The Dodgers are littered with bright young stars all across the roster with the likes of reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger and budding ace Walker Buehler. Top prospects Gavin Lux and Dustin May could soon join in as top-flight stars. Bellinger is already amongst the game’s elite and Buehler is already one of the game’s best pitchers. The Dodgers will soon have to reach agreements on extensions with those two in particular with around $13 million committed past 2021.
The Dodgers could make some major moves this off-season to potentially cloud up their payroll, but they should have some serious cash underneath the luxury tax threshold to be able to lock up their guys long term.
In a recent interview with MLB Network Radio, Walker Buehler discussed a potential long-term extension to stay in Los Angeles:
Walker Buehler, when asked about a long-term extension with the Dodgers: "I'm never opposed to having a conversation."@buehlersdayoff | @Dodgers | #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/ukTAa8J0HE
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 17, 2019
Buehler’s Future
The Dodgers would be very smart to have a conversation regarding Buehler in the near future so they can keep him in Los Angeles. The Atlanta Braves have provided a strong model to locking up young star players long-term during arbitration with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies.
“I don’t know. I think every one of those cases is different and front offices will approach it differently. We have not had those conversations, but I am never opposed to having a conversation. I just don’t know if it is right for me or right for them at the time.
Obviously, the way our front office operates is to create a lot of flexibility on our roster and going to get the guys that we believe are going to help us. If that’s a conversation they want to have, I’ll be open. If not, it’s all good. That’s why the system is the way it is.”
Buehler finished the 2019 season with a 3.26 ERA and 215 strikeouts across 182 1/3 innings of work.
