Max Langer
It’s never truly baseball season until the first day of spring training when pitchers and catchers report to their teams’ respective cities in Arizona and Florida, and almost every manager expresses optimism and sky-high expectations for the season ahead.
But in the month prior, each team holds a one-day event to rev up their fans for that year’s team, featuring player interviews, panels from their manager and front office, and a litany of autographs, meet-ups, giveaways, and merchandise sales.
The Dodgers held their annual FanFest this Saturday at Chavez Ravine in Lots B, D, and E. If you missed it, here are five important things you should know as the team heads off to Camelback Ranch.
Clayton Kershaw/Kiké Hernandez Reunions on the Horizon?
While the re-signing of Clayton Kershaw this off-season has always felt inevitable, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes added more smoke to the fire today, saying, “We’ve been in touch with Clayton.” Gomes added that he expects to have more in-depth conversations with Kershaw in the near future as report day nears. Regarding Kiké Hernandez, there’s more doubt about whether he will return to Los Angeles.
Our own Cody Snavely wrote a few days ago about a potential Hernandez reunion and included a quote from Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register: “I am not hearing his name from the Dodgers at all.” This morning, it was also reported that the New York Yankees had expressed interest in Hernandez.
However, both Gomes and Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations, said today that they would never rule out a Kiké Hernandez resigning, and Friedman commented, “The door will never be closed on Kiké.”
Freddie Freeman‘s Cactus League Availability
We all know about Freddie Freeman‘s heroics in the Fall Classic last year. The walk-off grand slam against Nestor Cortes in Game 1 of the World Series. Home runs in four of the five World Series games.
World Series MVP. But what made it even more of an incredible feat was that Freeman was dealing with two injuries, an intercostal strain that would typically sideline a player for months and an ankle injury that Freeman suffered on October 26th after a collision with San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arraez. (If you remember, that was the day the Dodgers clinched the NL West).
It was reported earlier in the off-season that Freeman had ankle surgery, and today, he provided an update. While he has swung the bat, he hasn’t yet started running. He won’t play in exhibition games as soon as they begin, but he expects to be ready and good to go for the Dodgers’ opening series in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs on March 18-19.
Shohei Ohtani‘s Pitching Schedule
Today, Shohei Ohtani spoke with the media regarding his off-season plans and his reaction to the Dodgers’ signing of his friend and former WBC teammate Roki Sasaki and his soon-to-be child.
But he also touched on his schedule for when he’ll be able to pitch in 2025, saying (through interpreter Will Ireton): “As of now, it seems like I’m on schedule.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also acknowledged today that although it could be sooner, Ohtani pitching in May, “Sounds about right.” While Ohtani’s schedule for returning to the mound had been widely speculated among fans, this reported timeline should give a lot more clarity about what the rotation will look like for the first month of the season.
Blake Snell to Mentor Bobby Miller
Bobby Miller was a revelation for the Dodgers in 2023, and he pitched his way into a postseason start for Los Angeles. Although he didn’t have his best stuff that night against Arizona, the excitement for his growth going into 2024 was palpable. But Miller took a step back last season, and pitched to a 8.52 ERA in 13 games.
He was demoted in September, and didn’t return for the playoffs. Still, many inside and outside of the Dodgers organization are confident in Miller’s ability to bounce-back and become a key part of LA’s rotation for 2025 and beyond. At FanFest, Blake Snell told the media that he plans on mentoring Miller this season.
A two-time Cy Young award-winner, Snell is a pitcher who relies on the swing and miss, not pinpoint accuracy and precision. Miller, who also relies on elite stuff and not necessarily command, should benefit greatly from the teachings of Snell, who’s been in the major leagues since 2016.
James Outman Resurgence Plans
Similar to Miller, James Outman broke onto the scene in 2023. He hit .248 with a .790 OPS and totaled 23 home runs. But last year, he also regressed and bounced back and forth from the Dodgers to Triple-A Oklahoma City all year long.
However, no one is denying that Outman is still capable of not only staying on the Dodgers’ roster all year but being a contributing piece as well. He mentioned today that he did a lot of strength training this offseason and added five pounds of muscle. Currently, the Dodgers’ outfield is the most volatile position group on the roster, especially with Mookie Betts moving back to shortstop for 2025.
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