January 22nd, 2021 at 8:00 am 
by 0799291000348 Perhaps there is another reason why the Dodgers 2021 roster building has been proceeding at a snail’s pace. While fans, including this writer, were expecting the team to tweak the roster by re-signing Justin Turner and add a couple of free agents, have the Dodgers implemented a transition plan to preemptively avoid an aging roster that could foreshadow a roster rebuild, rather than a tuneup?
Consider the ages these Dodgers will reach during the 2021 season:
- Age 36: starting pitcher David Price and third baseman Justin Turner (if re-signed).
- Age 33: reliever Kenley Jansen, reliever Joe Kelly, starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, outfielder AJ Pollock, and reliever Blake Treinen.
- Age 32: reliever Scott Alexander, reliever Tommy Kahnle, and reliever Adam Kolarek.
- Jansen, Kelly, and Kershaw will be free agents after the 2021 World Series, along with reliever Corey Knebel, shortstop Corey Seager, and utility player Chris Taylor. Only Seager will be under age 30 when he reaches free agency.
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(Photo credit – Kevork Djansezian)
Bottom line: Dodgers President & CEO Stan Kasten and President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman may see 2021 as the year to begin the inevitable transition plan to effect a younger roster. The first step may be the difficult move – to let Justin Turner leave – which will be an incredibly unpopular decision amongst the overwhelming majority of Dodgers fans.
Who will play third base in place of Turner? To be determined. But there are options – none of which will involve trading the team’s best prospects for high salaried veterans on the other side of 30. That is not the direction to achieve a younger roster and remain competitive for the postseason.
Rather than trading young, talented prospects, the Dodgers may be brainstorming ways to trade an older, expensive veteran(s) like Kenley Jansen, David Price, Joe Kelly, or AJ Pollock to make payroll space for a trade or a free-agent acquisition. Even a one-year rental like Chicago Cubs 29-year-old third baseman Kris Bryant would increase payroll by $20 million.
After considering ways for the Dodgers to acquire third basemen Jose Ramirez (Cleveland), or Eugenio Suárez (Cincinnati Reds), or sign a free agent like Marcus Semien, the team may turn to a much less expensive option like free agent Maikel Franco, who was once the Philadelphia Phillies top prospect. A one-year stopgap like soon-to-be 35-year old (on February 12) veteran third baseman Todd Frazier may be another option to alternate with Edwin Rios at the hot corner.
What direction will the Dodgers ultimately take for 2021? Transition and stay below the Competitive Balance Tax in an uncertain 2021 season? Take advantage of the market and address roster age next year after several free agents leave?
We should soon know.
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I have to believe that Andrew is going to be busy in the next few weeks.
Pending arbitrations, contract extensions, free agents, trades — yep, he and his baseball operations organization have the pedal to the metal.
Dodgers are in a great position.
Although Seager is a free agent so are many all star caliber SS hitting the market at the same time.
Kershaw and Price being free agents will free up lots of money 💰.
Dodgers will have Buehler Urias May Gonsolin M White and Gray and can still bring back Kershaw on a lesser contract.
Also Jansen and Kelly will be gone after 2021 freeing up more 💰.
I thought the Dodgers would make a 2021 run with JT at third and in 2022 third and dh.
The future is bright 🌞 in LA
When Jansen, Kelly , Price are gone that’s 45 mil.
Kershaw 33 mil
Are sign him at 20 save 13 mil that’s
58 mil. Plenty of money left for Seager,Belly and Buehler contacts.
Dodgers in driver seat.
Great points, and you are likely thinking the same as Friedman and Kasten. I just noticed a few days ago, while looking at the roster, how many of the players are moving out of the typical prime athletic years. If the team re-signs Turner then the opening day starters could include five of the nine in their 30’s. Of the six players who are eligible for free agency after the 2021 season, only two will likely receive extensions: Kershaw and Seager. And it is extremely doubtful that the other four will receive qualifying offers (Jansen, Kelly, Taylor, Knebel), so Dodgers lose them without compensation (same for Price the following year). Dodgers may want to test the trade waters for theses players that would also open up spots for ready-now prospects like Josiah Gray, Dennis Santana, Mitchell White, et al).
Dumb thought: Until we know if there’s a DH in the National League there’s no way to evaluate Turner’s value. And without knowing Turner’s value, a lot of the other ideas the Dodgers might or might not flesh out — getting a RH bat or another ace-level starter — are stuck in neutral. Essentially, Turner’s reported desire for a three or four year deal, at an age (36) when he’ll be viable on defense for only a couple of those years, limits his market to the American League only. But if the National League adopts the DH, Turner’s potential market doubles and his value rises. I doubt the Dodgers or Turner sign anything until they know, for certain, which league(s) will be using a DH. I’m guessing that’s why Dodgers’ management has noodled only with the part of the roster — the bullpen — least affected by Turner’s contract situation.
Certainly possible, but I don’t see MLB and union agreeing on DH for 2021 until spring training, if at all. MLB will want a CBA tradeoff to agree on a universal DH — perhaps an agreement on expanded playoffs that differ from 2020, or an agreement on ML service time for taxi squad players, or reduced rounds in the 2021 draft?
We must have been typing at the same time – lol!
As it stands right now, unless there is another ‘special’ Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB and the MLBPA (like the one for the 2020 season), a permanent DH in the NL will not happen before the next CBA happens, which isn’t scheduled until after the 2021 season and postseason.
Kiki to the Red Sox 2 yrs 14 mil
He deserves the opportunity to play every day.
The Turner situation is strange. If he and his agent are stonewalling to get a better deal they may be overplaying their hand and the Dodgers find another third baseman. If the Dodgers withdraw from bidding then Turners negotiating leverage goes way down and other teams will take advantage. Could the Dodgers and Turner have agreed in principle on a new contract, but waiting to formalize until after the Dodgers make other moves, perhaps to reduce payroll?
I think JT was waiting
1-Hoping DH in the NL and 2 waiting for a 3 to 4 yr deal from Somebody to have Leverage to get the dodgers to up their offer.
I think JT signs 2 to 3 yrs with LAD
This week.
I hope you are right!
40 man roster is at 40 AF not going to dfa talent. Can not add until the 1st day of spring training when they can add injured
players to 90 day dl. Why give up talented players for nothing when patience will pay off?
Good point, that is why I think the Dodgers are considering ways to trade some older veterans. I do think that Luke Raley is a DFA candidate if the Dodgers need to make room for Turner, or another free agent. At age 26, playing OF and first base, Raley is low on the depth charts and so far has not shown that he is anything more than a AAA journeyman.
Missing out on Hand and the ex Padres closer this week on in my opinion very reasonable contracts shows the Dodgers reluctance to spend money?????
Seems to be league wide.
Ironic that he signed for $500K more than he would have received if he had been claimed off waivers. Good pay day for Hand — $1M buyout from Cleveland, then gets $10.5M from Nats.
Bullpen-Jansen Kelly Floro Knebel Graterol and Gonsolin Treinin. Lefties-Alexander, Gonzalez , Kolarek.
Also-Santana, Ferguson who is probably out, White.
Throw May into the mix as it appears he will not have a spot in the starting rotation. LH Cleavinger will get an opportunity in spring training to replace Alexander. Brandon Morrow and Jimmy Nelson will have chance to displace Kelly and/or Floro in the bullpen? Wonder if Dodgers are trying to trade Kelly ($8.3M) since they have so many RH relievers? Likely have to include a prospect to get another team to take him.
I was thinking the same thing about Kelly.I forgot about Morrow. May has a good chance to stay in Rotation because of 3 lefties CK Price and Urias.
Good point about May. If Nelson is healthy (which is a very big IF) then he will be a great addition to the bullpen as well. Another RH starter possibility is Graterol, who has been a starter throughout his minor league career with the Twins (41 starts out of 51 appearances) and a 2.48 ERA.
Has anyone seen a 3rd baseman that can hit .300 for 162 ballgames bringing equipment into Dodger Stadium???
Not yet, but I am watching.