Could Dodgers’ Edwin Díaz signing portend more big

ORLANDO, Fla. — As the resort foyer at the Signia by Hilton Orlando stuffed at MLB’s winter conferences on Tuesday morning, an surprising prize was falling into the Dodgers’ lap.

Edwin Díaz, the top reliever on this yr’s free-agent market, was all of a sudden slipping away from the incumbent New York Mets, who reportedly made the fan favourite nearer only a three-year offer that did little to entice him to re-sign with the workforce.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, have been swooping in late to snatch away the hard-throwing right-hander, submitting a more profitable three-year bid that would pay Díaz a relief-pitcher-record $23 million per season.

Just like that, the Dodgers had gone from a completely content, but unremarkably quiet winter, to one in which they’d once again flexed their financial muscle groups and shocked the baseball industry.

“There were a lot of scenarios [that could have potentially played out this winter] where we didn’t necessarily end up with a top-end reliever,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday night time, while declining to remark on Díaz straight since the transaction wasn’t finalized. “But we just kind of prepared on a bunch of different fronts. And being aggressive, if something lined up, we’ve known all along [it is something we would do].”

The Díaz signing was an affirmation of the workforce’s working process on the free-agent market. They always at least goal top expertise. They always at least keep around the proverbial blackboard, as Friedman calls it, in case a participant’s market doesn’t develop as anticipated. And now, they’re armed with the sort of limitless assets that could make them a menace to scoop up any rebound.

As they go away Orlando this week and embark on the remainder of this offseason, it serves as a reminder:

The Dodgers won’t need to make another big transfer, in the same approach they downplayed the need for any big acquisition coming into the winter.

But they’ll actually be prepared to pounce if another alternative materializes.

“I would say we definitely can,” Friedman hinted when requested if another big transfer this offseason could possibly be attainable. “Whether that makes the most sense within the timing of our roster — there’s so many factors that go into it, and any decision you make has a future cost. It’s just weighing that. So, yes, we can. How likely it is, is probably another question.”

Start with the top total accessible free agent, Kyle Tucker.

The Dodgers aren’t anticipated to entertain a long-term contract for the soon-to-be 29-year-old and four-time All-Star. If his bidding warfare, as projected, outcomes in gives upwards of 8-10 years and $400 million, the membership is unlikely to interact; given the glut of long-term contracts already on their books, and the crop of younger outfield prospects anticipated to attain the majors in the next a number of seasons.

But what if Tucker’s market cools? What if, like Díaz, he’s left to take into account comparatively shorter-term offers with larger annual salaries? Granted, that’s unlikely to occur, contemplating the extensive curiosity Tucker is reportedly attracting, including from the Toronto Blue Jays and their all of a sudden big-spending entrance workplace. If it does, however, the Dodgers might once again turn into candidates for a blockbuster, still needing to fill out their outfield as they embark on a quest for a World Series three-peat.

The same dynamic could possibly be in play with other top free brokers. The Dodgers have already shown curiosity in acquainted face Cody Bellinger, who might convey both positional versatility and a more refined hitting strategy than he had during his first stint with the membership. Bo Bichette also presents the sort of balanced offensive profile the Dodgers are believed to in search of, as they fight to shore up a lineup that too often was boom-or-bust last yr.

Like Tucker, both gamers are unlikely to match the Dodgers’ bigger-picture plans if their free companies develop as anticipated (with Bellinger pegged for roughly 5 years and $150 million, and Bichette maybe eight years and more than $200 million).

But thanks to the workforce’s flush financial outlook — and the fact that a wage cap could possibly be coming next yr, probably incentivizing additional spending proper now — all it might take is a slight cooling in either participant’s market to make them more practical targets for the two-time defending champions.

As long as there isn’t an overburdensome long-term risk, the Dodgers don’t appear afraid of profitable shorter-term commitments to maintain their newly cemented dynasty.

“We have not only a really talented group of players, but an extremely driven group of players, who want to take care of their legacy and create a dynasty and be part of something really special,” Friedman said. “Because of that mindset, it makes it easier to invest. And do everything we can to help support that and be a part of helping bring that to fruition.”

The Dodgers might alternatively get aggressive on the commerce market. Brandon Donovan and Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals are seen internally as suits. Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians can be an even bigger-name addition, albeit is less possible to be dealt this winter.

Then there may be the real white whale: Two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

For now, it’s unsure at best that Skubal, who might be a free agent after next season and is unlikely to signal a contract extension with the Tigers (or any other workforce that trades for him) before then, will get moved this winter.

If he does, it figures to come at an extraordinarily steep value for a beginning pitcher with one yr remaining of workforce control.

If there’s any workforce that has the ammunition to pull it off, however, it’s the Dodgers, with their ample pitching depth and top-ranked farm system. Like with their free-agent pursuits, there may be possible to be a restrict for how a lot they’d half with. But if the Tigers severely take into account a commerce, it might be no shock to see the Dodgers be severely concerned.

There are less splashy routes for this offseason to go down, of course. If the Dodgers don’t make another marquee addition, they still really feel assured with the roster core they’ve in place.

Then again, that’s the tone they have been placing coming into these Winter Meetings, before swiping away Díaz in the shock transfer of the week.

Thus, the baseball world has been put on alert again: The Dodgers received’t be reckless. They need to preserve longer-term flexibility. But if they see worth in a top-talent goal in the short-term, they received’t be afraid to once again spend big.