The Los Angeles Dodgers face a do-or-die National League Division Series game against the San Diego Padres.
After racking up the most regular-season wins in Major League Baseball, the team still has a shot at the World Series championships. But if one aspect of the roster had been reinforced differently, they might have had an even better shot.
The Dodgers saw their starting rotation decimated by injury this season, with Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, Clayton Kershaw and others going down for the season with different ailments. As the team looks to make another championship run in 2025, regardless of this season’s outcome, they’ve been named as the “best landing spot” for one of the premier starters on the free-agent market, veteran lefty Max Fried.
“With Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow expected to anchor the Dodgers staff in 2025, and guys such as Gavin Stone, Bobby Miller, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Emmet Sheehan also in the mix, the Dodgers have become extremely right-handed in the starting rotation,” Joel Reuter noted for Bleacher Report. “Slotting in the left-handed Max Fried would help bring some balance to the staff, and the Dodgers are in a position to offer a high AAV, a short-term or a long-term deal with more guaranteed money. The 30-year-old also has a wealth of playoff experience, albeit with mixed results.”
To add Fried, the Dodgers would likely have to tender a pretty competitive offer. The 30-year-old southpaw is a two-time All-Star with a career 3.07 ERA in 151 career starts. His performance in the playoffs has not matched his regular season, as he’s seen that ERA balloon to 5.10 in 20 postseason games. But, importantly for the Dodgers, he demonstrated solid durability this season by making 29 starts.
As one of the most accomplished pitchers on the market, along with Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Jack Flaherty, Fried is likely to command a significant long-term deal.
“Fried hasn’t been quite as effective in the postseason, but he’s one of the biggest reasons for the Braves’ recent run of success,” Steve Adams and Anthony Franco wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “It’s possible teams will have some trepidation about his arm health, but Fried has an argument for a deal in the Patrick Corbin ($140MM) or Carlos Rodón ($162MM) range if he finishes strong.”
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