ORLANDO, Fla. — Because the lodge foyer on the Signia by Hilton Orlando crammed at MLB’s winter conferences on Tuesday morning, an surprising prize was falling into the Dodgers’ lap.
Edwin Díaz, the highest reliever on this yr’s free-agent market, was abruptly slipping away from the incumbent New York Mets, who reportedly made the fan favourite nearer solely a three-year supply that did little to entice him to re-sign with the workforce.
The Dodgers, in the meantime, had been swooping in late to grab away the hard-throwing right-hander, submitting a extra profitable three-year bid that may pay Díaz a relief-pitcher-record $23 million per season.
Identical to that, the Dodgers had gone from a superbly content material, however unremarkably quiet winter, to 1 through which they’d as soon as once more flexed their monetary muscle groups and shocked the baseball business.
“There have been quite a lot of situations [that could have potentially played out this winter] the place we didn’t essentially find yourself with a top-end reliever,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman mentioned Tuesday evening, whereas declining to touch upon Díaz immediately because the transaction wasn’t finalized. “However we simply type of ready on a bunch of various fronts. And being aggressive, if one thing lined up, we’ve recognized all alongside [it is something we would do].”
The Díaz signing was an affirmation of the workforce’s working process on the free-agent market. They all the time no less than goal prime expertise. They all the time no less than keep across the proverbial blackboard, as Friedman calls it, in case a participant’s market doesn’t develop as anticipated. And now, they’re armed with the type of limitless assets that may make them a risk to scoop up any rebound.
As they go away Orlando this week and embark on the remainder of this offseason, it serves as a reminder:
The Dodgers may not want to make one other huge transfer, in the identical method they downplayed the necessity for any huge acquisition coming into the winter.
However they’ll actually be able to pounce if one other alternative materializes.
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“I’d say we undoubtedly can,” Friedman hinted when requested if one other huge transfer this offseason may very well be potential. “Whether or not that makes essentially the most sense throughout the timing of our roster — there’s so many elements that go into it, and any determination you make has a future value. It’s simply weighing that. So, sure, we are able to. How probably it’s, might be one other query.”
Begin with the highest general out there free agent, Kyle Tucker.
The Dodgers should not anticipated to entertain a long-term contract for the soon-to-be 29-year-old and four-time All-Star. If his bidding warfare, as projected, ends in gives upwards of 8-10 years and $400 million, the membership is unlikely to interact; given the glut of long-term contracts already on their books, and the crop of younger outfield prospects anticipated to achieve the majors within the subsequent a number of seasons.
However what if Tucker’s market cools? What if, like Díaz, he’s left to think about comparatively shorter-term offers with larger annual salaries? Granted, that’s unlikely to occur, contemplating the large curiosity Tucker is reportedly attracting, together with from the Toronto Blue Jays and their abruptly big-spending entrance workplace. If it does, nevertheless, the Dodgers might as soon as once more develop into candidates for a blockbuster, nonetheless needing to fill out their outfield as they embark on a quest for a World Collection three-peat.
The identical dynamic may very well be in play with different prime free brokers. The Dodgers have already proven curiosity in acquainted face Cody Bellinger, who might carry each positional versatility and a extra refined hitting strategy than he had throughout his first stint with the membership. Bo Bichette additionally presents the type of balanced offensive profile the Dodgers are believed to in search of, as they attempt to shore up a lineup that too usually was boom-or-bust final yr.
Like Tucker, each gamers are unlikely to suit the Dodgers’ bigger-picture plans if their free companies develop as anticipated (with Bellinger pegged for roughly 5 years and $150 million, and Bichette maybe eight years and greater than $200 million).
However because of the workforce’s flush monetary outlook — and the truth that a wage cap may very well be coming subsequent yr, doubtlessly incentivizing additional spending proper now — all it might take is a slight cooling in both participant’s market to make them extra sensible targets for the two-time defending champions.
So long as there isn’t an overburdensome long-term threat, the Dodgers don’t appear afraid of profitable shorter-term commitments to maintain their newly cemented dynasty.
“Now we have not solely a extremely gifted group of gamers, however a particularly pushed group of gamers, who need to handle their legacy and create a dynasty and be a part of one thing actually particular,” Friedman mentioned. “Due to that mindset, it makes it simpler to speculate. And do all the things we are able to to assist help that and be part of serving to carry that to fruition.”
The Dodgers might alternatively get aggressive on the commerce market. Brandon Donovan and Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals are seen internally as matches. Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians could be an excellent bigger-name addition, albeit is much less prone to be dealt this winter.
Then there may be the actual white whale: Two-time Cy Younger Award-winning pitcher Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.
For now, it’s unsure at finest that Skubal, who shall be a free agent after subsequent season and is unlikely to signal a contract extension with the Tigers (or another workforce that trades for him) earlier than then, will get moved this winter.
If he does, it figures to return at a particularly steep value for a beginning pitcher with one yr remaining of workforce management.
If there’s any workforce that has the ammunition to tug it off, nevertheless, it’s the Dodgers, with their ample pitching depth and top-ranked farm system. Like with their free-agent pursuits, there may be prone to be a restrict for the way a lot they’d half with. But when the Tigers severely think about a commerce, it will be no shock to see the Dodgers be severely concerned.
There are much less splashy routes for this offseason to go down, in fact. If the Dodgers don’t make one other marquee addition, they nonetheless really feel assured with the roster core they’ve in place.
Then once more, that’s the tone they had been placing coming into these Winter Conferences, earlier than swiping away Díaz within the shock transfer of the week.
Thus, the baseball world has been placed on alert once more: The Dodgers gained’t be reckless. They need to preserve longer-term flexibility. But when they see worth in a top-talent goal within the short-term, they gained’t be afraid to as soon as once more spend huge.
