Andrew Friedman's Blueprint for Success

Andrew Friedman officially took over as Dodgers president of baseball operations on October 14, 2014... and since then, things have never been the same for Dodger fans. Andrew put his stamp on the team right from "jump street." He changed the organization's entire trajectory, and nothing has ever been the same. I'm going to attempt to list every significant player acquired from outside the organization who either reached the Dodgers' MLB roster or was a meaningful prospect acquired in a trade. After that, I've included the major Friedman-era players acquired through the draft/international market. And when you look at it this way, you can really see Friedman's fingerprints all over the franchise.

The Andrew Friedman Acquisition Ledger

2014

Joel Peralta, Adam Liberatore - Trade with Tampa Bay for José Domínguez and Greg Harris

Mike Bolsinger - Purchased from Arizona

Juan Nicasio - Trade with Colorado for Noel Cuevas

Chris Heisey - Trade with Cincinnati for Matt Magill

Yasmani Grandal, Joe Wieland, Zach Eflin - Trade with San Diego for Matt Kemp, Tim Federowicz and cash

Austin Barnes, Kiké Hernández, Chris Hatcher, Andrew Heaney - Blockbuster with Miami for Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Miguel Rojas and cash

Howie Kendrick - Heaney immediately flipped to Angels for Kendrick

Jimmy Rollins - Trade with Philadelphia for Zach Eflin and Tom Windle

Brandon McCarthy - Major-league free agent

Brett Anderson, Major-league free agent

That extraordinary first winter is worth remembering. Friedman dismantled a large portion of the roster almost immediately and came away with Grandal, Barnes and Kiké, among others. MLB later described the 2014 Winter Meetings as Friedman's dramatic first imprint on the organization.

2015

Ryan Webb, Brian Ward - Trade with Baltimore; Dodgers also received a competitive-balance draft pick

Alberto Callaspo, Ian Thomas, Juan Jaime, Eric Stults - Trade with Atlanta for Juan Uribe and Chris Withrow

Grant Dayton - Trade with Miami for Chris Reed

Alex Wood, Luis Avilán, José Peraza, Mat Latos, Jim Johnson, Bronson Arroyo, Michael Morse - Huge three-team Dodgers-Braves-Marlins trade built around Hector Olivera

Chase Utley - Trade with Philadelphia for Darnell Sweeney and John Richy

2015-16 offseason

Frankie Montas, Micah Johnson, Trayce Thompson - Three-team trade with White Sox/Reds; Dodgers gave up Peraza, Brandon Dixon and Scott Schebler

Scott Kazmir - Free agent

Kenta Maeda - Signed from Hiroshima through the Japanese posting system

Joe Blanton - Free agent

Louis Coleman - Free agent

Charlie Culberson - Minor-league free agent

The early Friedman trade history is particularly well documented.

2016

Chris Taylor - Trade with Seattle for former first-round pick Zach Lee

Bud Norris - Trade with Atlanta

Josh Fields - Trade with Houston for minor leaguer Yordan Alvarez

Rich Hill - Trade with Oakland

Josh Reddick - Same Oakland trade; Dodgers sent Grant Holmes, Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas

Jesse Chavez - Trade with Toronto for Mike Bolsinger

Carlos Ruiz - Trade with Philadelphia for A.J. Ellis, Tommy Bergjans and Joey Curletta

That Chris Taylor-for-Zach Lee deal quietly became one of the great Friedman thefts. The Fields-for-Yordan deal went rather spectacularly in the other direction. The Baseball Gods apparently insist on collecting a tax.

2017

Logan Forsythe - Trade with Tampa Bay for José De León

Brandon Morrow - Minor-league free-agent signing

Sergio Romo - Free agent

Franklin Gutiérrez - Free agent

MAX MUNCY - Minor-league free agent after Oakland released him

Yu Darvish - Trade with Texas for Willie Calhoun, A.J. Alexy and Brendon Davis

Tony Watson - Trade with Pittsburgh for Oneil Cruz and Angel German

Tony Cingrani - Trade with Cincinnati for Scott Van Slyke and Hendrik Clementina

Curtis Granderson - Trade with Mets for Jacob Rhame/cash considerations

The deadline deals are confirmed in the Dodgers' 2017 transaction history, and Muncy deserves special emphasis. He wasn't a glamorous free-agent signing. He was discarded by Oakland, signed to a minor-league contract by the Dodgers and essentially rebuilt into an All-Star-caliber slugger.

2018

Matt Kemp - Acquired back from Atlanta for Adrián González, Brandon McCarthy, Scott Kazmir and Charlie Culberson

Scott Alexander - Three-team trade with Kansas City/White Sox

Dylan Floro - Trade with Cincinnati

Zach Neal - Same Cincinnati deal

Manny Machado - Trade with Baltimore for Yusniel Díaz, Dean Kremer, Zach Pop, Rylan Bannon and Breyvic Valera

Brian Dozier - Trade with Minnesota for Logan Forsythe, Devin Smeltzer and Luke Raley

John Axford - Trade with Toronto

Ryan Madson - Trade with Washington

David Freese - Trade with Pittsburgh

The Machado, Dozier, Axford, Madson and Freese acquisitions were all deadline/late-season additions during the 2018 pennant run.

2019

Josiah Gray, Jeter Downs - Cincinnati trade sending out Puig, Kemp, Alex Wood and Kyle Farmer; Homer Bailey also came to LA and was released

Russell Martin - Trade with Toronto

A.J. Pollock - Free agent

Joe Kelly - Free agent

Casey Sadler - Trade with Tampa Bay

Tyler White - Trade with Houston

Kristopher Negrón - Trade with Seattle

Adam Kolarek - Trade with Tampa Bay

Jedd Gyorko - Trade with St. Louis

The Gray/Downs transaction later became important for an entirely different reason: Jeter Downs became part of the Mookie Betts trade.

2020: The Franchise-Altering One

Mookie Betts - Trade with Boston for Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs and Connor Wong

David Price - Included in Betts trade, with Boston paying half of his remaining guarantee

Brusdar Graterol - Trade with Minnesota for Kenta Maeda, Jair Camargo and cash

Luke Raley - Same Minnesota deal

Blake Treinen - Free agent

Alex Wood - Free agent, returning to Dodgers

Jimmy Nelson - Free agent

Jake McGee - Free agent

Terrance Gore - Free agent

The Betts and Graterol deals are particularly revealing. Friedman essentially transformed Jeter Downs + Alex Verdugo + Connor Wong into Mookie Betts, while separately converting Maeda into Graterol and additional value.

2021

Corey Knebel - Trade with Milwaukee

Alex Vesia, Kyle Hurt - Trade with Miami for Dylan Floro

Garrett Cleavinger - Three-team trade

Sheldon Neuse, Gus Varland - Trade with Oakland

Trevor Bauer - Free agent

Tommy Kahnle - Free agent

Albert Pujols - Free agent after release by Angels

Yoshi Tsutsugo - Trade with Tampa Bay

Billy McKinney - Trade with Mets

Danny Duffy - Trade with Kansas City

Phil Bickford - Waiver claim

Evan Phillips - Waiver claim

Max Scherzer, Trea Turner - Blockbuster with Washington for Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Gerardo Carrillo and Donovan Casey

The 2021 bullpen illustrates the Friedman method beautifully. Vesia came via trade; Phillips and Bickford came essentially off the scrap heap. Phillips eventually became one of baseball's better relievers.

2022

Freddie Freeman - Six-year free-agent contract

Andrew Heaney - Free agent

Tyler Anderson - Free agent

Daniel Hudson - Free agent

Hanser Alberto - Free agent

Yency Almonte - Minor-league free-agent signing

Craig Kimbrel - Trade with White Sox for A.J. Pollock

River Ryan - Trade with San Diego for Matt Beaty

Trayce Thompson - Acquired from Detroit for cash

Chris Martin - Trade with Cubs for Zach McKinstry

Joey Gallo - Trade with Yankees for Clayton Beeter

Nick Frasso, Moises Brito - Trade with Toronto for Mitch White and Alex De Jesus

Freeman was obviously the centerpiece, but Anderson, Heaney and Almonte are classic examples of the Dodgers buying underlying skills rather than résumés.

2023

J.D. Martinez - Free agent

Noah Syndergaard - Free agent

David Peralta - Free agent

Shelby Miller - Free agent

Jason Heyward - Minor-league free agent

Ryan Brasier - Free-agent/minor-league deal after Boston released him

Miguel Rojas - Trade with Miami for Jacob Amaya

J.P. Feyereisen - Trade with Tampa Bay

Kiké Hernández - Reacquired from Boston

Amed Rosario - Trade with Cleveland for Syndergaard

Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly - Trade with White Sox

Ryan Yarbrough - Trade with Kansas City

Kolten Wong - Minor-league/free-agent signing after Seattle released him

The original offseason was intentionally short-term: Martinez, Syndergaard, Peralta and Miller all arrived on one-year contracts.

2024: Friedman Goes Shopping With a Flamethrower

Shohei Ohtani - Free agent, 10 years/$700M with massive deferrals

Yoshinobu Yamamoto - Signed out of Japan through posting process

Teoscar Hernández - Free agent

Tyler Glasnow - Trade with Tampa Bay for Ryan Pepiot and Jonny DeLuca

Manuel Margot - Same Tampa trade; later traded to Minnesota

Zyhir Hope, Jackson Ferris - Trade with Cubs for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte

James Paxton - Free agent

Anthony Banda - Acquired from Cleveland for cash

Cavan Biggio - Trade with Toronto

Brent Honeywell Jr. - Waiver claim

Nick Ahmed - Free-agent signing

Tommy Edman - Three-team Dodgers-Cardinals-White Sox trade

Michael Kopech - Same three-team deal

Oliver Gonzalez - Same transaction as prospect component

Amed Rosario - Reacquired from Tampa Bay

Jack Flaherty - Trade with Detroit for Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney

Kevin Kiermaier - Trade with Toronto for Ryan Yarbrough

Those additions supplied an astonishing portion of the eventual World Series roster. Edman became NLCS MVP, while Ohtani, Yamamoto, Teoscar, Kopech, Flaherty and Banda all played important roles.

2025

Blake Snell - Five-year free-agent contract

Tanner Scott - Four-year free-agent contract

Michael Conforto - Free agent

Kirby Yates - Free agent

Hyeseong Kim - Signed from KBO

Roki Sasaki - International amateur signing after being posted by Chiba Lotte

Mike Sirota - Trade with Cincinnati for Gavin Lux

Competitive Balance Round A pick - Also obtained in Lux trade

José Vásquez - Trade with Minnesota for Diego Cartaya

Esteury Ruiz - Trade with Athletics for Carlos Duran

Alexis Díaz-Trade with Cincinnati for Mike Villani

Will Klein -Trade with Seattle for Joe Jacques

Paul Gervase - Deadline trade with Tampa Bay

Ben Rortvedt - Same Tampa Bay three-team deal

Adam Serwinowski - Same Tampa Bay deal

Brock Stewart - Reacquired from Minnesota for James Outman

Alex Call - Trade with Washington for Sean Paul Liñan and Eriq Swan

James Tibbs III, Zach Ehrhard - Trade with Boston for Dustin May

The 2025 deadline was unusually interesting because Friedman sold and bought simultaneously: May became Tibbs/Ehrhard, Outman became Stewart, and Feduccia became Gervase/Rortvedt/Serwinowski.

2026, through August 22

Kyle Tucker - Four-year, $240M free-agent contract

Edwin Díaz - Three-year, $69M free-agent contract

Andy Ibáñez - Free agent; subsequently lost on waivers

Adriano Marrero - Trade with Miami for Esteury Ruiz

Michael Siani - Waiver claim

Jack Suwinski - Waiver claim

Alek Thomas - Trade with Arizona for José Requena

Seth Halvorsen -Trade with Colorado for Landyn Vidourek and Nick Frasso

TARIK SKUBAL - Trade with Detroit for Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith

Kris Bubic - Trade with Kansas City for Carlos Duran

Ben Rortvedt - Reacquired from Mets for Chayce McDermott

Hunter Feduccia, Jacob Kmatz -Trade with Tampa Bay for Jack Suwinski and international bonus money

The Skubal deal became official August 2: Skubal for Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith. The Dodgers then added Bubic, Rortvedt and reacquired Feduccia at the deadline.

The winter was already headlined by Tucker and Edwin Díaz.

But this leaves out Friedman's other factory: the amateur pipeline

Some of the most important Dodgers weren't technically "traded for" or signed as MLB free agents. They entered the organization through Friedman's scouting and development operation.

Walker Buehler - 2015 first-round draft pick

Will Smith - 2016 first-round draft pick

Gavin Lux - 2016 first-round draft pick

Dustin May - 2016 third-round draft pick

Tony Gonsolin - 2016 ninth-round draft pick

James Outman - 2018 seventh-round draft pick

Michael Grove - 2018 second-round pick

Michael Busch - 2019 first-round pick

Bobby Miller - 2020 first-round pick

Landon Knack - 2020 second-round pick

Ben Casparius - 2021 fifth-round pick

Dalton Rushing - 2022 second-round pick

Alex Freeland - 2022 third-round pick

Kendall George - 2023 first-round pick

Brady Smith - 2023 draft, later used in Skubal trade

Diego Cartaya - International signing

Andy Pages -International signing

Miguel Vargas - International signing

Joendry Vargas - International signing

Emil Morales - International signing

Josue DePaula - International Signing

Eduardo Quintero - International Signing

And that's before going several layers deeper into the current farm system.

Here's what jumps out at me

The real Friedman story isn't simply, “The Dodgers have lots of money.” Look at how the championship infrastructure was assembled:

Mookie Betts → trade
Freddie Freeman → free agency
Shohei Ohtani → free agency
Yoshinobu Yamamoto → Japanese free agency/posting
Will Smith → draft
Max Muncy → minor-league scrap heap
Chris Taylor → Zach Lee trade
Kiké Hernández → Dee Gordon trade
Tommy Edman → trade
Michael Kopech → trade
Teoscar Hernández → free agency
Blake Treinen → free agency
Alex Vesia → Dylan Floro trade
Evan Phillips → waiver claim
Anthony Banda → cash acquisition
Brusdar Graterol → Kenta Maeda trade
Tyler Glasnow → prospect trade
Roki Sasaki → international market
Blake Snell → free agency
Tanner Scott → free agency
Kyle Tucker → free agency
Edwin Díaz → free agency
Tarik Skubal → prospect trade

That's almost every conceivable avenue for acquiring talent.

And perhaps Friedman's most impressive trick is that many acquisitions produce the currency for the next acquisition. Dee Gordon helped produce Kiké and Austin Barnes. Jeter Downs helped produce Mookie. Matt Beaty produced River Ryan, who eventually helped produce Skubal. Michael Busch helped produce Zyhir Hope and Jackson Ferris; Hope later helped produce Skubal. Gavin Lux produced Mike Sirota and a competitive-balance pick.

It's less a roster than a player-acquisition family tree. Of course, there are some incredible successes as well as transactions that Andrew wishes he could take back. He is currently plagued by two: Edwin "I'm no cockfighter" Diaz and Michael Conforto... I mean Kyle Tucker. Oh, maybe they are the same guy. I am sure he would like to have had Yordan Alvarez back, but on the whole, I have to rank him as a "world-class swindler."

What the Future Holds

Well, I am not Nostradamus, and I do not currently own a crystal ball... I sold it to a band of Gypsies. But I can guess. The Dodgers Farm System is arguably the best in baseball. They have a plethora of outfielders, but have fewer infielders. What I look for Andrew to do is to flip some outfield talent for a shortstop, and I am talking about a Top-Tier SS. Think about it: Mookie Betts was a Top-Tier right fielder when Andrew acquired him. THINK BIG! I don't see him going after a prospect like Leo DeVries. I see him going after a SS like Bobby Witt. I am not saying it IS Bobby Witt, but I am saying that they have the prospect capital to go after someone with a lot of talent. KC would be a much better team with Tibbs3, Freeland, Ehrhard, Morales, and Root. Just sayin'...

Move Mookie to 2B in 2027. Miggy Rojas retires; Teoscar Hernandez and Alex Call get traded. That clears a spot for DePaula and possibly Sirota in 2027. Kike is on the bubble. He is a special player... maybe he has one more year left...The biggest blunder is Kyle Tucker. If the Dodgers tried to trade him and $100 Million Cash, there might not be any takers! Friedman would like to have a Mulligan on Alvarez and Tucker.

I think we will see some major turnover this offseason. Some outfielders... several actually, will get traded. In 2027, the team could really look different. Sirota and DePaula could both be on the team next year. Look, I can dream... can't I? OK, hallucinate it is!

1. Ohtani DH

2. Freeman 1B

3. Witt SS

4. Muncy 3B

5. Smith/Rushing C

6. Pages RF

7. DePaula LF

8. Sirota CF

9. Betts 2B

Yes, I am crazy... but, who even thought AF could get Betts?

Friedman is still Superman - He's my guy.

OKC Comets 5 – Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston) 1 

LHSP Jackson Ferris has now had back-to-back excellent starts.  After 5.0 scoreless innings in his last start, he followed that with 1 run in 5.0 innings.  It wasn’t dominant, but it was solid.  Ferris had a sketchy start.  He gave up a single and HBP to the first two batters.  He then got a GIDP before giving up a RBI single. 

OKC tied the game in the 2nd.  2B Austin Gauthier opened with a single.  One out later, 3B Noah Miller singled.  With 2 outs, RF Zach Ehrhard hit a game tying RBI single. 

OKC took the lead in the 5th inning.  C Chadwick Tromp drew a BB. One out later Tromp stole 2B and scored on LF James Tibbs III’s double (27).  SS Alex Freeland singled JTIII to 3rd where he scored on a SF from DH Ryan Ward.  

OKC pushed across two more in the 8th.  Ward led off with a single.  CF Hyeseong Kim reached 1B on an error with Ward reaching 3rd.  Kim stole 2nd.  Ward scored on a SF from Gauthier with Kim moving to 3rd.  Kim scored on a SF from 1B Ryan Fitzgerald.  

Three relievers followed Ferris and completed 4.0 scoreless innings: RHRP Jerming Rosario (2.0 IP), RHRP Nick Robertson (1.0 IP). LHRP Ronan Kopp (1.0 IP). 

·      Austin Gauthier – 2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, SF

·      James Tibbs III – 1-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (27) 

Box Score 

Amarillo Sod Poodles (Arizona) 7 - Tulsa Drillers 6 

RHSP Patrick Copen was the SP.  He was realizing a good August until this one.  The good news is he pitched 6.0 innings.  The bad news?  He gave up 6 runs on 8 hits.  He did strike out 6. 

In the 1st inning, he sandwiched a single between 2 outs.  He then allowed 2 more singles, scoring a run, and then a 3-run HR. 

2B Taylor Young led off the bottom of the 1st with a HR (4).  

Tulsa took a brief lead in the 2nd.  LF Kole Myers opened the inning with a double (8).  Myers moved to 3rd on a single by 1B Joe Vetrano.  RF Jose Izarra drew a BB to load the bases.  CF Chris Newell then unloaded a grand slam HR (20) giving Tulsa a 5-4 lead. 

In the 3rd, Copen gave up a lead off double.  The runner scored on a one out single.  The runner stole 2nd, moved to 3rd on a single, and scored on a WP.  Amarillo now had a 6-5 lead. 

After a scoreless 7th inning from RHRP Carson Hobbs, RHRP Jacob Kmatz gave up a solo HR in the 8th. 

PH-2B Jake Gelof hit a leadoff solo HR (26) in the 8th. 

RHRP Lucas Wepf was summoned for the 9th.  He faced only two hitters before being taken out after appearing to injure himself running to cover first base on a ground ball to first.  RHRP Kelvin Ramirez came in to get the final out.  Tulsa could not score in the 9th and dropped the second consecutive game for the 1st time in 3 weeks. 

·      Taylor Young – 2-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (4)

·      Kole Myers – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 doubles (9)

·      Chris Newell – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 4 RBI, HR (20)

·      Jake Gelof – 1-2, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (26)

·      Jose Izarra – 1-3, 2 BB, 1 run, double (5) 

Box Score 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego) 6 - Great Lakes Loons 5 

Great Lakes threw a little curve at us.  RHP Isaac Ayon was supposed to be the starter.  Instead, he was used to piggyback behind newly promoted RHSP Cam Leiter, who pitched very well in his Great Lakes debut. 

After 3.0 scoreless innings Leiter allowed 2 hits, 1 BB, with 7 K.  In the 4th, Cam walked the first batter, then made a throwing error trying to pick off the runner.  He got the next batter on a fly out, but after throwing 61 pitches, he was lifted for Ayon.  Ayon hit the first batter he faced, but followed that with a GIDP to end the inning. 

Great Lakes started a scoring run in the 4th.  C Victor Rodrigues and DH Charles Davalan both walked.  With 2 outs, SS Emil Morales singled home Rodrigues. 

In the 5th, CF Jaron Elkins drew a BB, followed by a 1-out BB to 1B Eduardo Guerrero.  LF Samuel Munoz hit an RBI single.  Rodrigues was HBP loading the bases.    Davalan got the run across with a SF, giving GL a 3-0 lead.  

The Loons picked up their 4th run in the 6th.  2B Nico Perez singled, stole 2B, and scored when Guerrero singled.  

Ayon had a hiccup in the 6th.  A double, RBI single, SB and game tying double cut the lead in half. 

The best opposing team play against Dodger affiliate relievers is the BB, SB, and RBI single.  LHRP Justin Chambers allowed just that in the 7th, cutting the lead to 4-3. 

In the 8th, Chambers allowed a single, and yes, SB.  With 2 outs, Chambers was replaced by RHRP Dilan Figueredo.  He gave up a game tying single.  

Great Lakes took the lead in the 9th after back-to-back doubles by RF Eduardo Quintero (25) and Morales (16). 

I have grown to accept that Great Lakes relievers are not trustworthy late in close games.  LHRP Matt Lanzendorfer allowed leadoff singles by the first two batters in the 9th.  After a K, he hit the next batter.  Lanzendorfer then uncorked a WP to allow the tying run to score.  He did get the final two outs to send the game into extra innings.  

GL did not score in the 10th.  RHRP Reynaldo Yean was the reliever on the bump to try and get to the 11th.  With the placed runner, the first batter hit a sac bunt, and that was followed by a walkoff RBI single. 

·      Emil Morales – 2-5, 2 RBI, double (16)

·      Samuel Munoz – 2-5, 1 RBI

·      Eduardo Quintero – 1-2, 1 BB, 2 HBP. 1 run, double (25) 

Box Score 

Ontario Tower Buzzers 4 – Inland Empire 66ers (Seattle) 3 RHP Joel Cruz started and pitched 4.0 scoreless innings.  This was his 2nd consecutive appearance with 4.0 scoreless.  Ontario was also shutout for 4.0 innings. 

Ontario was the first to score.  In the 5th, 3B Joendry Vargas and SS Aidan West singled.  Both runners moved up on a PB.  Vargas scored on DH Oswaldo Osorio’s SF. 

LHRP Ian May pitched a scoreless in the 5th.  But in the 6th, May hit the first batter and walked the 2nd batter.  A force out left runners on the corner.  The runner on 1st stole 2nd base.  The next batter reached on a fielder’s choice with a runner scoring and the 2nd runner moving to 3rd.  RHRP Dailoui Abad relieved May and gave up a SF, giving Inland Empire a 2-1 lead.  

Ontario put three across in the 7th.  Osorio slugged a leadoff HR (10) to tie the game.  C Francisco Espinoza reached 1B on an error.  RF Abel Lorenzo walked.  Both runners moved up on a PB.  Espinoza scored on a SF from LF Ching-Hsien Ko.  Lorenzo scored the 3rd run on a balk. 

After Abad and RHRP Jholbran Herder pitched a scoreless 7th and 8th.  RHRP Devin Bell gave up a single and double and a run in the 9th.  But he did record his 1st professional save. 

·      Easton Shelton – 2-4

·      Joendry Vargas – 2-4, 1 run

·      Oswaldo Osorio – 2-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, SF, HR (10)

·      Francisco Espinoza – 2-4, 1 run 

Box Score