have a replacement for Rushing, so I cannot see him being moved.
      2. I am of the opinion that leopards do not change their spots: Robert, Jr. is no good, and Buxton is always injured.
      3. I think a package of Hope and Sheehan gets Duran.
      4. St. Louis wants too much for Donovan.

      1. Hope & Sheehan feels like a lot but it’s probably fair. Put Wrobleski or Ryan or Stone in Sheehan’s spot.

        1. I think most people view Wrobo as a step below Sheehan so that probably wouldn’t get it done.

          With regard to Stone and Ryan, they may ultimately be just as good or even surpass Sheehan but both are coming off major injuries and I seriously doubt the Sox would take either of them before they saw how they’ve recovered (in other words, not during this off season).

  17. The Los Angeles Dodgers used 17 different pitchers to start at least one game during the 2025 MLB regular season.

    2025 Dodgers Starting Pitchers Overview
    The Dodgers relied on a combination of established stars and several depth pieces due to injuries and strategic flexibility throughout the season. The core rotation included a number of high-profile pitchers, while others filled in due to injury or specific game scenarios like “opener” strategies.

    The pitchers who made at least one start for the Dodgers in 2025 were:
    Yoshinobu Yamamoto
    Clayton Kershaw
    Tyler Glasnow
    Dustin May
    Shohei Ohtani
    Emmet Sheehan
    Blake Snell
    Roki Sasaki
    Tony Gonsolin
    Landon Knack
    Jack Dreyer
    Ben Casparius
    Lou Trivino
    Justin Wrobleski
    Anthony Banda
    Bobby Miller
    Matt Sauer

    This high number is consistent with recent Dodgers seasons; for example, they also used exactly 17 different starters in the three seasons prior to 2025. The team’s primary starters for the postseason were Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow.

    This is why you don’t trade away starting pitchers. The IL,the schedule and making sure we are injury free when the October tournament starts.

        1. Dodgers Digest (I think) had a good dive on Casparius that suggests that his internal numbers are nearly as good as Sheehan’s–and he’d be a great fit for a team that needs a starter.
          On the Dodgers, Casparius is now another righty in the bullpen.
          The arrival of Edwin Diaz and the returns from injury of River Ryan, Gavin Stone and Graterol means that guys like Casparius, Henriquez and Will “World Series hero” Klein could become trade fodder, along with usual suspects Knack and Bobby Miller.

        2. Any second-rate franchise that needs pitching help.
          Perhaps Knack could be packaged with a second-tier prospect to get a decent prospect back.
          I’d be looking for a catcher.

          2. Baltimore. They needed pitching and picked up position players. They have two excellent prospect catchers and might let one of them go or their current guy to make room. Give Smitty some time off.

    2. Mark says Edman is better than Bader.
      Not lately. Bader has been much better.
      The Phils dealt for Bader at the deadline, and he finished strong, with an .824 OPS and .305 BA in 50 games. For the full season, Bader hit to a .796 OPS with 17 HRs.
      Meanwhile, Edman had trouble staying on the field due to injuries and produced a . 656 OPS in 346 ABs. (Kim, in his too-limited role as a rookie, had a .699 OPS in 161 ABs.)
      Frankly, the Dodgers should have nabbed Bader last season as a full-time CF to put Conforto on the bench. Alex Call was a consolation prize.
      The sticking point now may be that Bader is reportedly is seeking the security of at least a 3-year deal, while the Dodgers want flexibility to accommodate their rising prospects.
      Tucker, Belli, Bader–all remain viable FA options for the outfield. If none work out, AF could turn to the trade market.
      Or maybe the Dodgers could do nothing more… and they’d still be the favorites to win it all.

      1. Last season was the only season Bader has been better. Edman is better in OPS and OPS+ over his career… plus he is younger and more versatile.

        I cannot see AF signing a guy and paying for what was a career year, Likely never to be repeated.

    3. That’s a lot of starters, including a lot of “openers.”
      But part of the reason was that the Dodgers decided to “slow-play” Glasnow, Snell and Shohei as they were coming back from injuries. It was a roster management decision. If the Dodgers had been in a tight race, these three probably would have taken the mound weeks before they did. The Dodgers knew they’d be in the postseason and they prepared accordingly.
      It all worked out, of course.
      But the slow-play strategy also enabled the Blue Jays to obtain the best record and home-field advantage….so it almost didn’t work out!

      1. Remember we had 27 blown saves last year,but this year we will have a run away record to win the West and possibly the best record with the addition of Edwin Diaz ,Graterol back this year and Scott in a setup role.We won the World Series without having the best overall record with a 7-1 record on the road in the playoffs. Also if the bullpen didn’t blow the last game against the Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium on a Sunday ,we would have had the best overall record. You have to plan to be healthy when it really counts and to be injury free on the pitching side especially and hopefully on the position side for the October tournament. Trust AF and BG, they know more than all of us here combined and will come up with the best roster possible in October. That is the pledge they made to Ohtoni when he deferred his contract.

      2. The race was tight in the West all season as the Dodgers only won it by 3 games. Check the final standings.

  18. Louis Robert needs to remain in Chicago! LA doesn’t need another .210 bat in the lineup! His defense is solid, if any other team who needs an outfielder was sold on him being the “answer “ he would have already been traded. Seems they can’t give him away! Seen some rumors the Mets are interested in him. Go for it!
    Would the Dodgers really be interested in Jazz Chishom? Rumors persist. Would Miguel Rojas be on board? The Yankees are interested in signing. Bichette. Chishom’s numbers were very good, so why trade him? Clubhouse issues? Could be. Doesn’t seem to be a fit in LA!
    And as far as Sheehan to Boston. If it brings Duran back in return, do it! I agree, Gavin Stone is a potential # 2- 3 rotation guy. Not saying Emmit isn’t, but Stone may be very special!

        1. On the topic of the day if we trade with Boston don’t get screwed like the one that brought Adrian Gonzalez.

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