The Los Angeles Dodgers always tend to act with urgency. Just how desperate will they be if they lose in the National League Division Series?
Trailing 2-1 against the hated San Diego Padres, the Dodgers are backed into a corner. They spent nearly half a billion dollars on starting pitching this winter, yet starting pitching is somehow the reason they're in this predicament.
Of course, there was no way the Dodgers could predict season-ending injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, and River Ryan. But if the rotation proves to be the Dodgers' downfall, they may still do something drastic to correct the issue in 2025.
There's a move to be made that certainly would qualify as "drastic." But it also depends on the New York Yankees and their pursuit of superstar outfielder Juan Soto.
Soto is set to hit free agency, and the Yankees are expected to offer him one of the most lucrative deals in history. Chris Landers of FanSided speculated that the Yankees could be forced to part with ace Gerrit Cole, clearing a possible path for the Dodgers to swoop in.
"It's not at all hard to see a team with money to spend and a hole in the rotation convincing Cole that his market value is higher than the $36 million the Yankees are set to pay him next season," Landers said. "Soto will be the Yankees' first, second and third priorities this winter, meaning that Cole might be headed elsewhere if he does decide to test the market."
Cole, 34, has the right to opt out of the last four years and $144 million on his contract. At that point, the Yankees can opt to bring him back if they add a fifth year, making the total value of the deal $180 million.
A year after winning the American League Cy Young Award, Cole missed the first half of this season with elbow issues, but returned in time to post a 3.41 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 95 innings. He's still an ace in every sense of the word, and should be better in 2025 with a normal offseason to prepare.
Are the chances high that the Yankees will let Cole walk? Perhaps not, but they're also not zero. And the minute Cole becomes available should be the minute the Dodgers pick up the phone and call agent Scott Boras.
More MLB: Dodgers likely preparing offer for projected $29 million Mets ace
