Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Dodgers Rumors

How The Dodgers Built Their World Series Roster

By | at

As the World Series gets underway, we’ll take a look at how both teams’ rosters were constructed. In a battle of big-market behemoths, much of the heavy lifting was accomplished via free agency. The Yankees and Dodgers have each done a lot in trade and graduated some key homegrown contributors to complement their splashes on the open market.

A player drafted or acquired in trade who subsequently hit free agency and re-signed will be classified as a free agent acquisition. The player’s history with the organization is a key part of why they returned, of course, but the most recent transaction was nevertheless to sign them to a free agent deal.

After looking at the Yankees earlier this evening, we turn to the Dodgers in their quest for a second title in five years.

Trade (9)

The Yankees had massive trades for Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. The Betts blockbuster may have been even more impactful. Los Angeles also landed Graterol from the Twins in that three-team deal. They dealt Kenta Maeda to Minnesota while sending Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs to Boston and taking on a chunk of the underwater David Price contract. L.A. immediately signed Betts to a $365MM extension. He has a trio of top five MVP finishes since donning Dodger blue. It’s one of the most impactful trades in MLB history.

Nothing quite matches up to the Betts deal, but L.A.’s World Series team is benefitting from a couple more big deadline trades. Game 1 starter Flaherty came over from the Tigers in a trade sending rookie infielder Trey Sweeney and catching prospect Thayron Liranzo to Detroit. That transaction, which dropped just minutes before the deadline, reportedly came within hours of the Yankees pulling out of a potential Flaherty trade because of concerns about his back.

For as well as Flaherty pitched down the stretch, the Dodgers’ bigger July move was another three-team trade. Los Angeles landed eventual NLCS MVP Edman from the Cardinals and future closer Kopech from the White Sox in a deal that cost them young infielder Miguel Vargas and prospects Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez. Edman was recovering from wrist surgery and had yet to make his season debut at the time, while Kopech was sitting on a 4.74 ERA despite huge swing-and-miss numbers.

The oldest trade on this list happened a decade ago. The Dodgers and Marlins lined up on a seven-player deal that continues to have ripple effects. Los Angeles sent Dee Strange-Gordon, Miguel Rojas and Dan Haren to Miami for four players: Enrique Hernández, Andrew Heaney (immediately flipped to the Angels for Howie Kendrick), Chris Hatcher and Barnes. They’ve kept Barnes as a backup catcher ever since. Los Angeles would bring Rojas back nine years after moving him. The Dodgers acquired the veteran infielder in a one-for-one swap that sent infield prospect Jacob Amaya to the Fish. Amaya played four games for Miami before they waived him.

Los Angeles continues to benefit from another minor trade with the Marlins. In 2021, the Dodgers sent middle reliever Dylan Floro to Miami for Vesia and Kyle Hurt. Vesia has a 2.57 ERA over four seasons in Los Angeles. He is Dave Roberts’ top lefty bullpen arm. Vesia is backed up by Banda, a well-regarded prospect turned journeyman. The Dodgers acquired him in a cash trade with the Guardians in May.

MLB Free Agency (8)

Most of L.A.’s biggest free agent pickups came last winter. The Ohtani signing will go down as one of the biggest transactions in MLB history. The deferral-laden structure made it one of the most controversial sports contracts ever. After accounting for the deferred money, MLB values the $700MM as an approximate $461MM deal for luxury tax purposes. By any measure, it’s still the largest deal of all time — a record it’ll hold until Juan Soto signs this offseason. Ohtani became the first player in league history to go 50-50 and is going to win the NL MVP in year one.

Within weeks of landing Ohtani, the Dodgers signed Yamamoto to the biggest pitching contract ever. The 25-year-old righty signed for 12 years and $325MM before throwing his first pitch in MLB. A rotator cuff injury cost him a chunk of his first big league season, but he turned in an even 3.00 earned run average through 18 starts. Teoscar Hernández inked a one-year, $23.5MM pillow contract that was also deferred. The two-time All-Star was coming off a down year with the Mariners but rebounded with a 33-homer showing reminiscent of his best days with the Blue Jays.

Freeman was a big-ticket signee coming out of the lockout in 2022. He inked a six-year, $162MM deal (deferrals knocked the NPV closer to $140MM). The former MVP has picked up where he left off in Atlanta. He’s a .314/.399/.520 hitter in more than 2000 plate appearances across three seasons with Los Angeles.

Taylor, Brasier, Enrique Hernández and Treinen have all re-signed with the Dodgers in recent years. Los Angeles acquired Taylor from the Mariners in 2016 for righty Zach Lee. Taylor developed into a key super utility piece whom the Dodgers eventually re-signed for $60MM.

Treinen has signed successive short-term contracts and continues to pitch well at the back of Roberts’ bullpen when healthy. Enrique Hernández is a clubhouse favorite who has tended to elevate his game in October. The Dodgers reacquired him from the Red Sox at the 2023 deadline and brought him back on a $4MM free agent pact last winter. Los Angeles signed Brasier to a minor league deal midway through the 2023 season after he was released by the Red Sox. He dominated in Southern California and returned on a two-year, $9MM contract.

First-Year Player Draft (5)

Buehler, Lux and Smith are former first-round picks. Buehler fell to 24th overall coming out of Vanderbilt in 2015 because of concerns about his arm health. He underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted but developed into an ace before going under the knife again in 2022. He has been a shell of his former self this year. The Dodgers grabbed both Lux and Smith the following year. L.A. took Lux 20th overall out of a Wisconsin high school before grabbing Smith, a Louisville product, 12 picks later.

He has three career MLB appearances. Knack was a senior sign out of East Tennessee State in 2020. He started 12 of 15 appearances with solid results, but he’s working in low-leverage relief in October. Casparius, a UCONN product, went in the fifth round in 2021.

Minor League Contracts (2)

Muncy was an excellent find. A career .195/.290/.321 hitter when he was waived by the A’s, he signed a minor league deal in April 2018. He has four 35-homer seasons and three years with appearances on MVP ballots in the seven years since then. Muncy has signed successive extensions and has a .230/.356/.487 line in nearly 3000 plate appearances in a Dodger uniform.

Hudson re-signed with L.A. on a minor league deal last offseason. There seemed to be a handshake agreement that the Dodgers would carry him on the Opening Day roster. Hudson was coming off consecutive seasons wrecked by knee injuries but stayed healthy and tossed 65 innings of 3.00 ERA ball this year.

International Amateur Signing (1)

The Dodgers signed Pages for $300K out of Cuba in 2018. The outfielder has improved his stock to become one of the organization’s top prospects. He debuted this season and hit .248/.305/.407 with 15 homers.

Waivers (1)

Los Angeles claimed Honeywell off waivers from the Pirates in June. They waived him themselves but called him back up at the end of August.

Dodgers Announce World Series Roster

By | at

With Game 1 of the Fall Classic set to begin tonight at 7:08 pm CT, the Dodgers officially revealed their World Series roster. While 23 of the 26 players from the NLCS roster are sticking around for the World Series, the team made three substitutions. Right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol, left-handed pitcher Alex Vesia, and infielder Miguel Rojas have been added to the roster, while right-handed pitchers Evan Phillips and Edgardo Henriquez and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier have been left off.

Rojas had an excellent regular season for the Dodgers, but he has been nursing a partially torn adductor muscle since late September. He played in the NLDS, going 2-for-8 across three games, but was left off the NLCS roster after re-aggravating his injury. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters yesterday that Rojas was likely to make the World Series roster. With Rojas back in action, Roberts will have more flexibility to use Tommy Edman, Chris Taylor, and Enrique Hernández in the outfield, therefore leaving Kiermaier as the odd man out. Kiermaier was not on the NLDS roster but joined the team in the NLCS in place of Rojas.

As for Graterol and Vesia, their inclusions on the roster come as a bit more of a pleasant surprise. Roberts was less certain about their status when he spoke to the media on Thursday, but clearly, the team has since decided they’re both ready to return.

Graterol has dealt with injuries almost all year and was unable to pitch in either the NLDS or NLCS. However, he was one of L.A.’s best relievers from 2022-23, and he has a career 1.64 ERA in 22 postseason games. If he is back at full strength, he should represent a huge upgrade to the Dodgers’ arm barn. The same is true of Vesia, who has quietly been one of the best relievers in baseball since joining the Dodgers. Over 227 appearances with the club, he has a 2.57 ERA – plus a 1.50 ERA in 15 postseason games. Vesia pitched in the NLDS against the Padres but suffered a minor intercostal injury during Game 5. His return will be especially important considering the Dodgers were down to just one left-handed pitcher on their entire pitching staff during the NLCS. He is sure to play a vital role against some of the dangerous lefties in the Yankees’ lineup.

Subbing out for Graterol and Vesia are Phillips and Henríquez. Phillips struggled at times in the second half, seemingly losing his job as the Dodgers’ primary closer in the process. Nonetheless, losing the right-hander is a big blow for L.A. Even in an up-and-down season, Phillips finished with a 3.62 and 3.15 SIERA over 61 games. He also made five scoreless appearances in this year’s playoffs; he has yet to allow a run in 15 1/3 career postseason innings. Unfortunately, it seems as if the arm fatigue he felt in Game 6 of the NLCS (per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times) continues to be a problem. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic also notes that Phillips has been pushing through “lat, biceps and triceps tightness” for about a month, so it is not hard to see why the Dodgers would exercise caution. It’s also worth noting, as POBO Andrew Friedman told reporters, that the Dodgers would not have been able to remove Phillips from the roster mid-series if his injury worsened, because it was a pre-existing condition (per Harris).

As for Henriquez, the hard-throwing rookie was lucky enough to make the NLDS and NLCS rosters after pitching just 3 1/3 innings in the regular season. He gave up four earned runs on eight hits over five innings of work in his first taste of October baseball. It’s hardly surprising to see him bumped off the roster now that Graterol and Vesia are available once again.

The full roster:

Dodgers Notes: Rojas, Vesia, Graterol, Kelly, Ohtani

By | at

With the start of the World Series less than 24 hours away, the Dodgers are in the process of finalizing their roster as they attempt to win their first championship in a full season since 1988. Manager Dave Roberts spoke to reporters (including Bob Nightengale of USA Today) during today’s scheduled workout day about some of the final roster decisions being made, including the fact that veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas is “likely” to make the final roster.

Rojas, 35, was left off the club’s NLCS roster amid concerns about the adductor strain and sports hernia that have bothered him since late in the regular season. Rojas was only able to play in three of the club’s five games during the NLDS against the Padres and ultimately went two-for-eight at the plate with two singles during that time. During the regular season, however, Rojas emerged as one of the club’s steadiest performances after taking over shortstop for Mookie Betts when he was sidelined by a hand fracture back in June. The veteran posted a solid 111 wRC+ overall this year during the regular season as he hit .283/.337/.410 in 337 trips to the plate for the Dodgers.

Entering this series, Rojas provides the Dodgers with additional depth off the bench that could be helpful as they juggle not only Rojas’s lingering injury woes but also those of first baseman Freddie Freeman and any other positional injuries that could crop up throughout the series. Rojas is the club’s best option at shortstop defensively, though Tommy Edman held down the position quite well during the NLCS and Enrique Hernandez’s .863 OPS this postseason likely warrants consideration for at least some playing time as well.

It seems likely all three players will be in the lineup at up-the-middle positions against southpaws, though Andy Pages and Chris Taylor both enjoyed solid NLCS performances as well. The bigger question could be whether the Dodgers stick with a trio of Edman, Rojas, and Hernandez against right-handers or bench one of Rojas or Hernandez in favor of lefty-swinging second baseman Gavin Lux, who struggled during the NLCS but collected five hits (including a home run) during the division series against San Diego.

Roberts sounded less certain about the status of relievers Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol, though seemed optimistic when he told reporters (including Nightengale) that both players are “trending in the right direction” to make the roster themselves. The addition of a pair of high leverage arms like Vesia and Graterol would significantly deepen the Dodgers’ bullpen, though said relief corps did just fine against the Mets with Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, and Daniel Hudson mixing and matching during the late innings.

Vesia, in particular, would add a lefty reliever to that mix who could help to combat key Yankees hitters like Juan Soto and Anthony Rizzo who bat from the left side. The 28-year-old was left off the club’s NLCS roster as he nursed an intercostal injury but enjoyed a breakout season this year as he pitched to a sparkling 1.76 ERA (219 ERA+) in 66 1/3 innings of work during the regular season while striking out a whopping 33.1% of his opponents. Graterol, meanwhile, missed virtually the entire 2024 campaign with injuries but has been a fixture of L.A.’s late inning mix for years now, including a dominant 2023 season where he posted a 1.20 ERA (359 ERA+) in 68 appearances. If Vesia and Graterol prove to be healthy enough to make the roster, youngsters Edgardo Henriquez and Ben Casparius could be the odd men out.

One reliever who Roberts said won’t be on the club’s World Series roster (as relayed by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) is right-hander Joe Kelly, who has not yet appeared on the club’s postseason rosters after struggling to a 4.78 ERA and 4.57 FIP in 32 innings of work this year. Kelly, 36, has been battling a right shoulder injury but according to Roberts could be available later in the World Series as an injury replacement if necessary.

Even less likely to pitch in the World Series than Kelly is two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who has been limited to just hitting in his first year with the Dodgers but resumed a throwing program earlier this year. Roberts shut down any suggestion that Ohtani could appear out of the bullpen at any point during the series today, telling reporters (including Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times) that there is “no possibility” of Ohtani pitching against the Yankees during the Fall Classic. Of course, Ohtani delivered a 50-50 season that’s likely to earn him his third career MVP trophy and so far boasts a .286/.434/.500 slash line during the playoffs, so he’s still providing the Dodgers with plenty of value even without throwing a single pitch.

Marlins To Interview Clayton McCullough About Managerial Vacancy

By | at

As the Marlins continue to look for their next manager, the club has lined up an interview with Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough about the position, Isaac Azout of Fish On First reports (via X).  McCullough becomes the second candidate known to formally interview with Miami, after Tigers bench coach George Lombard.

This isn’t the first link between McCullough and the Marlins, as the team also interviewed him in their last managerial search two years ago, before Skip Schumaker was hired.  Schumaker’s two-season tenure saw the team reach the postseason in 2023, yet owner Bruce Sherman’s desire to focus on the farm system led to former GM Kim Ng leaving the organization last offseason, and the subsequent hiring of Peter Bendix as the new president of baseball operations put the Marlins back into rebuild mode.  As was widely expected, Schumaker also parted ways with the Marlins after this season, leaving the club once again in search of a new bench boss.

Though McCullough is now speaking with a new Miami front office, he’ll have a familiar face on hand in Marlins assistant GM Gabe Kapler.  McCullough and Kapler worked together with the Dodgers when McCullough was the team’s minor league field coordinator and Kapler the director of player development, before Kapler left Los Angeles to become the Phillies’ manager in the 2017-18 offseason.  Following stints managing both the Phillies and Giants, Kapler was hired by Bendix as Miami’s assistant GM last December.

Beyond the Marlins’ search in 2022, McCullough has been a candidate for several other managerial openings in recent years.  Most immediately, he has been linked to the White Sox and their current vacancy, which puts even more on McCullough’s plate as he is preparing for interviews as well as helping the Dodgers get ready for the World Series.  The Mets, Brewers, Guardians, and Royals all had McCullough under consideration for managerial jobs, and McCullough was reportedly a finalist in Kansas City before the team hired Matt Quatraro.

The 44-year-old McCullough has been the Dodgers’ first base coach for the last four seasons, after working as the minor league field coordinator since 2015.  While McCullough doesn’t have any managerial experience at the MLB level, he did manage at multiple levels of the Blue Jays’ farm system during the 2007-14 seasons, as he turned to coaching soon after his minor league playing career ended in 2005.

Lombard, Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken, Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and former Marlins bench coach Luis Urueta are the other candidates reportedly on Miami’s radar.  It isn’t known how close the Marlins could be to making an actual hire, though it is possible that their search could be somewhat complicated by the Dodgers’ lengthy playoff run, if they’ve been waiting to speak with McCullough.

Fernando Valenzuela Passes Away

By | at

Fernando Valenzuela passed away on Tuesday evening, a little more than a week shy of his 64th birthday. Major League Baseball will honor his memory with the World Series beginning at Dodger Stadium this weekend.

“On behalf of the Dodger organization, we profoundly mourn the passing of Fernando,” team president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement. “He is one of the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes. He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania season of 1981 and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a broadcaster. He has left us all too soon. Our deepest condolences go out to his wife Linda and his family.”

Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement of his own. “Fernando Valenzuela was one of the most impactful players of his generation. With his distinctive pitching style, the Dodger left-hander’s rookie season generated so much excitement in the U.S. and his native Mexico that it became commonly referred to as ‘Fernandomania.’ His 1981 season ranks among the most decorated pitching years of all-time as Fernando was the National League Rookie of the Year, the NL Cy Young Award winner, a Silver Slugger, and a World Series Champion.”

As both Kasten and Manfred referenced, Valenzuela was best known for his electric rookie season. The Mexican-born hurler signed with the Dodgers in 1979. While he was just 18 at the time, it didn’t take long before he pitched his way to Dodger Stadium. Valenzuela made all of 30 appearances in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut as a September call-up in 1980. Pitching out of the bullpen, the 19-year-old fired 17 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run to close the season. It was a preview of the phenomenon to come.

The Dodgers tabbed Valenzuela as their Opening Day starter in 1981 after Jerry Reuss suffered an injury. Valenzuela tossed a five-hit shutout against the Astros in his first career start. He followed up with a 10-strikeout complete game in a 7-1 victory over the Giants. He’d rattle off three straight shutouts thereafter, recording two more double-digit strikeout performances in the process. He closed out April with a 5-0 record and one run allowed in 45 innings.

Valenzuela’s shutout streak was snapped when he “merely” threw a one-run complete game win over the Expos during his first appearance of May. He blanked the Mets with 11 strikeouts in his next appearance, then tossed another complete game win (this time with two earned runs) against Montreal. Valenzuela completed and won each of his first eight big league starts while running a cumulative 0.50 earned run average — all at age 20.

That sheer dominance, which came on the back of a wiffle ball-style screwball, was only a part of Valenzuela’s immense popularity. A young Mexican pitcher performing at an historic level in Southern California made him an icon among Latin American fans, in particular. Valenzuela’s rookie year quickly became the stuff of legend, and the “Fernandomania” moniker that it took on remains a key chapter in MLB history more than four decades later. It was a captivating performance the likes of which will probably never be seen again with teams keeping a much closer eye on young pitchers’ workloads.

Of course, Valenzuela’s career stretched well beyond those magical two months. His rookie year was interrupted by the player’s strike that stopped play between the middle of June and the second week of August. The Dodgers, who were 36-21 at the time of the work stoppage, were declared the first-half winners of the NL West title. They knocked off the second-half NL West champion Astros in a hastily implemented Division Series — the Wild Card wouldn’t be introduced until more than a decade later — before toppling Montreal in the NLCS.

That set up a World Series showdown with the Yankees. Los Angeles defeated New York in what had been the most recent Fall Classic matchup between the behemoths. Valenzuela got the win with a four-run complete game in Game 3, the first of four straight victories for the Dodgers after they dropped the first two in the Bronx.

It was an ideal ending to one of the greatest rookie seasons the game has ever seen. Valenzuela turned in a 2.48 ERA across an NL-leading 192 1/3 innings. His eight shutouts and 180 strikeouts both led all major league pitchers. He topped future Hall of Famer Tim Raines for Rookie of the Year and edged out two more legends — Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton — to win the Cy Young. He finished fifth in MVP balloting and picked up a Silver Slugger for good measure. Valenzuela tossed 40 2/3 innings of 2.21 ERA ball over his five postseason starts.

The rookie season was so exceptional that it necessarily represented the peak of his career. Yet that in no way diminishes what he achieved throughout the 1980s. The southpaw remained a force atop the L.A. rotation for most of the decade. Valenzuela made the All-Star team in each of his first six full seasons. He topped 250 innings every year between 1982-87.

He fired 285 innings of 2.87 ERA ball in his second year, tying for third in Cy Young balloting in the process. He’d earn two more top-five finishes in the middle of the decade — including a runner-up placement behind Mike Scott during an ’86 season in which he struck out 242 hitters and led the Senior Circuit with 21 wins. The Dodgers made the postseason in 1983 and ’85, losing in the NLCS both times. They returned to the World Series in 1988 and defeated the A’s in five games. Valenzuela missed that series due to injury but collected a second ring after throwing 142 1/3 regular season innings.

Valenzuela remained with the Dodgers for another few seasons, but his production waned. The Dodgers moved on after he allowed an NL-most 104 earned runs in 1990. It wasn’t a good year overall, though Valenzuela had his final highlight in a Dodger uniform when he no-hit the Cardinals that June. He bounced around between the Mexican League and MLB for another few seasons, most notably spending three years with the Padres. He made one final trip to the postseason with San Diego in 1996 and finished his MLB playing career the following season. Valenzuela made a brief return to the mound in his home country in the mid-2000s.

All told, he pitched in parts of 17 MLB seasons. Valenzuela suited up for six teams, though he’ll obviously be remembered most for his time in Dodger blue. He finished his career with a 3.54 ERA in nearly 3000 innings. He won 173 games, struck out more than 2000 hitters, and tossed 113 complete games (31 of which were shutouts). His rate stats, while still impressive, are diminished somewhat by his late-career struggles. During his 1981-86 peak, he turned in a 2.97 ERA with 1258 strikeouts and 84 complete games in exactly 200 regular season starts. He was also a solid hitter for a pitcher, running a career .200 average with 10 home runs while winning a pair of Silver Sluggers.

Valenzuela’s peak might have been Hall of Fame worthy, but he didn’t maintain it long enough to garner serious consideration from the BBWAA. He fell off the ballot in his second year of eligibility in 2004. Valenzuela was inducted into the Dodgers’ Ring of Honor. The franchise officially retired his #34 last year. He remained a key figure in the organization as a Spanish-language broadcaster through this season.

The news will cast a shadow over the upcoming World Series, though the Dodgers’ presence provides an opportunity for the organization to honor Valenzuela’s legacy on the biggest stage. MLBTR sends our condolences to his family, friends, former teammates and the countless fans whose lives he impacted.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

World Series Roster Notes: Cortes, Graterol, Vesia

By | at

The Yankees and Dodgers are going to be facing each other in the World Series for the first time since 1981. Since neither LCS went seven games, there will be a few off-days before the World Series is scheduled to begin on Friday. Between now and then, both clubs will be assessing some injured players to see if they could act as reinforcements for the final stretch of the postseason.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters today that there’s “a decent chance” left-hander Nestor Cortes will be on the World Series roster. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic was among those to relay that info on X. As for the Dodgers, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was on SNLA last night and said there’s a chance both righty Brusdar Graterol and lefty Alex Vesia make the roster for the series, per Blake Harris on X.

Cortes landed on the injured list September 25 due to a flexor strain in his throwing elbow. He was shut down for about a week before starting to ramp up again, but hasn’t been on the Yankee roster for any of their postseason series so far.

Presumably, Cortes would be limited to a relief role in the World Series. He was largely working as a starter this year but has been out of action for about a month and has been throwing 10-15 pitch bullpen sessions lately.

The Yanks have had Tim Hill and Tim Mayza as their left-hander relief options of late. Both have been posting good results but in a low-strikeout, grounder-heavy fashion. Hill tossed 44 innings for the Yankees this year with a 2.05 earned run average, only striking out 10.4% of batters faced but with a massive 69.9% ground ball rate. His numbers in seven postseason appearances have been fairly similar: 1.59 ERA, 9.1% strikeout rate and 63.2% grounder rate.

Mayza tossed 18 innings for the Yankees this year with a flat ERA of 4.00. He struck out just 16.2% of batters faced but got grounders at a 55.4% clip. He has only been trusted to toss 1 1/3 innings in the playoffs thus far.

Cortes had a strikeout rate above 25% in each season from 2021 to 2023. That number dropped to 22.8% in 2024 but was still a solid mark. Pitchers can often rack up a few more Ks when moving from the rotation to the bullpen, throwing a little bit harder in shorter stints as opposed to pacing themselves for longer outings. Whether Cortes can do that or not might depend on his health, but if he’s in decent form, he should be expected to provide more punchouts than Hill or Mayza.

Vesia has made 232 regular-season appearances for the Dodgers in his career with a 2.89 ERA. His 11.5% walk rate is on the high side but he’s been able to offset that with a 32.3% strikeout rate. He’s been trusted enough to earn eight saves and 48 holds in that time.

He was on the Dodgers’ roster for the NLDS against the Padres but departed the final contest with an oblique/intercostal injury. He was left off the club’s NLCS roster but could potentially be back in the mix for the World Series. Anthony Banda is currently the only lefty option in the Dodger bullpen, so manager Dave Roberts would undoubtedly love to have Vesia back in the mix.

Graterol is more of a wild card as his 2024 has mostly been a lost season. He only made seven regular season appearances this year due to various injuries. He started the year on the IL due to both hip tightness and right shoulder inflammation, with the latter issue keeping him on the shelf until August. He made his season debut August 6 but left that outing with a right hamstring strain. He came off the IL in September and made six appearances that month but landed back on the IL in the final days of the season due to some more shoulder inflammation.

The on-and-off shoulder problems are concerning but the club might take a chance on him anyway. He’s been a key piece of their bullpen for years and was in good form as recently as 2023. He posted a 1.20 ERA over 68 appearances last year. His 18.7% strikeout rate was subpar but that’s always been his style. He limited walks to a 4.7% clip and kept batted balls on the ground 64.4% of the time.

Previewing Upcoming Qualifying Offer Decisions: Position Players

By | at

While the baseball world’s immediate focus is on the upcoming showdown between two behemoths, the offseason looms just after the World Series. One of the first key decisions for teams is whether to issue a qualifying offer to any of their impending free agents. Clubs have until the fifth day after the conclusion of the World Series to make QO decisions.

The QO is a one-year offer calculated by averaging the 125 highest salaries in MLB. This year’s price is $21.05MM. Joel Sherman of The New York Post reported in August that players who receive the QO have until November 19 to decide whether to lock in that one-year salary and return to their current team. If the player rejects and signs elsewhere, his former team would receive draft compensation. The signing club would forfeit a pick (or picks) and potentially international signing bonus space. The compensation and penalties vary depending on teams’ revenue sharing and luxury tax statuses. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently examined what each team would receive if they lose a qualified free agent, and the penalties they’d pay to sign one.

No-Doubters

There’s zero suspense with this quintet. They’re going to receive qualifying offers, which they’ll easily decline. Soto is on his way to a record-setting deal. Adames and Bregman are locks for nine figures. Alonso has a solid chance to get there as well. It’s tougher to envision a $100MM contract for Santander, but he shouldn’t have any issue securing three or four years at an average annual value that’s around the QO price. As revenue sharing recipients, the Brewers and Orioles will get picks after the first round in the 2025 draft (assuming Adames and Santander sign for more than $50MM). The Mets, Yankees and Astros all paid the luxury tax and would only get a pick after the fourth round if they lose their qualified free agents.

Likely Recipients

We placed Hernández in the “likely” bucket last offseason when he was coming off a down year with the Mariners. Seattle opted not to make the QO and let him walk, citing a desire to cut back on the swing-and-miss profile that Hernández brings. That paved the way for the Dodgers to add him on a heavily deferred $23.5MM pillow contract. It was one of the best value signings of the winter. Hernández returned to peak form, bopping a career-best 33 homers with a .272/.339/.501 line through 652 plate appearances. That’s more than enough power to live with a few strikeouts and a fringy defensive profile in the corner outfield.

The cherry on top for L.A. is that Hernández remains eligible for the QO in his return to free agency. The Dodgers could accommodate a $21MM salary in the unlikely event that he accepts. As luxury tax payors, they’d only receive a pick after the fourth round in next year’s draft if he declines and walks. That minimal compensation is the biggest reason Hernández isn’t a lock, but he’s very likely to decline the QO in search of three or four years. The downside if he accepts is that he returns at a similar price point to the one Los Angeles offered coming off a rough season. Opting against the QO only makes sense if the Dodgers are fully committed to giving Andy Pages a look in left field next season.

Walker has seized upon a late-career opportunity with the Diamondbacks to develop into one of the sport’s best first basemen. He’s a Gold Glove caliber defender who topped 30 homers in both 2022 and ’23. He’d have gotten there again this season if not for an oblique injury that cost him the entire month of August. Walker had to “settle” for 26 homers with a .251/.335/.468 slash over 130 games.

The South Carolina product turns 34 just after Opening Day. He’s looking at four years at most and could wind up signing for two or three seasons. That could come at a comparable AAV to the qualifying offer price, though, and this is likely Walker’s only chance to really cash in on a multi-year contract. He’d likely decline a QO. If he didn’t, the D-Backs should be happy to have him back for another season at just over $21MM. The majority of MLBTR readers agree; more than 70% of respondents in a poll over the weekend opined that the Diamondbacks should make the offer.

Long Shots

It’s tough to see a qualifying offer for anyone in this group. Goldschmidt is the least likely. The Cardinals are entering a retooling year and he’s coming off the worst season of his career. The former MVP hit better in the second half than he did in the first. He should land a strong one-year deal but isn’t likely to get to $21MM.

Kim looked like a lock for the QO before suffering a late-season labrum injury in his throwing shoulder. He underwent surgery that’ll almost certainly sideline him into the early part of next year. There’s a decent chance he’d accept, which isn’t a great outcome for a Padres team that may enter the offseason already up against the budget. Payroll is a similar concern regarding Profar, who is coming off easily the best season of his career. He’s been wildly inconsistent throughout his decade-plus in the big leagues. San Diego baseball operations president A.J. Preller loves Profar, but $21MM+ is a lot for a team with a massive arbitration class and needs at shortstop and in the rotation. The Padres could try to bring him back for three or four years at a lesser annual hit.

O’Neill had a productive season for the Sox, hitting 31 homers with a .241/.336/.511 slash. He added three more IL stints to his lengthy career injury history, though, and the overwhelming majority of his production came against left-handed pitching. O’Neill’s righty bat provides a nice balance in a Boston lineup that skews heavily to the left side, but the QO price feels steep for this profile. There’s a strong chance he’d accept.

Torres would not have warranted a mention on this list a couple months ago. He had an excellent finish to the regular season (.306/.375/.417 after August 1) and has a .297/.400/.432 slash with more walks than strikeouts in October. That’s enough to at least get him back on the radar, but a QO still feels like a stretch. He’s a poor defensive second baseman whose overall season line — .257/.330/.378 in 665 plate appearances — was essentially league average.

At the trade deadline, the Yankees seemed set to turn the keystone to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and let Torres walk. They could keep Chisholm at the hot corner, but they’d need to overlook the flaws Torres showed for a good portion of the regular season. There’s a strong chance he’d accept a QO, which would put the Yanks on the hook for more than $44MM after accounting for the corresponding luxury tax hit. Tying that money up a week into an offseason where they’ll face a massive bidding war on Soto probably isn’t happening. That’s especially true since the compensation they’d receive if Torres declines (a pick after the fourth round) isn’t particularly valuable.

Ineligible

Players traded midseason or who have already received the qualifying offer in their career are ineligible for the QO. That’s largely a moot point with regard to the position player class, as no one from this group was likely to receive one anyways. Bellinger probably won’t opt out of the two years and $50MM left on his deal with the Cubs. Conforto and Pederson would’ve been fringe candidates at best even if they hadn’t received the offer earlier in their careers.

Poll: Who Wins The World Series?

By | at

The most common rivalry in World Series history is being renewed for the first time since 1981, as the Dodgers and Yankees will meet for a record 12th time in the Fall Classic.  New York holds an 8-3 lead in the previous matchups, which included such iconic baseball moments as Jackie Robinson’s steal of home, Don Larsen’s perfect game, Reggie Jackson’s three-homer performance, and many more.

Now, a modern set of superstar players will square off.  Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Teoscar Hernandez, Giancarlo Stanton, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be among those trying to win their first World Series rings, while the likes of Juan Soto and Mookie Betts are looking to add to their already-storied October legacies.

The L.A. lineup was simply too much for the Mets in the NLCS, as the Dodgers scored 46 runs over the six games.  While the Dodgers’ reliever-heavy pitching attack is still trying to cover innings amidst a lot of injuries to regular starters, the team is perhaps just pitching too well to really call it a “patchwork” staff any more — Los Angeles has recorded four shutouts in its last eight playoff games.

The New York offense was also too much for the Guardians in the ALCS, with Stanton and Soto in particular leading the way with a combined seven homers and 13 RBI over the five-game series.  Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt have also formed a powerful three-man front in the rotation, and Luke Weaver’s late-season emergence as the Yankees’ closer has continued into a largely dominant postseason.

The Yankees are looking to add to their record total of 27 championships, though they are in a relative drought by the franchise’s lofty standards.  This is only the second time in 21 seasons that New York has taken part in the World Series, with the only other appearance in that span coming in 2009 when the Yankees defeated the Phillies.  The Dodgers have “only” seven titles to show from their 22 trips to the World Series, but they have the most recent victory, capturing the 2020 Series that followed the pandemic-shortened regular season.

Since the Dodgers won 98 regular-season games to the Yankees’ 94 wins, Los Angeles holds the home-field advantage, so the World Series is set to begin on Friday at Dodger Stadium.  Just one question remains….what’s your prediction?

(poll link for app users)

World Series result?
Dodgers in six 33.21% (5,730 votes)
Yankees in six 28.51% (4,919 votes)
Dodgers in seven 12.07% (2,082 votes)
Yankees in seven 11.52% (1,987 votes)
Dodgers in five 6.13% (1,058 votes)
Yankees in five 5.36% (925 votes)
Dodgers in four 1.80% (310 votes)
Yankees in four 1.41% (243 votes)
Total Votes: 17,254

Postseason Notes: Dodgers, Cortes, Senga

By | at

The Dodgers are headed back to L.A. for Game 6 of the NLCS with a 3-2 lead, but the club nonetheless faces some question marks regarding who exactly they’ll have available tomorrow. Catcher Will Smith departed Game 5 early after taking a pitch off of his glove hand during the game, but per Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times x-rays on Smith’s hand came back negative and he’s expected to be available for Game 6. That’s surely a relief for the Dodgers, given that Smith (111 wRC+) is a massive improvement over back-up Austin Barnes (86 wRC+) with the bat.

Unfortunately, things are less certain regarding first baseman Freddie Freeman. The veteran star has struggled at the dish of late while playing through a sprained ankle, with just one hit in his last 15 at-bats. While Jack Harris of the L.A. Times notes that manager Dave Roberts noted that Freeman is expected to play in tomorrow’s game just as Smith is, there was more uncertainty regarding Freeman’s availability as Roberts said he did not plan to decide if Freeman will start today and that whether or not he’s in the lineup tomorrow will be determined by how the veteran feels tomorrow. Should Freeman wind up missing tomorrow’s game, Max Muncy would likely slide from third base to first, opening up the hot corner for Enrique Hernandez and center field for Andy Pages.

More from around the playoff clubs…

  • Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes was left off the club’s roster for the ALCS as he rehabs a late-season flexor strain that’s left him sidelined for nearly a month now. Fortunately, Cortes now appears closer than ever to a return to action. As noted by The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, the southpaw has continued to progress well and figures to have just one hurdle left to clear in his rehab: a live bullpen session in the coming days. If Cortes gets through that bullpen successfully, Kirschner suggests that Cortes is “expected” to be on the club’s World Series roster should they advance. The return of Cortes would surely be a huge boost to the Yankees’ bullpen mix, particularly after they lost right-hander Ian Hamilton for the World Series yesterday due to a calf injury. Cortes would also add another lefty option to the club’s relief corps. The club currently only features Tim Hill and Tim Mayza as lefty relief options, the latter has allowed four of eight batters to reach base to this point in the postseason.
  • Moving on to the Mets, the club opted to give the ball to left-hander David Peterson rather than right-hander Kodai Senga in Game 5 yesterday, and that decision seems to leave the door open to a role change for Senga late in the series. As relayed by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters today that he “won’t hesitate” to hand Senga the ball in a relief role in tomorrow’s game despite Senga having been exclusively used as a starter throughout his MLB career to this point. With Senga evidently available out of the pen, the Mets may have a potentially dynamic relief weapon on their hands who’s capable of pitching multiple innings as a bridge to closer Edwin Diaz. Of course, that would require Senga to have ironed out the issues that saw him walk four batters and allow three runs in 1 1/3 innings of work against the Dodgers earlier in this series.

Dodgers Notes: Rojas, Hernandez, Hudson

By | at

Miguel Rojas was left off the Dodgers’ NLCS roster due to a partially torn left adductor muscle, and the infielder has already said he’ll need to undergo surgery to correct the problem after the season is over.  However, as Rojas told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, he is also dealing with a sports hernia that will require more surgical attention.

Despite it all, Rojas is still hoping he can heal up enough in the interim to be part of a potential World Series roster if the Dodgers can get past the Mets.  Rojas suffered the adductor injury in the last week of the regular season and was able to play in three games in the NLDS (hitting two singles in eight plate appearances) but hasn’t played since he was removed for a pinch-runner in the third inning of Game 3.

Assuming Los Angeles did advance to the Fall Classic, there’s obvious risk for the Dodgers in rostering a player who clearly won’t be at anything close to 100 percent.  Teams can make (with league approval) injury-related roster substitutions once the World Series begins, yet that wouldn’t prevent the Dodgers from finding themselves short-handed during a game if Rojas had to make another early exit.  The decision will ultimately hinge on both Rojas’ health and what the team feels a limited version of Rojas can still bring to the infield mix.  Other injuries will also be factors, like the hip flexor issue that kept Gavin Lux out of Game 2 of the NLCS.

With these health issues mounting, Enrique Hernandez has been a godsend for the lineup, as the utilityman moved into the starting lineup once Rojas went down.  Since Tommy Edman took over for Rojas at shortstop, Hernandez has become the new primary center fielder, though Hernandez has also seen action at third and second base, including a start at second base in Lux’s place in Game 2.  In addition to the defensive versatility, Hernandez has been hot at the plate, with two home runs and a 1.084 OPS in 20 PA in the Dodgers’ last five games.

Hernandez had already established a reputation for himself as a clutch postseason hitter prior to 2024, though his improved form might’ve been sparked during the summer when he started wearing glasses.  As The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal notes, a conversation with Martin Maldonado in June inspired Hernandez to undergo an eye exam, which revealed an astigmatism in his right eye.  Hernandez started wearing glasses to help his vision, and after an adjustment period, he hit .274/.307/.458 slash line over his final 180 PA of the regular season.  While not standout numbers, it was still a marked improvement over the .191/.258/.299 line Hernandez posted in his first 213 PA.

In other Dodgers injury news, right-hander Daniel Hudson didn’t pitch in Game 2 due to what manager Dave Roberts revealed to media (including Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times) described as a “lower-body” problem.  Hudson was deemed available for Game 3 and while he wasn’t one of five pitchers used in the Dodgers’ 8-0 win, that might’ve had more to do with the increasingly lopsided score than with any lingering concerns over his injury.

With gamesmanship in full effect in the playoffs, it isn’t surprising that Roberts wasn’t specific with the nature of Hudson’s issue.  Any sort of lower-body injury is of particular concern in Hudson’s case given that he tore his ACL in June 2022, and then pitched just three innings during the 2023 season due to recovery from that ACL tear and then an MCL strain.

The good news is that Hudson returned from these injury-marred years to deliver a healthy and productive 2024 season.  Hudson allowed a ton of hard contact and benefited from a .225 BABIP, but he finished the year with a 3.00 ERA and above-average strikeout and walk rates over 63 innings out of the Los Angeles bullpen.  A postseason hero for the Nationals in their 2019 World Series run, Hudson has continued his strong work in October with 3 1/3 scoreless innings so far in these playoffs.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top