For the first time in three years, the Dodgers’ winter has begun with a quiet period.
asserted
winter → begin → period
They didn’t reach the World Series this fall.
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They → reach → Series
Which means they have some time to sit back and take stock of their roster before the offseason kicks into gear.
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offseason → mean → gear
This year, of course, uncertainty surrounds the future of the sport.
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uncertainty → surround → sport
A lockout is almost certain to commence at the beginning of December.
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lockout → commence → December
When a new CBA is struck, and what changes to the league’s financial structure it could possibly entail, is still anyone’s guess.
uncertain
it → strike → structure
Because of that, forecasting the Dodgers’ moves this winter also remains a guessing game.
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forecasting → forecast → moves
At what will be a potential point of transition for the franchise, there are any number of routes that president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Co. could take.
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Friedman → be → operations
For now, though, they do begin the offseason with a few obvious questions that will need to be answered.
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that → begin → questions
Here are the five most pressing, as the two-time defending champions try to move on from their failed three-peat bid:
Tarik Skubal a Dodger again?
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Skubal → press → bid
But Skubal represents the one, superstar-caliber, potential record-setting exception.
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Skubal → represent → one
The two-time Cy Young Award winner is expected to break Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s high mark of $325 million guaranteed for a pitcher.
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winner → expect → pitcher
He could get upward of $400 million –– if not even closer to $500 million –– if the right combination of suitors emerges.
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combination → get → suitors
Their appreciation for his talent and work ethic only grew during his three months with the club.
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appreciation → grow → club
The relationships he built in the clubhouse –– including, first and foremost, with Blake Snell –– figure to only strengthen their case, as well.
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he → build → case
However…
The Dodgers already have ample future financial commitments.
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Dodgers → have → commitments
How comfortable they are adding another, especially before knowing what changes will come with MLB’s new CBA, could be the defining question of their winter.
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changes → add → winter
Entering the offseason, their 2027 payroll (for luxury tax purposes) is at $388.4 million, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
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payroll → enter → Contracts
If the league were to enact a salary cap, or harsher luxury tax rules (this year’s first tax threshold was at $244 million), those totals could prove problematic.
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totals → enact → million
And even if not, that would still be a lot of long-term money tied up in 30-something-year-old players (Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are all under contract for at least half-a-decade more).
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Ohtani → tie → decade
That isn’t to say the Dodgers can’t afford, or won’t be comfortable with, a mega-signing for Skubal.
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Dodgers → say → Skubal
If they feel he maximizes their World Series odds for even the next couple seasons –– in the way they thought he did this past year –– they will make an effort to sign him.
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they → feel → him
At this point, though, too many uncertainties surround his market, the sport’s larger landscape, and the Dodgers’ preferred economic plan, to know exactly where they stand in his sweepstakes.
Re-sign Kiké Hernández?
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they → surround → Hernández
Each of the last three winters, his ultimate re-signing felt like a fait accompli.
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signing → feel → accompli
This time, however, even Hernández seemed more uncertain about his chances of staying in Los Angeles in 2027.
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Hernández → seem → 2027
After the team’s NLCS elimination, he said he “would love to be back” but didn’t “really know what’s going to happen” –– so much so, he added, that “if I’m not, I hope that I get to play for a winning team [somewhere else].”
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I → say → team
In an Instagram post a few days later, he expressed his gratitude to the organization and its fan base with a foreboding “If this is it for us…” caveat.
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this → express → caveat
What makes Hernández’s situation interesting this year is what it could reveal about the front office’s bigger-picture roster-building philosophy.
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it → make → philosophy
In re-signing the October hero and veteran utilityman the last few seasons, the club was making an effort to keep its core –– even including part-time fringe players like him –– together.
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club → re → him
But now, it’s possible a large shake-up could be in order.
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up → ’ → order
If so, the 35-year-old Hernández would figure to be a potential casualty.
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Hernández → figure → ?
“We had a good run, but here we are,” he said.
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he → say → run
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with me personally, moving forward for next year.
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what → know → year
But this team is well-positioned to keep winning.”
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team → position → ?
Last winter, the Dodgers at least entertained potential trade discussions involving outfielder Teoscar Hernández.
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Dodgers → entertain → Hernández
This winter, it would be no surprise if they were even more open to shopping the veteran outfielder.
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they → shop → outfielder
For all Hernández has done in his three years as a Dodger, after all, he could be the first core piece squeezed out in their transition to the future.
uncertain
he → do → future
The club has a wave of corner outfield depth at the top of their farm system, starting with rookie sensation Josue De Paula.
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club → have → Paula
They have few other veteran pieces who would make sense to explore moving.
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who → have → sense
And if the team was looking for ways to get younger, and open up opportunities for its top prospects, Hernández (who is entering the final year of his contract anyway) would be the logical place to start.
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who → look → contract
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
