World Series champion LA Dodgers, what do you need to do to be stronger?
Major league media “MLB.com ” pointed out what the Dodgers should do this offseason in an article titled “The Dodgers’ Three Goals for the Rest of the Offseason” on the 28th local time.
They called for reinforcing the bullpen, putting young players in their 20s in the older lineup with an average age of 30.7, and “recruiting an impactful outfielder.”
사진 확대 Conforto played in the Dodgers’ starting left field last season, but fell short of expectations. 사진=ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
Last season, the Dodgers used right fielder Teoscar Hernandez, center fielder Andy Pazas and left fielder Michael Conforto as their main players.
However, only Teoscar was consistently active among these three.
Conforto fell short of expectations with a batting average of 0.199 on-base percentage of 0.305 and a slugging percentage of 0.333 in 139 regular-season games, and was excluded from the roster at all in the postseason.
Parx showed a consistent performance with a .272 on-base percentage of .313 slugging percentage of 0.461 in the regular season, and showed good performance in defense, but there were ups and downs and suffered from serious poor batting in the postseason.
Tommy Edman, Kim Hye-sung, Alex Cole and Kike Hernandez shared some of the outfield roles, but Edman suffered an ankle injury, and Kim Hye-sung was the main position as an infielder, and Cole did not get many opportunities. And Kikke left for FA.
MLB.com said, “The Dodgers are one of the teams that most need outfield reinforcement in 2026. They have Teosca, who has played well in LA, but the rest are uncertain,” he said, stressing the need to reinforce the outfield.
사진 확대 Kyle Tucker is the most notable player among the FA outfielders. 사진=ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
They recommended two outfielders on the FA market, Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, as targets for recruitment.
Tucker has shown steady performance over the past five seasons with a batting average of 0.277 on-base percentage of 0.365, a slugging percentage of 0.514 and a bWAR of 25.5. During this period, he won four All-Stars, two Silver Sluggers and one Gold Glove and contributed to the Houston Astros’ victory in 2022.
Nevertheless, he is still 28 years old and in his 20s. He is a batter suitable for the Dodgers, who want a younger lineup.
Bellinger, who was released from the Dodgers after the last 2022 season, rebounded with a batting average of 0.281 on-base percentage of 0.338 slugging percentage of 0.477 bWAR 12 over the next three seasons. Reunion with the Dodgers can be a good story.
MLB.com said the Dodgers are known to be interested in both players, but they will not be interested only in them, predicting that the Dodgers will proceed with the reinforcement of the outfield.
[KIM JAE HO, MK Sports Reporter]