Friday, December 12, 2025

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2025

Well, the Los Angeles Dodgers gave me what I wanted for Christmas when they signed Edwin Dìaz to a three-year $69 deal.

Since Kenley Jansen left after the 2021 season, the Dodgers haven’t had a defined closer. All teams are better with a defined closer.

I have written a lot about the Dodgers’ bullpen. I am tired of the bullpen, so this article won’t be about the bullpen until February unless the Dodgers do something else to improve the bullpen, which is highly unlikely.

If spring training began today, I would be worried about the outfield and its offensive production. However, I know the Dodgers will win the 2026 National League Western Division unless something goes surprisingly wrong.

In 2025, the outfield was the weakness for the Dodgers. Michael Conforto was a failure in left field. He will find a minor league deal with somewhere. The Mets?

Andy Pages had a breakout season in 2025. He made the best catch in World Series history. While Pages became a satisfactory center fielder, he would be a phenomenal right fielder. However, he had a slow start to the 2025 and was no factor in the postseason offensively. He will have to make adjustments to the new opposing pitching style.

Pages hasn’t shown an ability to learn the strike zone. In 2025, he walked 5% of his regular season at-bats, and it was worse in the postseason. He doesn’t run the bases well. It is impossible to count how many runs Pages’ base running blunders cost the Dodgers. I am not saying trade Pages, who is 25, but I wouldn’t put all my eggs in the Pages basket for the 2026 season.

While Pages is questionable for the upcoming season, Teoscar Hernández is equally questionable. Recently, there are rumors that the Dodgers are shopping Hernández.

In 2025, Hernández was not a good right fielder. It is hard to explain because Hernández is a fast outfielder. He has a good, accurate, throwing arm. He doesn’t get good jumps on the fly balls, which allowed them to fall in for hits.

People think the Dodgers can move Hernández to left field. It won’t solve the problem. In 2024 after the All-Star break, when Mookie Betts returned to right field after a pitch broke his hand, Hernández was the Dodgers’ everyday left fielder. His defense was worse than it was in left field. Dodger fans didn’t notice because of his incredible offensive production.

In 2025, Hernández didn’t have the same magic with the bat. He seemed to strike out when the Dodgers needed a hit. His average was lower than in 2024. He had a decent offensive season in 2025 but nothing to write about.

Reports say Hernández has already lost a lot of weight in hopes of being quicker in the outfield. The likelihood of the Dodgers being able to trade Hernández is slim.

Anyone, who has read this column since the World Series ended, knows that I want the Dodgers to sign Cody Bellinger. It’s not because it is a feel-good story. Bellinger is the outfielder/first baseman who fits the Dodgers’ needs. Nevertheless, Andrew Friedman doesn’t want to get in a bidding war with both the New York Mets and Yankees.

The rest of available outfielders doesn’t meet the Dodgers’ needs, so the Dodgers must look at trade possibilities. Making trades is risky because teams want to deplete the strong Dodger farm system. Friedman won’t let them.

Publicly, Friedman has said that he would like to add another position player to bolster the offense. He could leave the troublesome outfield situation and sign Bo Bichette. While with the Toronto Blue Jays, he played shortstop, but he is a poor defensive player. In the World Series, he played a good defensive second base though he had a knee injury. The Dodgers need a second baseman. Bichette is a good offensive player who will bolster the Dodgers’ offense.

Signing Dìaz is fantastic.

The Dodgers aren’t done upgrading their team.

Champagne problems. Good problems.