Dodgers Picked as Third-Most Likely Landing Spot For Free Agent Slugger
With the Los Angeles Dodgers’ massive spending spree last offseason, many would think that the team may take a step back this coming winter. However, that may not exactly be the case.
While the Dodgers did unload a lot of money to land stars such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, among others, Los Angeles has always been about adding more talent. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has never been shy to go for the home-run swing, especially if he is fully bought into a player.
This winter, one of the premier stars in all of baseball is scheduled to be a free agent, outfielder Juan Soto. Soto is currently with the New York Yankees but there is an expectation that a bidding war will ensue this offseason to land his services.
The Yankees and New York Mets have been most heavily linked to Soto but you can never count out the Dodgers. MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post appeared on MLB Network and ranked his five most likely landing spots for Soto.
Los Angeles can in ranked at the No. 3 spot for the slugging outfielder.
“Number three, I have the Dodgers. Very desirable team, the stars have wanted to go there. Don’t know what the limit is. They’ve spent a lot, you never know. I’m not betting against the Dodgers. Well, it’s 15 to one. So maybe I have. Anyway, they’re number three.”
Landing Soto would fully have the Dodgers pushing all their chips in on going after a title. Putting him alongside Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and others in the Los Angeles lineup would essentially be an All-Star roster.
It will take a serious amount of money to land Soto but the Dodgers have shown a willingness to spend. Once Ohtani signed with the team, it became paramount that Los Angeles do whatever it takes to win at the highest level.
Signing a player like Soto would certainly be the definition of that. He has been having an incredible first season with the Yankees, hitting .302 with 34 home runs and 87 runs batted in.
The Yankees likely have the upper hand in keeping Soto but money tends to talk loudly. Plus, it remains to be seen if the Dodgers will actually go all-in to acquire the lefty slugger but never say never.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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Ohtani is the DH for 9 more years. Soto will have to play in the outfield for those 9 years. Right now Betts and Teoscar are the corner outfielders. If they don’t resign Teoscar, then the improvement having Soto instead of Tesoscar in left field for the next few years is significant, but not overwhelming. Tesocar right now is a better fielder than Soto. Signing Soto might mean a return of Betts to shortstop if Teoscar is resigned. Teoscar and Soto become the corner outfielders. Soto is having a slightly better year offensively than Ohtani because he walks so much his OBP is higher (fewer stolen bases, it is true). Soto at $50 million per year would be $25 million more than Teoscar, if they sign Soto and not Teoscar. If they don’t resign Teoscar they have up to $90 million coming off the books over the 2025-2026 payroll, so they can afford to sign Soto at $50 million/year. Will he be so much of an improvement over Teoscar over the next few years to be worth it? Is there a better way to spend the difference between Soto’s $50/million and Teoscar’s $25/million? Muncy could be gone after 2025. There is no one in the minors to replace him right now.
Soto would be a distraction to the chemistry of the Dodgers. Signing Teoscar Hernandez for FRACTION of Soto’s price would be the best move. Soto and his agents are looking for 500 million dollars, He is a talented athlete but not worth 500 million. The Dodgers will not get into a bidding war they will lose with the Yankees especially when they don’t need to. For what Soto wants we can resign Hernandez and several other needed pitching pieces that will help us win the WS. Signing Soto doesn’t even guarantee we get to the WS. Top pitching wil.
I agree
Yankees will resign Soto. They have no choice.
Soto is in his contract year. We watched him up close for last 2* years being a slightly above average player who’s all about himself. Please Yankees overpay for him and regret it within 3 years.