The Time Is Now

What does seven straight division titles and two World Series appearances get you? Desperation.

The Los Angeles Dodgers should being thinking slightly different this offseason after coming up short (again) in their quest to win the World Series.

When the Dodgers hired president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, it sent a strong signal that Los Angeles wasn’t going to spend recklessly despite what some thought. Under Friedman’s leadership, the Dodgers haven’t signed a top three free agent in that class. Friedman has brought his Tampa Rays DNA to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers have been able to control payroll by having one of the strongest farm systems in Major League Baseball. They haven’t traded long-term talent for short-term help. It’s why they still have the likes of Gavin Lux and Dustin May.

But this might be the offseason where they need to spend. Like 95% of teams in Major League Baseball, the Dodgers need another starter. The biggest prize out there is Garrett Cole and the Scott Boros client isn’t going to take a discount. The market has been set by Stephen Strasburg’s seven year-$245 million extension.

That’s one heck of a starting point for Cole but when you’re in the position Los Angeles is in, it’s a must to pay the price. Clayton Kershaw has done a lot for the Dodger organization but Los Angeles needs Cole and Walker Buehler to be at the top of the rotation. Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, and Julio Urias/Dustin May to complete the starting rotation. This is with the assumption that Hyun-Jin Ryu signs elsewhere.

While the Dodgers are talking to Boros about Cole, they might as well chat about Anthony Rendon also. Rendon would give Los Angeles some options in their infield. They could move Justin Turner to first and then look to move Seager or Max Muncy. The other option would be to sign Rendon and include Lux or Seager in a package for Corey Kluber if they miss out on Cole.

Either way, this team needs a shake-up on the roster. Not a major one in numbers but one in the level of talent. The ending to last season was unacceptable, even though, managerial decisions played a role in their disappointing ending. You don’t end your season but you voluntarily decided to put your playoff life on the arm of Joe Kelly. That’s setting money on fire.

Be that as it may, the Dodgers can’t dominate the NL West forever so getting a World Series will need to happen sooner rather than later.

 

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