October 18th, 2019 at 8:00 am 
by 0799291000348 Attempting to forecast what changes the Dodgers will make in preparation for the 2020 season may be categorized as a fool’s errand, but that’s what we fanatics do during the annual Hot Stove League, which unfortunately started much too early this year.
Since Andrew Friedman’s reign as the Dodgers president of baseball operations began on October 14, 2014, his modus operandi has been relatively consistent:
- There will be little – if any – information coming from the Dodgers organization; they do not leak information unless it serves their purposes. They neither confirm nor deny speculation of player transactions. Friedman has said that he sees value in the misdirection created by the rumormongering of others.
- Methodical decision making – they do not rush into trades or free-agent signings. Expecting significant moves by the Dodgers before the annual Winter Meetings will only frustrate fans; patience is the operative word.
- Building from within the organization’s deep and talented minor league system is a fundamental strategy.
- Highly regarded prospects are viewed as building blocks, not trade capital. The Dodgers are loathed to trade their very best prospects, passing on established major league talent when other teams demand the very best prospects in return.
- Signing free agents is restricted to a narrow range of parameters; willing to pay higher average annual value (AAV) rather than contract years past age 35.
- Looking for value from players who have been passed over by other teams.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Current 40-man Roster Status
- Free agency: Left-handed starting pitcher Rich Hill (2020 playing age 40); left-handed starting pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu (age 33); and, catcher Russell Martin (age 37). First base / third baseman Jedd Gyorko (age 33) will undoubtedly receive a buyout of his 2020 option ($13 million) and become a free agent. First baseman and 2011 World Series MVP David Freese was eligible for free agency but announced his retirement this past week.
- Restricted list: Decisions must soon be made regarding outfielder Andrew Toles and pitcher Yadier Alvarez. Either return to the 40-man roster, traded, exposed to waivers, or outright release.
- Injuries: Left-handed reliever Scott Alexander, and first baseman Tyler White are on the 60-day Injured List. If healthy, both are projected to be returned to the 40-man roster and compete for jobs in spring training.
- Non-tender candidates (players currently on the roster who may not be offered a 2020 contract): relief pitchers JT Chargois, and Yimi Garcia, and infielder Kristopher Negron.
- Protecting prospects: The Dodgers will have to make room on the 40-man roster for those prospects they want to protect from the 2019 Rule-5 draft at the upcoming Winter Meetings. Prospects likely to be added include middle infielder Omar Estevez, corner infielder Cristian Santana, outfielder DJ Peters, along with pitchers Jordan Sheffield, and Mitchell White. On the bubble is utility player Zach McKinstry, who enjoyed an offensive breakout season in 2019, but is yet another left-handed hitter.
We will take a deeper dive into the Dodgers 2020 roster questions in the near future as we stoke the fire for this year’s Hot Stove League.
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Good stuff as usual, Jesse. Thanks.
Your bullet point list of Friedman’s modus operandi is just what we should want our GM doing. Bottom line, I believe we are in good hands with Friedman.
Looking forward to 2020, I see the opportunity of fielding an equal or better team. The Dodgers are in a very enviable situation and 2020 should see us among the favorites again to win it all. Oh course, we all know that means almost nothing once the playoffs begin.
Here is the list of 2019-2020 free agents again: https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-mlb-free-agents-by-position
I’m wondering considering the last bullet point on your list “Looking for value from players who have been passed over by other teams” what potential jewels do people see on the free agent market?
I am a huge fan of Friedman and his staff. No one is perfect, but overall he has done a great job for Dodgers. I agree with you, the 2020 team could be better, perhaps much better than 2019. And, yes, post season is a whole other issue. A couple of guys I think might interest the Dodgers: LH reliever, spot starter Drew Pomeranz, and utility infielder Jordy Mercer. Do not tell anyone as I plan to write about them as options for the 2020 roster.
Totally agree on Friedman. In spite of not winning a World Series, it seems that Friedman has the organization going in the right direction and getting stronger every year. I’ll take a playoff appearance with a team considered one of the favorites every year. One of these years the players have to get it done.
I see pitchers being most of the potential jewels on the free agent market. I’d like to see the Dodgers check in on Kluber and Wood.
I think Kluber will be a trade target
Could be. Indians have a $17.5M team option for 2020 and another team option for $18M for 2021. Will the budget conscious Indians exercise it?
Fix the bullpen please!!!
Kick the tires on Wheeler
Ryu wave goodbye to him and Scott Boras.
I believe Dodgers 2019 bullpen was around fourth in all baseball, could be worse. That said, I am with you, beefing up the bullpen would be a budget conscious (relatively) way to vastly improve the 2020 Dodgers.
I think Dodgers have the prospects and MLB talent to trade for an elite reliever. And signing Will Smith would be a nice free-agent acquisition that wouldn’t break the bank. Get these two things done coupled with what we already have would give us a potentially GREAT bullpen.
Regarding starters, Dodgers have to check in on Ryu. I like Wheeler a lot also. Both are possibilities I suppose, but I think with all the potential in house starters Friedman will stick with the “big depth” route.
I can’t quite understand why many continue to want Ryu gone from the Dodgers. This is a guy who held down the #3 spot (behind two likely HOFers)for two years with a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder. When it got too tough to continue he got the surgery. After the failed attempt to come back too soon he really got bombarded with criticism. Most said he’d never be the same pitcher. In that they were right, he’s much better.
I’m not criticizing those who wanted to write him off. They had their opinions and I can respect that.
So now we have the reigning ERA champion (for both leagues). His ERA was even better last year but he didn’t have the innings to qualify. We might even have the Cy Young Award winner.
The Dodgers need to make him a competitive offer (I was going to say “reasonable” but there’s no such thing in MLB) for three years. If he accepts it #99 is still taken. If he rejects it we wave bye-bye with regrets (at least I’ll have regrets).
Forget Boras! The agent works for the player. If Hyun-Jin wants to sign with the Dodgers and Boras disagrees he has every right to advise him to insert his objections into his rectal cavity (or however he says it in Korean).
I want Ryu back! I have read, and heard, other Dodgers fans concerns about his age, and the amount other teams will offer. I am not concerned about age, or physical condition; look at the number of pitches he did not throw over the last several years, and his shoulder is now better than it was when Dodgers signed him. I am concerned that another pitching needy team on the West Coast will offer him big $ and years; Angels, Padres, Giants, or even Mariners might drive up the price.
The age thing is why I specified three years. That takes him right up to Friedman’s cut off point.
I also agree regarding Hyun-Jin’s break in workload, though I really doubt he calls it a break.
Kluber bounces back could be big. I believe we will get one starting pitchers either by trade or free agent.
This is a fun part of baseball. What we haven’t had the chance to see of Friedman’s style is what to do when you csn replace a pending free agent or arbitration player with another player from the farm?
I’m sure Friedman would rather trade for a really good pitcher than hand out a big free agent contract. That makes a Kluber trade a possibility or one of the Mets pitchers. But whoever he gets they have to be a high caliber starter.
Looking ahead to 2020, most of us of course want team to be better, especially should they make the PS for an 8th straight year. But it’s not reasonable to expect another 106 win team, but I am sure all of us would gladly take a few less wins in the regular season, but come away with 11 wins in October when it matters the most.
Win the NL West – again – and then see what happens in the post season. You are not alone in considering October as the most important, but I respectfully disagree with you and others. I believe the 162 regular season games separate the really good teams from the others. Anything can, and usually does happen in post season – seven seasons ago there were two wild card teams playing in the World Series — totally ridiculous. MLB has ruined the World Series in pursuit of money. I watch post season games and pull for the Dodgers every year, but no longer view it as “special,” it is just another post season tournament where one team can get hot, another cold, bad breaks for some, good fortune for others.
There’s a big difference in a team being hot in May and June vs Sept and Oct. Having injured players return can make a team better just like losing a good player can make you worse. That’s why a wild card team like the Nats can be the best of the league now.So #of games won is important but in the Dodger’s case they cooled off while the Nzts got steaming hot! Plus the Dodgers are well built for the long regular season but the playoffs are a whole different thing.
My points exactly.