So the Dodgers begin their title defense this week in flirting with baseball’s hottest available star.
I hope they ghost.
No Soto
So the Dodgers can get stronger the best training in baseballdeepen their historic batting order, tighten their all-around defense, become even more exciting, more enchanting, more unbeatable.
Thanks, but no thanks.
No, Soto.
It’s not that Juan Soto would be a bad acquisition. He’s one of the best young players in baseball, he raked the Dodgers for a 1.084 OPS in the World Series, he was everything Aaron Judge wasn’t, and God knows the Dodgers can afford him.
But to sign the free agent outfielder from the New York Yankees, they would have to make him the team’s highest-paid annual player, with his undeferred salary hovering around $50 million per year, and that just doesn’t work in a clubhouse. it doesn’t need a new leader.
It is Shohei Ohtani the team is Bets on Mookie‘the team is Freddie Freeman team, and you can’t send the message that this will now also be Juan Soto’s team.
Soto has never been a problem in the clubhouse, but his flamboyant aura — while great for baseball — won’t work so easily in the Dodgers’ grinding culture.
Ohtani is known for his professionalism, Betts is known for his selflessness, and Freeman is known for his courage. SO ? He is known for his batter’s box mix.
Okay, this is a 26-year-old superstar who would be worth every penny. He just needs to get paid elsewhere, anywhere, while the Dodgers should focus their attention on the shiny product directly in front of them.
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You know, the 2024 World Series champions.
Keep them together. Strengthen that chemistry. Build on this connection.
Andrew Friedman has done such a spectacular job building such a special team that it would almost be heartbreaking if he allowed some of their important free agent pieces to part ways.
Remember when the Lakers’ Rob Pelinka destroyed the 2020 championship team ridding them of important players so they can add Russell Westbrook? Hoping an equally bad renovation job doesn’t happen here.
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The Dodgers have shown they have the money, smarts and everything else necessary to sign the cornerstones who can keep the championship foundation strong. All they have to do is fight the urge to turn everything upside down with a shiny new toy.
They have six free agents. They should maximize their efforts to bring back four.
Certainly, they will add another starting pitcher or two – Japanese phenomenon Roki Sasaki is a leading candidate — and they’ll likely add a bullpen arm and a veteran journeyman outfielder.
But they should focus their attention on these four free agents.
To bring back Teoscar Hernández.
He’s 32 and bound to regress from last year’s numbers of 33 homers and 99 RBIs, but boy, outside of Ohtani, has any other Dodger had a more consistent impact ?
When the regular season Dodgers needed a boost, he was there. When the postseason Dodgers needed a hero, he had big hits in Game 1 of the Division Series, the Division Series clincher and the deciding Game 5 of the World Series.
It is much more than just a shower of sunflower seeds. He is an integral part of the soul of this club.
To bring back Walker Bühler.
Yes, he had two Tommy John surgeries and, yes, he recovered very slowly from his last surgery, going 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in the regular season.
But maybe no Dodger is untouchable anymore in October. He has a 0.47 ERA in four career World Series appearances and the steely fortitude to take the mound with a day off for the final three outs of this fall’s deciding Game 5.
The Dodgers value players who become stronger in the spotlight. Buehler made a career out of being one of those players.
To bring back Kiké Hernández.
This one is simple. You endure a .654 regular-season OPS for a two-homer, eight-RBI, go-ahead playoff series against the San Diego Padres in the deciding Game 5 of the division series.
Hernández has a career .874 OPS in 86 playoff games. He is Senor October. You keep Señor October.
To bring back Blake Treinen.
He’s struggled with injuries and will be 37 next October, but he had a 1.93 ERA in 50 appearances during the regular season and when the Dodgers needed him for 2 ⅓ innings in the game decisive of the World Series, he stopped the Yankees.
It was one of the most important moments of the playoffs, one of the most intense moments of his career, and yet he performed like a champion. The Dodgers should be on a mission to retain champions.
There is at least one other member of the title team who has landed a new contract. He’s not a free agent, but he’s on the verge of becoming a lame duck. There’s no doubt the Dodgers will take care of him before the final year of his contract, but it would be nice if it happened soon enough to impact potential new free agents.
This is Dave Robertsand there are very few managers on this earth who could have rivaled his skillful handling of all the October matches, injuries and intrigues.
Tommy Edman and Freeman each received special trophies, but Roberts was the Dodgers’ playoff MVP.
It’s time to pay it forward.
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This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
