Here’s the thing all Los Angeles Dodgers fans all know by now: when the Winter Meetings roll around, the Dodgers don’t just shop. They closely eye their targets. They wait. And then they pounce when the rest of baseball least expects it.
So if you’re sitting there refreshing Twitter and wondering why Los Angeles hasn’t “done anything” yet … relax. That’s usually the tell. The Dodgers don’t broadcast their biggest intentions — they execute them while everyone else’s insiders are chasing smoke.
Heading into the 2025 Winter Meetings, it’s already starting to feel like the calm before another perfectly timed storm. The Dodgers almost never overpay early unless it’s for the best in the game. They let other teams panic-spend, exhaust their options, then circle what’s left. They let the market move first.
Look for them to weaponize that patience again. While desperate teams overspend at shortstop, outfield, and for corner bats, the Dodgers will quietly take note of which front offices start sweating by Day 2.
That’s when the texts start flying. That’s when the leverage shifts. And that’s when LA goes shopping.
4 sneaky moves Dodgers could be preparing to make at 2026 Winter MeetingsA rotation trade that no one sees coming
Everyone expects the Dodgers to “add pitching.” That’s not the sneaky part. The sneaky part is how they’ll do it.
Instead of grabbing a mid-tier free agent, don’t be shocked if LA quietly targets a team that thinks it’s contending but is actually bleeding financially. That’s when Andrew Friedman shows up with a smile and a prospect package that looks “fine”… until you realize the Dodgers just landed a top-of-the-rotation arm without paying ace money.
Think: Royals lefty Cole Ragans
The “blocked star” heist
This is a Dodgers specialty. They don’t always chase the loudest name; they chase the unhappy one.
Somewhere out there is a young bat sitting behind a veteran, buried on a depth chart, quietly wondering when his chance will come. The Dodgers love those players. They see value when other teams see “crowded.” They see upside when others see roster logjams.
That’s the type of player that suddenly becomes a Dodger — and immediately turns into a 4-WAR machine. You probably won’t even hear rumors about this guy. But once again, you’ll wonder how LA magically stole someone other teams weren’t even bidding on.
Think: Red Sox’s current situation with Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer
Bullpen crime scene
While other teams sign expensive closers and post victory threads, the Dodgers will quietly scoop up multiple undervalued arms — maybe one guy with nasty spin rates, one with elite chase numbers, one reliever coming off a weird season that terrified everyone else.
And suddenly, their bullpen will be horrifying again. No headlines, no countdown graphics –– just another relief corps that turns October into a six-inning stress test for opposing lineups.
Think: Former Yankees’ reliever Luke Weaver
Position versatility that ruins a rival’s winter
Someone — someone — is going to lose their free-agent target because the Dodgers jump in at the last second. They do it every year.
It’s not even because they desperately need the player. But because that player solves multiple problems at once. Flexibility is the Dodgers’ real superpower. If a guy can play two positions and hit, they’re interested. If he can play three? They’re circling. If he gives them October matchup options? It’s already over.
That’s when you’ll see fans of another team melt down online, carrying screenshots of “talks were progressing” tweets like crime-scene photos.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, will have moved on … successfully.
Think: Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan