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After capping off a high-spending offseason with a World Series championship in 2024, the Los Angeles Dodgers might follow a similar blueprint for 2025.
The team added major roster pieces from the free-agent market last year, including Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernández and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. And while they still have arguably the most talented roster in baseball, there is one area they might seek to upgrade with another top-dollar signing this winter.
After opening 2024 with Gavin Lux as the anointed shortstop, then placing Mookie Betts in that role for the first time in his career before finally settling on Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman, the Dodgers seem like they could use an infield boost. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report predicted they would find that boost in a major way by signing Willy Adames to a seven-year, $189 million contract.
In seven big-league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, Adames has been one of the best defensive/offensive combinations at the shortstop position. He has a career .248/.322/.444 slash line and .972 fielding percentage, but 2024 was his most productive year at the plate, with 32 home runs and 112 RBI to go with 21 stolen bases.
Adames could add even more pop to the Dodgers’ batting order while filling in at a critical defensive position and allowing Betts to stay in the outfield, where he’s earned six career Gold Glove Awards.
“L.A.’s interest level is indirectly proportional to how serious it is about reconverting Mookie Betts to the middle infield,” Miller wrote. “However, bringing in the former Brewer would allow them to keep Betts in the outfield, where they are already trying to figure out how to replace/re-sign Teoscar Hernández and where they would need multiple solutions if they move Betts.”
If nothing else, the Dodgers snagging Adames with a blockbuster contract this winter would keep a division rival from landing him.
“If the Dodgers are on the fence in any way, though, the (San Francisco) Giants could pounce,” Miller added. “They’ve already said they want to bring in a shortstop this offseason, and goodness knows they are overdue for landing a big fish in free agency. My gut says the Dodgers make it happen, but the Giants wouldn’t be surprising in the least.”
Even with Adames, the Giants could be a long way from challenging the Dodgers for the National League West Division crown. But adding Adames would turn the Dodgers only real roster weakness into a major strength. It seems like the kind of move the franchise would pull off toward a repeat championship in 2025.
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Peter Chawaga is a veteran journalist covering Major League Baseball for The Sporting News. His MLB reporting has included feature interviews with commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz, salary analysis, player rankings and more. He has covered baseball for Forbes, Yardbarker, Pitcher List, Athlon and other outlets.
With over ten years of newsroom experience, he has previously covered finance, technology, arts, and culture for newspapers, magazines, and websites nationwide. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in English and journalism.
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