Baseball Insiders talk about the NLCS, the ALCS and the possibility of Aaron Judge joining the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Baseball Insiders summary is back. FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray and new co-host Adam Weinrib discussed the National League Championship Series, American League Championship Series and the upcoming free agent market.
The return of the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night, thanks to Brandon Drury, Juan Soto and Manny Machado, allowed the Friars to win Game 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Both teams now travel to the City of Brotherly Love, where the crowd will go wild and hope the Phils win the series or at least have a 3-2 advantage before heading back to the West Coast. But enough about the NLCS, let’s get to the Baseball Insiders recap.
Will the Dodgers be interested in Aaron Judge during free agency?
The Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated from the postseason much earlier than the baseball world expected. After winning 111 games during the regular season, LA was eliminated by the San Diego Padres in four games and will watch the rest of the postseason from their living room. What could the Dodgers do in the offseason?
Expect Trea Turner to be the Dodgers’ top target this free season. Andre Friedman sealed the deal to bring Turner to Hollywood last summer and the Dodgers front office would be thrilled to have the shortstop back in the fold for the next few years. Turner will be one of the most sought-after free agents this season.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand linked LA to Aaron Judge, FanSided’s Robert Murray linked the Dodgers to Jacob deGrom, and Murray wouldn’t be shocked if Los Angeles were interested in Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers actually have horsepower to strike a deal with the Halos for Ohtani.
Expect big-market teams to sparkle in the offseason. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants could all be in the market for Judge and Ohtani this winter.
The Cleveland Guardians certainly surprised many baseball fans by defeating the Bronx Bombers in the ALDS, but Terry Francona’s group ultimately lost to the New York Yankees in five games.
The Guardians have a plethora of starting pitchers, and there’s speculation that Zac Plesac could emerge as a trade candidate with the Guardians looking to improve their line by adding a bat this offseason.
Surprise managerial candidate emerges from NLCS coaching staff
Philadelphia Phillies third base coach Dusty Wathan is attracting interest from the Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins for their vacant managerial positions. The Royals fired Mike Matheny early in the offseason, and the Marlins parted ways with longtime manager Don Mattingly.
Wathan is in his fifth season in Philadelphia, but his father was a catcher for the Royals from 1976 to 1985 and coached the Royals from 1987 to 1991, so the 49-year-old has a connection to the Kansas City organization. .
Will Justin Verlander return to the Houston Astros?
Justin Verlander has had a terrific 2022 season that will likely earn him another Cy Young Award. Will Verlander leave Houston in the offseason?
Murray seems to think Verlander is going to opt out of his contract with the Astros, but don’t look for the right-hander to play anywhere else in 2023. There seems to be a mutual interest between the two parties, and although others teams may be interested, the smart money is on Verlander’s return to Houston next season.
Have other teams finalized their manager search?
Houston Astros coach Joe Espada is a name that has emerged as a target for most teams looking to fill their managerial position. The Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins are all looking for a new manager.
Next : MLB Power Rankings: The top 10 free agents and where they signed
