The Los Angeles Dodgers are preparing for another playoff run next year, hoping for their third straight trip to the World Series and a chance at completing a three-peat.
“It’s not whether or not [or] how we’re going to do it,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. “It’s just that we’re going to be extremely driven and do everything we can to put ourselves in the best position to do it again.”
If they want to make another deep run through October, the roster will require a good amount of refresh, something which the front office has already said they are looking to do.
More news: Dodgers Star Learns New Skill Immediately After World Series
The team is relatively old, with several core players in their mid-30s. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy are all on the older side, along with free agents Kiké Hernandez and Miguel Rojas, who have been mainstays on the roster. But they will all have considerable wear on their bodies from their constant playoff runs, making new acquisitions even more important.
This rising average age among key lineup members could lead to them adding additional players who can fill in during a long season and give manager Dave Roberts more options.
More news: Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki Compared to Cy Young Pitcher, Gets Insight From Him
An option for the Dodgers could be Nolan Arenado, who is expected to attract plenty of interest in the trade market.
The third baseman still has two years left on his contract worth $37 million, and glove is still really good, though his hitting has taken a step back.
While there are reasons that a deal for Arendo would make sense for the Dodgers, MLB.com’s Mike Petriello views a deal materializing as a long shot, only making sense “if the Dodgers are worried about how much time Max Muncy has missed, though Muncy is a far superior hitter.”
Still, he could offer Muncy some competition at third base, and it would give a defensive-oriented option for the Dodgers.
Additionally, Arendado could reasonably perform better in the batter’s box as a player lower in the lineup and surrounded by other quality hitters, something he does not currently have with St. Louis.
The infield is a low priority for the Dodgers, but if the price is reasonable and the front office believes that Arenado’s hitting will rebound, it could be a worthwhile deal.
Latest Dodgers News
For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.