When it comes to Trevor Bauer, the important thing is what the Dodgers aren’t saying.
They aren’t talking about his future, which is as good a sign as any that they don’t see him as part of the team.
Less certain is what the Dodgers still have to pay the so-called Marquis de Sade of modern times. His contract totals $ 64 million over the next two years.
The Dodgers don’t know how Bauer will affect their budget. The amount owed to Bauer may be reduced if he is suspended without pay by Major League Baseball, which may not discipline the pitcher until the Los Angeles district attorney’s office decides whether to file criminal charges related to the sexual assault allegations made against him. by a woman.
The unresolved situation with Bauer further complicates what was already expected to be the team’s toughest offseason since Andrew Friedman traded former franchise cornerstone Matt Kemp in his first winter as president of baseball operations. .
“The preseason is challenging in many ways, as the time factor is difficult to navigate,” Friedman said last week at baseball general managers meetings in Carlsbad.
The weather factor for this particular offseason will be trickier than usual, and not just because of Bauer’s uncertain effect on payroll.
The baseball collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1 at 8:59 pm PST. Unless the league and the players’ union can reach a new agreement by then, there will be a work stoppage, temporarily freezing the free agent and trade markets.
That’s not ideal for the Dodgers, who could be forced to change a significant chunk of their active roster.
With Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer as free agents, they may have to rebuild their pitching rotation. With Corey Seager and Chris Taylor also on the open market, they might have to renew their lineup. With their bench weaker this year than in previous seasons, they will have to replenish themselves with versatile players.
Ironically, the most stable part of your team might be the group that’s often the hardest to put together: the bullpen. Even there, they might have to find a new closer, as Kenley Jansen pitched well enough in his active year to warrant a multi-year deal.
Counting Bauer and arbitration-eligible players like Cody Bellinger, Trea Turner and Julio Urías, the Dodgers are expected to have more than $ 200 million committed to players already under their control.
Re-signing all of his free agents would see the payroll significantly exceed $ 300 million, something Friedman acknowledged might not be realistic.
Not that that will solve all your problems.
The management’s attempt to reinvent pitching strategy in the postseason wasn’t the only reason the Dodgers couldn’t repeat their World Series championship. The team’s weakened bench was also a factor.
They can’t tackle everything through free agency.
“We will be well positioned, whether through trade or free agency, to figure out how to address the different areas that we want,” Friedman said.
Consider the possibilities.
Let’s say Seager signs elsewhere. The Dodgers will lose a mid-order hitter.
Or, let’s say Scherzer and Kershaw are leaving. They will have a rotation comprised of Urías, Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin, recovery project Andrew Heaney … and who else?
Everything indicates that Friedman will have to make some big deals.
The Cincinnati Reds are in the early stages of what appears to be a major sale. Starting pitchers Sonny Gray, Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle may be available.
The Oakland Athletics also appear to be for sale for parts. Pitcher Frankie Montas, who was briefly in the Dodgers organization, could be a candidate for the acquisition. So could pitchers Sean Manaea and Chris Bassitt.
“I think there will be very good pitchers available,” Friedman said.
There could also be hitters on the market, with A’s All-Star infielders Matt Chapman and Matt Olson possibly on the move.
But the Dodgers aren’t the only vultures haunting the corpses of these rebuilding small-market teams.
The success of the team under Friedman has led its competitors to build like-minded boards. His former lieutenant, Farhan Zaidi, now manages the San Francisco Giants, champions of the National League of the West. Another former assistant, Alex Anthopoulos, was the architect of the World Series champion Atlanta Braves.
In other words, Friedman will almost certainly encounter more competition when it comes to bargain hunting in the transfer market than he did in the 2014-15 offseason.
The environment could force Friedman to take a chance, as he did in his first winter with the Dodgers when he traded Kemp, Dee Gordon and Dan Haren. He did not re-sign Hanley Ramirez.
Those were not popular movements at the time. Kemp was a local player who became one of the best players. The personable Gordon also broke into the majors with the Dodgers.
In the end, the results proved the Dodgers right. The movements strengthened his squad. They lightened their payroll, which in turn gave them flexibility to make other deals.
In the seven years since, the Dodgers have won six division titles, three pennants and a World Series.
The time has come for Friedman to hit the reset button again. The question is not whether it will. The question is when.
To read this story in English, click here
