The Los Angeles Dodgers recently secured their eighth World Series championship in franchise history. In a recent interview, manager Dave Roberts appeared on Mookie Betts’ show to discuss which players he hopes to retain for the upcoming season to maintain the team’s competitive edge.
During his appearance on On Base with Mookie Betts, a talk show on Bleacher Report’s baseball account B/R Walkoff, Roberts was asked what he’d request from Santa Claus. He responded that, while he couldn’t mention specific names, he’d love to bring back a player who pitched in the bullpen this past season. He also wished for a free-agent reliever who could pitch in key moments and added that a starting pitcher would also be needed.
Roberts said he’d like to bring in a player from Latin America who hit multiple big home runs for the team in the postseason.
The Dodgers-centric podcast The Incline: Dodgers Podcast interpreted Roberts’ comments, suggesting that the manager is likely eyeing re-signing Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen while also looking to add both a starter and a reliever to the pitching staff.
Hernández, a Dominican Republic native, blasted three home runs during the postseason. Reports indicate that the Dodgers extended him a qualifying offer of $21.05 million. Meanwhile, Treinen impressed with a 1.93 ERA across 50 appearances this season.
This offseason, the Dodgers have nine players entering free agency. The list includes six pitchers—Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Jack Flaherty, Daniel Hudson, Blake Treinen, and Joe Kelly—as well as infielders Enrique Hernández and Teoscar Hernández and Kevin Kiermaier. Both Hudson and Kiermaier have expressed intentions to retire. Attention is on whether contract renewal negotiations will proceed in line with the manager’s wishes.
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