So the Dodgers start their title protection this week by flirting with baseball’s hottest accessible star.
Right here’s hoping they get ghosted.
No Soto.
So the Dodgers can strengthen baseball’s greatest lineup, deepen their historic batting order, tighten their versatile protection, develop into much more thrilling, extra enchanting, extra unbeatable.
Dodger Teoscar Hernández hugs teammate Mookie Betts in the course of the group’s World Sequence celebration on Nov. 1 at Dodger Stadium.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Instances)
Thanks, however no thanks.
No Soto.
It’s not that Juan Soto could be a foul acquisition. He’s one among baseball’s greatest younger gamers, he raked the Dodgers for a 1.084 OPS within the World Sequence, he was all the things Aaron Choose was not, and heaven is aware of the Dodgers can afford him.
However to signal the New York Yankee free agent outfielder, they would want to make him the highest-paid annual salaried participant on the group, his no-deferred paycheck near $50 million a yr, and that simply doesn’t work in a clubhouse that doesn’t want a brand new chief.
That is Shohei Ohtani’s group, it’s Mookie Betts’ group, it’s Freddie Freeman’s group, and there’s no method you’ll be able to ship the message that it’ll now even be Juan Soto’s group.
Soto has by no means been a clubhouse downside, however his flamboyant aura — whereas nice for baseball — received’t so simply work within the Dodgers grind-it-out tradition.
Ohtani is thought for his professionalism, Betts is thought for his unselfishness and Freeman is thought for his guts. Soto? He’s identified for his batter’s field shuffle.
Agreed, he’s a 26-year-old famous person who could be value each penny. He simply must receives a commission someplace else, wherever else, whereas the Dodgers ought to focus their consideration on the gleaming product immediately in entrance of them.
You understand, the 2024 World Sequence champions.
Hold them collectively. Strengthen that chemistry. Construct on that bond.
Andrew Friedman did such a spectacular job in shaping such a particular group, it will verge on heartbreaking if he permits a few of their necessary free-agent items to go their separate methods.
Keep in mind when the Lakers’ Rob Pelinka tore aside the 2020 championship group by ridding them of necessary position gamers so they might add Russell Westbrook? Right here’s hoping a equally unhealthy transform job doesn’t occur right here.
The Dodgers have proven they’ve the cash, and the smarts, and all the things else required to signal the cornerstones who can maintain the championship basis robust. Now they only must battle the urge to show all the things the other way up with a shiny new toy.
They’ve six free brokers. They need to maximize their efforts to convey again 4 of them.
Definitely, they’ll add one other beginning pitcher or two — Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki is one main candidate — and they’ll in all probability add a bullpen arm and veteran journeyman outfielder.
However they need to focus their consideration on these 4 free brokers.
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy is showered by sunflower seeds tossed by teammate Teoscar Hernández after hitting a fifth inning homer in opposition to the New York Mets in Recreation 2 of the Nationwide League Championship Sequence at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 14.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Instances)
Convey again Teoscar Hernández.
He’s 32, and sure to regress from final yr’s 33-homer, 99-RBI numbers, however goodness, outdoors of Ohtani, did some other Dodger make a extra constant influence?
When the regular-season Dodgers wanted a raise, he was there. When the postseason Dodgers wanted a hero, he had large hits within the division collection opener, the division collection clincher, and the clinching World Sequence Recreation 5.
He’s greater than only a bathe of sunflower seeds. He’s an enormous a part of this membership’s soul.
Gamers run to have a good time with Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, far left, after he tossed the ultimate out in opposition to the Yankees to win the World Sequence on Oct. 30 at Yankee Stadium.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Instances)
Convey again Walker Buehler.
Sure, he’s had two Tommy John surgical procedures and, sure, he made an awfully sluggish restoration from his most up-to-date operation, going 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA within the common season.
However maybe no Dodger is extra unhittable in October. He has an 0.47 ERA in 4 profession World Sequence appearances and the steely nerve to take the mound on at some point’s relaxation for the final three outs of this fall’s clinching Recreation 5.
The Dodgers worth gamers who get stronger beneath the highlight. Buehler has made a profession out of being a type of gamers.
Kiké Hernández holds the World Sequence trophy on the stage along with his teammates throughout a celebration at Dodger Stadium on Nov. 1.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Instances)
Convey again Kiké Hernández.
This one is easy. You endure a regular-season OPS of .654 for a postseason of two homers, eight RBIs, and a go-ahead dinger in opposition to the San Diego Padres within the deciding Recreation 5 of the division collection.
Hernández has a profession .874 OPS in 86 postseason video games. He’s Señor October. You retain Señor October.
Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen reacts recording the final out within the eighth inning of Recreation 5 of the World Sequence in opposition to the Yankees at Yankees Stadium on Oct. 30.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Instances)
Convey again Blake Treinen.
He has struggled by means of accidents and he’ll be 37 subsequent October however he had a 1.93 ERA in 50 appearances in the course of the common season and when the Dodgers wanted him for two ⅓ innings within the World Sequence clincher, he shut down the Yankees.
It was one of many greatest moments of the postseason, one of the vital strenuous moments of his profession, but he carried out like a champion. The Dodgers needs to be within the enterprise of retaining champions.
There’s at the least another member of the title group that has earned a brand new contract. He’s not a free agent, however he’s on the verge of turning into a lame duck. There’s little doubt the Dodgers will handle him earlier than the ultimate yr of his contract, however it will be good if it occurred quickly sufficient to have an effect with potential incoming free brokers.
Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts reacts after profitable the World Sequence on Oct. 30 at Yankee Stadium.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Instances)
He’s Dave Roberts, and there’s only a few managers strolling this earth who might have matched his deft dealing with of all of the October bullpen video games and accidents and intrigue.
Tommy Edman and Freeman every obtained particular trophies, however Roberts was the Dodgers’ total postseason MVP.
It’s time to pay him prefer it.
