Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Let’s face it. Other than Mookie Betts, the Dodger outfielders didn’t really carry their weight offensively in 2022. And now, with the release of Cody Bellinger, there is even less star power to draw from in 2023. Big name free agents like Brandon Nimmo, Andrew Benintendi, and Mitch Haniger are off the board, leaving the Dodgers few fantastic options in the free agent market. So, what do the Dodgers do next season? Let’s look at their best options both internally and externally.
Internal Options
Certainly, returning players Chris Taylor and Trayce Thompson will get their share of starts in left and center. However, neither guy is instilling a lot of confidence right now. Taylor had his worst season at the plate as a Dodger last year, hitting a full 100 points below his career OPS. And, he still has done little to solve his swing-and-miss tendencies, and that cost the Dodgers considerably when they were in spots where a runner just needed to be moved over. A bounce back from Taylor is critical to the Dodgers’ outlook for next year.
Thompson, on the other hand, had a nice little year. But the question remains just how “flukey” his performance was in 2022. He had some great moments. And walloped some beautiful-looking home runs. However, his disappearance in September (hitting only .159) makes one wonder if Klay’s little brother is reverting to the mean. Usually, when a guy gets released by multiple organizations, there’s a good reason for it. I hope Thompson can contribute in 2023, but I’m not counting on it.
Also on the big league roster at this time are highly touted prospects James Outman and Andy Pages. I don’t really expect either to be on the Opening Day roster, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they both get a really long look this summer. Pages, especially, has been tearing up the minors, and though both are quite young, it’s time to see what they can do on the biggest stage.
Beyond that, there’s former star Jason Heyward who has a shot at making the roster, but he’s more of a Kevin Pillar-type insurance policy to me. Unless Robert Van Scoyoc can somehow get the former All-Star back on track at the plate, I imagine he’ll spend most of the season in Oklahoma City. In addition, former Cleveland Guardian Bradley Zimmer and former Giant Steven Duggar will be in camp, also on a minor league deal. They’re definite long shots to get much playing time next year.
External Options
To be honest, there isn’t a whole lot on the free agent market that is that appealing to me for a Dodger centerfielder. One option might be get a corner guy like Adam Duvall or David Peralta and rotate Taylor, Thompson and Betts in centerfield. Its not going to be as good a defensive outfield with Belli gone, but the change had to be made.
Other outfield options are not fantastic. The best remaining outfield in terms of WAR is our old buddy AJ Pollock, but he had the same problem in Chicago that he had with the Dodgers: injuries kept him off the field. After Pollock, it’s pretty much bargain basement shopping. There’s Andrew McCutcheon, but he’s a little old to be an everyday outfielder. Jackie Bradley Jr. would just give you another all-glove, no-hit centerfielder, but that’s exactly what we’re trying to avoid with not signing Bellinger.
By far, the most appealing option to me is a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates for their one and only star Bryan Reynolds. His offensive numbers were a little down last year, but he still managed to post and OPS+ of 126, nearly 50 points higher than that of Cody Bellinger. Reynolds has gone on the record saying that he wants out of Pittsburgh (who wouldn’t?), and he definitely would fit in nicely in centerfield with Taylor and Betts on either side. However, as of yet, the Pirates seem reluctant to move their superstar, and it will probably take quite a bit to entice them to change their mind.
My dream scenario? Activate Trevor Bauer at the end of the week, and immediately trade him straight-up for Reynolds. Bauer would have a year in the purgatory that is Pittsburgh to cleanse him of his sins, and the Dodgers would have a nice spiffy new addition to their lineup that could get them over the hump and back to the World Series. Will that happen? Probably not. But if we can’t fill up Hot Stove season with baseless conjecture, what is the point, really?
