This could be the Dodgers’ off-season if all breaks right, but the issue is, Friedman and company have to seize the moment. Expecting the Dodgers to do so by pulling the trigger on a top-notch free agent is probably not the best considering their recent history, but with money to spend, prospects to trade, and insane depth, this seems like the most likely offseason for a move.
According to multiple sources, the Dodgers have already met with Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Anthony Rendon in the past few weeks to demonstrate a willingness to spend. The Dodgers simply cannot finish as runner-ups on all three free agents this off-season. They can’t afford to upset the fan base more can they?
In a recent column by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Rosenthal gives the Dodgers fan base a voice:
For the #Dodgers, it’s time. https://t.co/Bg2723Eliv
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 5, 2019
It is time for a big move and there are really no ifs, ands, or buts about it. They have to seize the moment.
Rosenthal did provide some hope in the form of a quote from President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman:
“If you’re always rational about every free agent, you will finish third on every free agent.”
This excerpt, though, is what really does it:
Cole, though, looms as a transformative figure for any team that signs him. If the money is close, he almost certainly would prefer to return to the National League with the Dodgers than stay in the AL with the lesser Angels. The Yankees present a different kind of allure. Cole is a native of Newport Beach, Ca., who attended UCLA, Dave Roberts’ alma mater. But he grew up a Yankees fan and his sister, Erin, recently passed the New York State bar and is practicing law in New York.
The Dodgers might be a preference to Cole over the Angels which would mean that their main competition is the New York Yankees — this is excellent news coming from an excellent reporter with excellent sources. Yes, this is excellent.
Here’s my take on the situation in a few characters:
I never had real hope that we would sign Harper or Machado, but this year is different.
If the Dodgers *do not* sign Cole, Strasburg, or Rendon at this point, it would just be a slap in the face and all the arguments about ownership and their stinginess would be validated.
— Daniel Preciado (@DanJPreciado) December 5, 2019
Do you believe the Dodgers will sign a marquee free agent this off-season and/or trade for one? Let us know in the comments.