The Los Angeles Dodgers have already shuffled the roster around but have not gotten better by any means thus far this offseason.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have fallen short in the World Series in two consecutive years. While you have to get to the World Series first before you win it, and the Dodgers are good enough to do that, the team has not been able to secure the win.
That is not to say that the Dodgers are not good enough to win the World Series, not at all. However, after falling short two years in a row, it is obvious that something has to be shaken up.
The Los Angeles Dodgers certainly have been shaken up as the team is now without Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood and Kyle Farmer, all of which were traded to the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the offseason.
That move served as nothing more than a salary dump for two decent prospects on contracts that were expiring anyways. At least two of those players would have been producers for a World Series-winning team and the Dodgers have not gotten better just with that move.
Now, the door seems open for the Dodgers to do whatever they deem fit. Bryce Harper was the most prevalent rumor, however, those rumors have died down and quite frankly, the Dodgers don’t really need Harper to win the World Series.
That does not mean that the Dodgers should stay static this offseason, either. There is still the possibility of adding Corey Kluber, J.T. Realmuto or Nicholas Castellanos in a trade. Heck, the front office could even be working on a trade that none of the fans saw coming.
If the Dodgers do not do anything else this offseason and decide to ride with the same core minus some key players it will be a massive mistake. I understand if the team is ok with moving laterally. This is moving backward.
Plus, the fear of the luxury tax is so bewildering. Since the Dodgers reset the tax last season, the team would pay 20 percent of everything over the $206 million threshold.
The Dodgers likely won’t even come close to that number unless they get Harper and even if they do it is not a big deal. Even if we are being generous and saying the payroll gets as high as $230 million, that is still just $4.8 million.
The Dodgers sent the Reds $7 million in the trade earlier this offseason. The Dodgers sent more money than they likely would have to pay for being over the luxury tax this season.
To use that as an excuse for not making moves is silly. To use the farm system, which is a top-three farm system in baseball, as an excuse is also silly.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have to do something. It does not need to be massive, it shouldn’t be tiny and it should be something that makes the team better than it was in 2017 and 2018.
Source: “Los Angeles” – Google News