2026 in Preview: Centerfield and Rightfield
You Can’t Consider CF without Considering RF I don’t think we see what the final alignment of the outfield will be at this time. A move or “moves” have to be made: Kyle Tucker is a long shot. The Dodgers (rightfully) have little interest in Cody Bellinger. Luis Robert, Jr. and…
You Can’t Consider CF without Considering RF
I don’t think we see what the final alignment of the outfield will be at this time. A move or “moves” have to be made:
- Kyle Tucker is a long shot.
- The Dodgers (rightfully) have little interest in Cody Bellinger.
- Luis Robert, Jr. and Harrison Bader would be downgrades.
- Byron Buxton would be a disaster or a genius move with 10 to 1 odds against the latter.
- The Red Sox are asking for a King’s Ransom for Jarren Duran, but no one has pulled the trigger. I think the Dodgers can put together a package the Red Sox will like, centered on Sheehan et al. However, we don’t know.
Tommy Edman will likely not be ready to start the season, but all hands point to his being ready in May. Andy Pages has improved incrementally on defense throughout the 2025 season and could play there in 2026. Teoscar is horrible in RF and needs to play LF. I see two possibilities:
1. Trade for Duran and let him play CF; or
2. Put Teo in LF and Pages in RF and play Alex Call in CF until Edman and maybe Kike Return.
I prefer Option 1. Boston wants pitching. I love Sheehan, but I am willing to trade him for a hitter like Duran. It will take more than Sheehan, but I would consider it. Maybe Boston wants to keep Duran. I get that, so I would be willing to trade for Wilyer Abreu, a left-handed right fielder, which would move Pages back to CF. I am okay with that, as well. Sheehan for Abreu? Get ‘er done! If the Red Sox wanted Hyeseong Kim as well, I would not say no. Duran or Abreu (one of them) is the final piece.
Abreu would platoon with Alex Call in RF. Abreu is 26 and projectable to be a 30 HR guy. Maybe one of the Dodgers outfield prospects will be ready in the second half of 2026! If the Dodgers don’t do anything, Alex Call could start the season as the centerfielder. Alex Call’s defensive reputation, especially in center field, skews toward above-average to solid rather than elite — he’s got good tools. He gets the job done, but he doesn’t profile as a top-tier defender relative to the very best CFs in the league. Still, he could fill in until an elite Centerfielder appeared. Metrics and scouting reports peg Call as having good reactions and decent range, which helps him cover ground in the outfield. He’s not the fastest sprinter in the league, but his instincts and reads boost his effectiveness. Alex has above-average arm strength for an outfielder.
Alex Call in CF has to be a consideration. We shall see! He has a career OPS of .712, but OPS’ed .746 last year. He’s very close to Harrison Bader in career hitting, but not his equal in defense. Still, he ain’t shabby! The next time, we will look at starting pitching! Try this lineup out (no trades):
- Ohtani DH
- Betts SS
- Freeman 1B
- Smith C
- Muncy 3B
- Hernandez LF
- Kim/Rojas 2B
- Pages RF
- Call CF
So, we wait!
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Discussion (59)
Disagree, not disagreeable
FYI: MLB teams can trade International Signing Bonus Pool money, and they do it quietly all the time. Think of it as swapping lottery tickets rather than players. Under MLB rules (set by the CBA), each team gets an International Signing Bonus Pool every year to sign amateur players outside the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Teams may trade pool money to other teams Pool money cannot be traded for cash directly It’s usually bundled with players or draft picks A team cannot exceed 60% over its original pool, even after trades Pool money expires after that signing period You can’t “bank” it for future years Trades must be completed before the international signing deadline
I believe Bichette gets a high annual salary and a shorter deal probably 5 years with opt outs.He is better than the Dodgers presently have to play second base with right handed power and batting average.
For those that are interested, the International Signing Period starts next Thursday January 15th on Martin Luther King Day. By signing Edwin Diaz the Dodger’s signing pool was reduced by 1 million dollars.The Dodger’s revised signing pool number is $5,679,200.
I think that ultimately, both will get 7 to 8-year deals. Both are “nice” players. Neither is a “superstar.”
Muncy,Treinen and Rojas should NO longer be Dodgers after the 2026 season.
Bichette makes more sense to me than Tucker. I’ve been advocating for his signing since the start of the free agent signing period. We don’t really need Tucker with all the outfield prospects a year or two away. We may even see one or two of them in 2026. Bo Bichette is represented by Vayner Sports, NOT BORASS..He was previously represented by CAA Sports. Vayner Sports is a sports agency that represents numerous professional athletes across various sports.
Buster Onley reporting that the dodgers are “hovering” over both the Bichette and Tucker markets waiting for long term deals to fail to develop so they can get one or the other on a short term deal with higher average salary. Similar to the way the Freddie Freeman market developed (or rather didn’t develop) leading to a deal with LA.
Only five players left on the roster from the 2020 Champs. Smith, Muncy, Betts, Graterol, and Treinen. Pop signs MLB deal with the Phillies.
You are kudding. How did I miss that.
It was mentioned earlier that Don Mattingly would be the bench coach for the Phillies. Why? Former Dodger, Preston Mattingly is Philly’s GM! Now you know the rest of the story.
Not pickled but cooked. Served in a salad with feta, pecans & vinaigrette. Shallots optional.
The one thing I hate more than beets is pickled beets!!
Pork Fried Chicken Lips
Ditto!
Pickled beets are the best. Cooked cabbage. Pinto beans and cornbread.
I love beets
I don’t like beets
(1) I like Kim . Can he hit MLB pitching? (2) I like Teo, Can he play right field ? NO! (3) I like Call. Can he be an everyday outfielder? Probably not. (4) l like Bichette. Will he play second? Absolutely in LA! (5) I like Duran . Can a deal be made? Yes, but not easy.. (6) I like Rushing. Will he get enough AB’s? Maybe, but not at Will’s expense. (7). I like Kike. How long will he be out? 2 months minimum? (8). I like Glasnow. Do they go back on their word and trade him? NO!! (9) I like Edman . is he an everyday player? NO! But a damn good one! (10). Is there anything I don’t like? YES ! Sweet potato!!
I’m completely with you. I don’t see how AF goes against his own counsel and makes a move that reverses 3-4 years of team history. It’s not like we’ve struggling without him!
Nailed it!
If Bichette wants to come here with what the Dodgers offer, then I am down with it. I did not think he had the arms for 3B, and many agree with that, but there are some MLB Radio guys who think he could play 3B. Opinions!
Reasons why the Dodgers aren’t interested in Cody Bellinger: 1. He is not the same player he was when he was in LA; 2. Yankee Stadium was made for him – he road splits are not good; 3. Andrew Friedman is not a moron, and 4. Cody wants to be in NY. Even Ray Charles can see that!
To me there’s uncertainty at 2 positions – CF and 2B. They could let Rojas and Kim play 2B while Edman rehabs and then slot him in as primary 2B, play Teo and Pages in the OF corners, leaving CF as a question. Or juggle until Edman returns and slot him in as primary CF and fill a hole at 2B. Tucker or Bellinger can play RF of course meaning that Pages plays CF for a while longer, but since the team’s best position player prospects are all OF it doesn’t make sense to sign an OF looking for a long term deal. They could sign a stopgap like Bader to cover CF for a couple of years. Bellinger isn’t a good defensive CF any more according to metrics. I wonder if signing an infielder makes more sense. Bichette can play 2B and is an impact RH bat. I don’t know if his arm is strong enough to shift to 3B if necessary if Muncy leaves after the 2026 season. In the short run, signing Bichette to play 2B means that Edman can play CF when he comes off the IL and they don’t block their OF prospects when they are ready.
AF is waiting around till prices come down on free agents where the player will take a high annual salary and a shorter term and realize there’s a good possibility of making the playoffs each year and advancing to the World Series and playing with the greatest player whoever played the game in Ohtoni in great weather and a packed stadium. Money isn’t everything if you’re signing with a loser. Ask Juan Soto.
This is dingbat, double negative logic. It reminds me of a nonsensical argument I found myself in on the other board when Inpointed out Austin Barnes had never, ever said he wants to be in MLB management.: “But!” the others noted, “Barnes had never said he DIDNT want to be a manager.” Dingbat logic. There is smoke and there is fire. In the case of Bellinger, neither.