January 18th, 2025 at 8:30 am 
by Jesse Pearce With 23-year-old Roki Sasaki added to the Dodgers pitching staff, the team can now focus on tweaking the roster for their pursuit of the 2025 World Championship.
Reportedly, there has been a subtle but very important change in the Dodgers player acquisition strategy. Andrew Friedman, the team’s President of Baseball Operations, was recently quoted that their goal is to complete the 2025 roster before the start of the regular season, avoiding the acquisition of players at the trade deadline.
(Beth Harris)
With the increased number of MLB teams qualifying for postseason play (12), the end of July trade deadline has become much more problematic and expensive for buyers. At the 2024 trade deadline, there were 18 teams still in contention for the playoffs — legitimate buyers that were driving up the price for rental talent from the 12 teams that might be sellers. Apparently, the Dodgers are no longer interested in trading their top prospects in order to acquire needed pieces at the deadline.
What roster changes to expect?
There will be changes to the Dodgers current roster of pitchers. Kyle Hurt (TJ surgery), River Ryan (TJ surgery), and Gavin Stone (shoulder surgery) will not pitch competitively in 2025 and will be placed on the 60-day IL when Dodgers pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on February 11. Three others are not expected to be available until mid-season — if then: Brusdar Graterol (shoulder surgery), Clayton Kershaw (shoulder and toe surgery) and Emmett Sheehan (UCL brace procedure).
The Dodgers baseball operations staff are master manipulators of player options and short-term IL. Bouncing players (particularly pitchers) to and from their Triple-A team at Oklahoma City has become standard operating procedure for the team to keep pitching arms fresh. But, the 2025 roster includes nine pitchers without minor league options: Anthony Banda, Ryan Braiser, Tyler Glasnow, Michael Kopech, Dustin May, Evan Phillips, Blake Snell, Blake Treinen, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Reportedly, the Dodgers will use six starting pitchers leaving seven spots in the bullpen. With Banda, Braiser, Kopech, May, and Phillips out of options, that only leaves two spots for relievers who can be shuttled to and from OKC. The short-term IL is still available, but the Dodgers may be under the MLB microscope if/when too many pitchers make too many trips to the IL. Look for the Dodgers to make a deal or two that will provide more flexibility for pitchers with minor league options (Ben Casparius, Nick Frasso, Landon Knack, Justin Wrobleski, et al).
Position players are less of an issue, but James Outman will be fighting for a roster spot in Spring Training — if he is still with the team. Chris Taylor’s offensive struggles over the last two seasons should put his roster spot in question, but his large contract makes him untradeable. Would the Dodgers release him in order to bring back Kiké Hernández? Or, could they find a team that would take him if the Dodgers included a high profile prospect like Bobby Miller in a trade?
The next few weeks will be interesting to see what the Dodgers 40-man roster will look like when the team assemble for Spring Training at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.
Play Ball!
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Posted in 
Seems strange to reply to one’s own article, but a few additional thoughts.
I expect the Dodgers will add an experienced closer type reliever, either signing Scott or a trade.
I think the Dodgers will trade Ryan Braiser before the season starts. Tony Gonsolin and/or Dustin May could be trade pieces as well — all will be eligible for free agency after the 2025 season and none will receive a qualifying offer from the Dodgers.
Dodgers rotation should be most improved in baseball (incredible for a WS Champion). Snell Yamamato Glasnow Ohtani Sasaki . Then we have major competition
for the 6th spot:
Considering that the above 5 pitchers should be around for the next 4-5 yrs
some of the next group can be traded for sure. Potential is great but if you
are on the injured list all of the time your value to the Dodgers is more as a trade piece because other teams will take a chance on potential. Plus we still have, call it group 3 guys that are coming off injury in 2026, River Ryan, Sheehan and others.
Group 2
Gonsolin will be 31 yrs old
May 27 yrs old
Miller 26 yrs old
Knack 28 yrs old in July
I would keep Gonsolin he has experience should be able to step right in and be 5th or 6th starter. May and or Miller should bring back a return. Knack has options so he stays and can even be long man and spot starter.
As much as we want T. Scott, the Friedman history of free agent spending on relievers does not suggest we’ll get him. We just don’t pay huge money for relievers. I would expect Banda or Brasier might get traded to get the flexibility we need. I also think, sadly, that May could go as well since he’s out of options. His talent is so tantalizing, but can he really stay in the rotation all year long with all of the other studs? Converting him to a reliever seems unlikely given the fragility of his body.
LOL! Literally minutes before! So glad to be wrong.
Scott to the dodgers. For those of you who are Superman fans like me! As Perry Mason used to say ‘Great Scott’.
Corrections
Perry White not Perry Mason
Add Gavin Stone to the list of Starting pitchers returning in 26.
40-man roster spot needed for Scott. Who gets traded?
Banda, Brasier, Knack, May, Taylor?
Don’t think it’ll be just one, probably 2.
Won’t be Banda too valuable too inexpensive.
I think the Dodgers could get a very good return for Banda who will be a free agent after 2026 and they still have Scott, Vesia, Wrobleski, and Dreyer on the current 40-man roster.
I look for the Dodgers to trade several players for prospects, reducing payroll. At the Dodgers current level of payroll they are incurring tax penalty and surcharge that is around 110% of payroll above $241M (2025 threshold). For example, if the Dodgers reduce 2025 payroll by $10M AAV, they save $10M in salary and another $11M in tax (50%) and surcharge (60%).
I have a feeling that Andrew Friedman will be very busy this week.
I agree Andrew and Gomes will be on the phone a LOT this week. I think other teams know full well the Dodgers HAVE TO get rid of some players they would not want to part with in any other season so they will likely TRY to low ball offers.
BUT, the Dodgers have proven themselves time and again to be able to identify young players with huge upside that other teams; for whatever reason, do not or cannot.
Excellent point about the other teams, but I think the market is such that there will be several teams interested in several of the Dodgers pitchers. Friedman and Gomes may be willing to accept draft picks in some cases. As Ron posted, this will be a busy week for the Dodgers operations folks.
The Dodgers have reached agreement with Kirby Yates
On paper, one of the best bullpens ever. But, Bob Nightengale wrote that there may be a physical problem with Kopech and he might not be ready for start of season.
That’s why the need for Yates?
Not sure, only one report. Seems extreme if Kopech would only miss the first month of season. Wonder if that is a smoke screen until Dodgers can trade some of the relievers — perhaps even Kopech
Roster as present
7 relievers Treinin Yates Phillips Brasier righthanded 4
T Scott Vesia Banda lefty 3
kopech DL to start
Graterol 3 mths from now?
starters (dont count Ohtani he is DH)
sasaki
snell
glasnow
gonsolin
May?
Kershaw?
Knack
Carry 6 total
13 pitchers
13 position players
dh ohtani
1b freeman
2b kim
ss betts
3b muncy
ut rojas
ut ct3
lf comforto
cf edman
rf teo H
Pages
c W Smith
c Barnes
26 Players
No Yamamoto? I think Dodgers will use May – or possibly Grove — and trade Braiser. Since Banda does not have any minor league options, I think he will be traded with Dreyer and Wrobleski at OKC. Banda’s spot goes to a young guy who can eat innings out of the bullpen (Knack or Casparius). Still more roster moves coming.
I thought you traded Yamamoto lol.
I always leave somebody out.
LOL!!! That is so true — hard to keep up with the current roster when I’m trading everyone.
According to Dodgers, Kopech has already started his throwing program. Good news.