Cody Snavely
Buy or Sell: Dodgers keep CT3, Gavin Lux, and Dustin May, all play for the Dodgers through the entirety of their current contracts. @InfiniteDodger via X
Buy: Unlike what a large majority of the fan base thinks, the Los Angeles Dodgers value each of these players. While the Dodgers did give Chris Taylor a 4-year, $60 million contract after the 2021 season and are likely regretting that decision due to his on-field performance, it will be much harder to move him via trade with the utilityman set to earn $13 million for the 2025 season and a potential $12 million if said team exercises his club option for 2026.
Despite the Dodgers reportedly moving Mookie Betts to the infield for the upcoming 2025 season, with multiple insiders speculating he’ll get the full-time second base job, that does not entirely rule out a roster spot for Gavin Lux. The Dodgers still value Lux highly and have shown their trust and patience with the former top prospect.
Lux could theoretically give shortstop another try, being over a year removed from his ACL/MCL injury, or be a platoon bat. But if, say, the Dodgers opt to go with Mookie Betts back at short, then Lux’s spot would be safe, barring any big moves for a middle infielder such as free agent shortstop Willy Adames. Lux only has two more seasons under club control before he becomes a free agent, which hurts his value tremendously. I imagine he’ll be a Dodger for the foreseeable future.
As for Dustin May, the Dodgers realistically need as much pitching depth as possible, given the number of injuries they’ve suffered as an organization. Although May, 27, is a massive part of that history.
The Dodgers avoided arbitration with the righty this past week after re-signing him to a one-year $2.135 million contract, and he is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025 season.
Whether May is in the starting rotation or bullpen, he’ll remain on the team for the rest of the season, so that’s a lock for this scenario.
Buy or Sell: Mookie will have the most starts at SS between Edman Betts and Rojas. @bluegoon82 via X
Sell: For the sake of my sanity, I hope this is not the case for the 2025 season, so I’m going to choose to sell. While I respect Mookie’s effort to learn a position he had not played full-time since his senior year in high school, it is not a recipe for success for him or the Dodgers.
Offensively, Betts was arguably the best shortstop in the league in the first half of the season, with a .304/.405/.488 slash line, .892 OPS, ten home runs, and forty RBIs in seventy-two games.
In 531.1 innings at shortstop this past season, Betts had a -4 OAA (Outs Above Average), a career-worst nine errors, a .963 fielding percentage, and a 76% success rate in 217 attempts. Betts has been known just as much for his glove as his bat, but this past season saw him struggle defensively.
Despite Miguel Rojas entering his age thirty-six season, I expect him to be the team’s Opening Day shortstop and platoon at the position with utilityman Tommy Edman.
But then again, when Dodgers General Manager Brandon Gomes stated that Betts would be shifting back to the infield full-time, I’d say he deliberately left it ambiguous, leaving the door open for Betts to possibly get another crack at the position.
Buy or Sell: Dodgers sign both Juan Soto and Teoscar Hernández. @batdodger03 via X
Sell: Look, as much as I would like the Dodgers to re-sign Teoscar Hernández and bring in 26-year-old four-time all-star Juan Soto, they won’t. It’s not impossible per se, but it remains highly unlikely.
Despite spending well over one billion dollars last offseason, including bringing in two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers are as strong financially as they’ve ever been.
It has already been estimated that the mere presence of Ohtani brought in over $100 million this year alone. As a team, the Dodgers have made over $600 million in revenue, the most in Major League Baseball. The team completed a World Series run that can generate upwards of an additional $100 million in revenue just by winning the World Series.
However, whoever misses out on Juan Soto will quickly shift gears to the next best available outfield bat, which will likely mean Teoscar Hernández goes quickly.
So, Dodgers fans, make your decision. It’s either future Hall of Famer Juan Soto or fan favorite Teoscar Hernández.
Are the Dodgers going to revisit Bichette trade conversation with the Blue Jays? @ladodgers80 via X
If the Los Angeles Dodgers swing and miss in the free agent market for a middle infielder, they could revisit a potential trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for Bo Bichette, who was the talk before last year’s trade deadline.
However, I’m going to read the room and suggest that with the Blue Jays’ interest in Juan Soto and having Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for one more year, we could see the Blue Jays make one final push to contend in the American League.
If Bichette is traded, I think it will be at the 2025 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, not the offseason. However, a trade between both sides makes sense, but with Bo’s drop in production last year, the Dodgers may be content with the combination of Edman and Rojas for the 2025 season.
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