It has been a relatively quiet off-season for the Boys in Blue, yet for better or for worse, the ‘Hot Stove’ continues to smolder. When the final out was recorded in the post-season ending a record year for the Dodgers, most fans knew the team would have many free agents hitting the market.

Ideally, the club would lock down critical pieces of its roster to keep the infrastructure and comradery intact. However, with the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) threshold looming at $233 million, financial strategy has kept the Dodgers Front Office from making any huge moves thus far.

While the Dodger faithful wait (not so) patiently to see how the chips will fall, other teams have been showing interest in many of LA’s recent free agents. The current rumor is that the New York Mets have taken a shine to left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney.

Heaney stepped up during the beginning of the 2022 season when injuries were prevalent and helped to fill the gaps. He had a 4-4 win/loss record and ended the year with a 3.10 ERA. Despite some injuries of his own, when he did pitch, he was lights out once he found his rhythm early in the season in Colorado. If Heaney were to go to another team, it would be yet another Dodger pitcher that would need replacing.

It was reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan on social media on Friday afternoon that 36-year-old right-handed reliever Chris Martin was in agreement with the Boston Red Sox. Pending a physical, Martin would head to the east coast and be under contract for two years at $17.5 million.

After being acquired at the trade deadline, Martin was another arm in the Los Angeles bullpen that made a huge difference in the team’s 111-game winning season. During his time in LA, he had three wins and one loss with a 1.46 ERA. While wearing Dodger Blue, he pitched 24.2 innings resulting in 12 hits, giving up only one home run, one walk, and securing 34 strikeouts.

With Tyler Anderson signing with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Martin heading to Boston, and now Heaney entertaining offers, the Dodgers starting rotation and bullpen are definitely in need of help for 2023.

Hopefully, the front office will be able to make some moves soon rather than later to bolster their roster, especially at the mound.

It is never easy to watch players you have grown to love leave for other teams. Luckily for loyal Dodger fans, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman rarely disappoints. So now it is just a matter of patience and waiting out the off-season.

Spring Training will be here before we know it.

Let’s go Dodgers!

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