MAKING AN IMPACT
With NL West on lockdown, Dodgers pursuing superstars
LAS VEGAS — The Dodgers’ offseason transaction page could read like this: Lost their general manager, won their seventh straight NL West title.
Los Angeles has been fairly inactive to date, yet what has gone on elsewhere in the NL West — including the Giants’ hiring of Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi to run baseball operations — has put the Dodgers in a somewhat similar situation to Cleveland.
The Indians were viewed as overwhelming favorites in the AL Central last year (and again for 2019) not only because they were good, but the other teams in their division were decidedly not. A similar retreat is occurring in the NL West, which has put the Dodgers in a powerful place this offseason.
They could essentially line up with their current team and be strong NL West favorites. Thus, the Dodgers are essentially shopping for elite difference-makers such as J.T. Realmuto and Corey Kluber, who could best help end their three-decade championshipless drought. And it is why they are viewed as a looming threat for Bryce Harper, though a variety of dominoes would have to fall for the slugger to align with the Dodgers strategy.
One reason the Dodgers are such substantial NL West favorites is Zaidi was hired by the Giants to transition that franchise philosophically from win-now to a bigger picture, and because the Diamondbacks traded their best player, Paul Goldschmidt, recognizing it would be difficult to overtake Los Angeles even with the star first baseman. The Dodgers respect those two front offices and believe those organizations will evolve into threats over the next few years. Thus, the Dodgers don’t want to move off too many future assets or tie up too much long-term payroll to make them less viable and flexible when the Giants and Diamondbacks are more prepared to strongly challenge them.
For now, the Rockies are the main NL West competition, but Colorado’s roster is not as good as Los Angeles’, and its franchise face, Nolan Arenado, is entering his walk year.
Again, it takes dominoes falling. Manny Machado would sign with the Phillies; the Nationals, Cardinals and Yankees really would continue to have no interest in Harper; and the only substantial long-term offers would come from someplace like the White Sox. In that scenario, could Harper instead pivot to accept a four-year deal from the Dodgers for a record annual amount and, say, an optout after two years to get back into free agency either after his age-27 or -29 season?
It could be sold that he wanted to be close to his Las Vegas roots and be a star going to the star town — signing a four-year deal like LeBron James did with the Lakers. Stan Kasten, who was Washington’s team president when Harper was picked first overall, is now Los Angeles team president. Also, Harper is the kind of star the Dodgers could sell.
Still, this may be just too much to fall into place, especially because, despite owner Mark Lerner indicating the Nationals have moved on from Harper, many in the industry believe they can still circle back.
But this is the level of player the Dodgers are gravitating to cur- rently. They backed away from Realmuto when the Marlins asked for Cody Bellinger plus prospects. But that always could be resuscitated. The Dodgers are deep in outfielders, starting pitchers and two of the sport’s better catching prospects, Keibert Ruiz and Will Smith.
That positions the Dodgers to be in play for any significant player on the market, at a time when they are laser focused on significant players.