What Will the Dodgers Look Like in 2024?
This is a really tough question and one that I probably cannot answer completely. At the very least, it will be dramatically wrong, but I will attempt to answer it anyway because I know some of you reveal when I am wrong (which is often). One poster pointed this out yesterday…
This is a really tough question and one that I probably cannot answer completely. At the very least, it will be dramatically wrong, but I will attempt to answer it anyway because I know some of you reveal when I am wrong (which is often). One poster pointed this out yesterday:
Coming into the Winter of 2024, the following players are free agents or come off of the payroll:
— DodgerRick
Urias, Kershaw, Bauer, Shelby Miller, Jimmy Nelson, Brasier, Cyr (pitchers) (Lance Lynn has a team option at $18MM, Kelly has one at $9.5MM), JD Martinez, Kike Hernandez, Rosario, Peralta, Heyward, Marisnick (position players) (Muncy has a team option at $10MM).
THAT IS A LOT! Additionally, a lot has to happen between now and then. I happen to think that Andrew Friedman believes that “You trade for a Superstar or sign them as a free agent and grow the rest!” Yes, he traded for Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman (both superstars) and signed JD Martinez. He also signed Max Muncy (although no superstar), who is a solid player. I think that in 2024, AF would like to trade CT3 – we shall see if that happens. If Chris can be traded, then Kike Hernandez could be re-signed.
Of course, the 800-pound gorilla in the room is Othani, but I cannot see the Dodgers being the high bidder. There is no way Andrew Friedman is going to put that much money into a 30-year-old who is an injury away from being a boat anchor on an organization. I know AF would love to sign him, but it will be at a cost that is not going to hamstring the organization. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Additionally, JD Martinez could be re-signed (if he really wants to stay in LA). Most of the other players will walk. OK, I am going to cut to the chase. This is what I see next year:
- Betts SS (why not? He loves SS)
- Freeman 1B
- Smith 3B (catching beats him down; maybe LF is a possibility as his bat will play up)
- Muncy/Martinez DH (or maybe both are gone)
- Rosario/Busch LF (Rosario has experience in the OF)
- Vargas 2B (too much talent to ignore)
- Outman CF (I think he will continue to grow)
- Pages/Lux RF (one or both?)
- Catcher – Obtained by trade!
What say you?
Dodger News and Notes
- I have cataract surgery early today. I have no clue how I will see so… whenever!
- It looks like the Dodgers will have four players with 30+ HR. Remember the last time that happened?
- The Dodger World looked totally different when Julio Urias pitches like last night. Hopefully, he has found the Holy Grail.
- Sheehan looked great except for two pitches – Rookies!
- Muncy should platoon with Busch!
- Kiki Hernandez is rejuvenated to be back as a Dodger.
- Amed Rosario is tearing it up as a Dodger – 1.036 OPS – who knew? Andrew!
- Tonight is the biggest game of Bobby Millers’ career. If the Dodgers sweep the Padres or win the series, they are dead. No sweep by the Padres! Please, Big Dodger in the Sky!
- Ken Giles pitched an inning last night, no runs, no hits, 1 K, 2 BB – he’s getting close!
- Diego Cartaya is hitting .177. This is not good!
- Nick Frasso last night -4 IP/3 H/0 R/1 BB/8 K.
- Arizona is sinking faster than ______________
- I’d like to bury the Padres this weekend
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Discussion (88)
Disagree, not disagreeable
So how many first inning runs will Bobby Miller give up tonight facing 3 super stars in a hostile environment?
I will go first…..I say 3. (Not happy to say that either. Please don’t hate me for being honest with my opinion. Naturally I hope I’m wrong.)
Sidenote: I would have preferred Miller against woeful As at home instead of the surging Padres on the road, but I guess coach wanted to build up Urias’ confidence.
For Dodger Dad: Yes, Machado is a great third baseman. He was a better than average SS. But he is a jerk. He was a jerk when he was a Dodger, and he hasn’t changed one bit. The entire Padre team makes me want to puke. They act like they have won multiple championships, yet their biggest accomplishment since the Dodgers began dominating the West is beating LA in the NLDS last year. Other than that, they suck. Muncy got hit on his wrist last night and is day to day. Sheehan, if he sticks, will be out of the pen the rest of the season. Kersh comes back next week, and the rotation is Miller, Kersh, Urias, Lynn, Gonsolin, Yarborough. Buehler comes back on September 1 and is used as an opener for a few games to get his innings up. They go to a six man for the rest of the year until the playoffs. Buehler in the playoffs is a weapon.
Julio was good yesterday but his velo topped out at 93 mph at only a handful of pitches. Most times between 90-92 mph with the heater. That is well below what he usually is able to reach.
How this will play out vs the better lineups remains to be seen. A´s at the moment are more a AAAA lineup than a MLB lineup.
Sheehan pitched well. The first homer he gave up was a pretty good pitch but the batter put a very good swing on it. Happens.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Definitely an opportunity to reset the roster in 2024.
No Bauer, that was a disaster. Still believe Ohtani will be in play. I could make arguments either way, but he does generate an incredible amount of revenue and that has to be taken into consideration. This is not just about the usual free agent signing. So throw out all the usual evaluations.
All big contracts eventually go bad, the exception is Clayton Kershaw who has done a series of one year deals. MLB is littered with dead money.
But I believe Ohtani is the player the Dodgers intend to land and his apparent preference for the West Coast will favor LA. Then there are all the reports the Dodgers are all in, I would be shocked if he signs elsewhere. Besides the Dodgers with all their young inexpensive talent is the reason the Dodgers can afford Ohtani and still be able to surround him with enough talent to put a very good team on the field. Most teams are not set-up to do that.
Time for the Dodgers to go all in to win a championship and more, otherwise the chorus will get louder with comparisons to Stan Kasten’s Braves. The Dodgers still haven’t had a Parade.
No question, the Dodgers win baseball games, but they fall short in the playoffs. Putting Ohtani into a line-up with Betts, Freeman, and Smith bodes well for the future. Not to mention his pitching skills and the Dodgers youth offer an opportunity to create a six man staff.
I think Clayton comes back if the Dodgers sign Ohtani.
I think Gavin Lux plays short. Time to give Michael Busch a real shot, third base? Miguel Vargas will become the player the Dodgers thought he would this year.
What to do with Max? Time to move on. Not sure about Julio. But do the Dodgers want to sink money in a big contract? Maybe he turns it around in the next two months. But I’d move on.
Remember the Dodgers have a lot of money coming off the books. Time to roll.
Jack Flaherty pitched well for the Orioles last night. Scherzer was okay, Lorenzen pretty good for the Phillies and Pittsburgh’s Keller had a bad night. Not all trades that work are about high price talent or up and coming stars.
Good luck today Mark.
1B-Freeman
2B-Vargas
SS-Lux
3B-Busch
LF-Heyward/CT3
CF-Outman
RF-Betts
C-Smith
DH-Othani
I’ll bet mine is closer than yours!
David Vassegh
@THEREAL_DV
JD Martinez likely will return to #Dodgers lineup Saturday in San Diego according to Dave Roberts.
David Vassegh
@THEREAL_DV
Dave Roberts said Walker Buehler will throw a bullpen session in SD tomorrow. #Dodgers
Win tonight! Must win the first game and send a message! A split would be ok. 3 out of 4 fantastic! A sweep? Say goodnight, Friars! I guess I could have included Manny on my most despised list, but as big an aaasss as he can be, he is a big-time 3rd baseman. Tatis on the other hand is a big talent with a lots of space in his skull! Nice to see Julio pitch well last night. Albeit Oakland still major league players. nice call to throw Emmet and save the bullpen. Probably going to be used extensively this weekend. Matt Olsen putting up big numbers, and Acuna having an unreal season, in the clutch I’ll take Freddie! I guess we all gave Eduardo Rodriguez a pass at first regarding his trade to the Dodgers. But now it seems he was playing hardball trying to get more money to waive his no trade! No, he doesn’t make my most despised list, but hope he never pitches for the Dodgers! Having a good year in Detroit, but I was never blown away when he pitched for Boston. When Julio is right there’s no competition between the 2 lefties! Afro Mark on Ohtani, spend some of that money on Matt Chapman maybe. Maybe bring in Salvador Perez for a year to allow Will to save his knees. Think that would be a nice platoon. Trade Max and resign JD. With Lux coming back should be good. Will in left most of the time with Sal catching, Chapman at 3rd, Mookie at shortstop, Lux at 2nd, if Rosario continues to rake, center fielder? Good speed. Bye bye Austin! Hey props to Barnes, got that average up to .130! Sorry, my bad. Hopefully it continues to rise cause Will struggling right now. Hope your eye surgery goes well Mark!
Does anyone know if Kershaw is starting against the Padres tomorrow?
Mark –
Good luck on your eye surgery today; from what I read yeaterday Bear is having eye surgery soon too. Hope both of your surgeries go well and thanks to both of you for LADT. It has enhanced my experience as a Dodger fan since 1955….
Freeman was acquired via FA not trade. I think Lux will be given every opportunity to be the everyday SS.
Likely AF executes the team buy out on Muncy and Busch is the 3b.
Hope you eye surgery goes well, Mark.
These days those kind of operations are routine.
Who is that Ramirez guy you have projected in LF next season ?
I would keep Smith at C one more year. Then Cartaya should be ready. Hopefully. He is in a season long slump but as you say progess is not always linear. What worries me about him is his long swing. At the moment he can not connect on the fastballs he gets.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!