Year after year, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to get stronger and better. After winning the 2024 World Series, the team is likely to continue their reign after signing Blake Snell from the rival San Francisco Giants.
Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is exactly what the Dodgers needed. The lefty fits into the starting rotation perfectly, as the team was looking for a southpaw who could eat up innings. Snell came out of nowhere in 2018, posting a 1.89 ERA with the Tampa Bay Rays. While he has had some rocky seasons since then, he proved himself as a force on the mound in 2023, posting a 2.25 ERA and tallying 234 strikeouts with the San Diego Padres. Though he was injured for part of 2024, he continues a valuable pitcher.
The 32-year-old will enter his tenth professional season and join his third National League West team. While dominant compared to other teams, the Dodgers’ pitching rotation was its biggest weakness in 2024. With the addition of Snell, the team is already well-positioned to win another World Series, but the rest of the offseason will ultimately determine how the team will look to start the 2025 campaign.
Snell wasn’t the only move the Dodgers made recently, as LA extended utility player Tommy Edman’s contract. Edman, the reigning NLCS MVP, is locked down for another five years. His impact was paramount to the Dodgers’ success, and it was only a matter of time until his contract was extended.
Beyond Snell and Edman, the Dodgers remain patient and haven’t made any other major moves this offseason. Two significant contributors in Walker Buehler and Teoscar Hernández are still on the table to resign. With the amount of money the Dodgers are spending and deferring to later years, it is unlikely that they will be able to lock down both players. However, they can afford to lose one of these stars as the roster is already packed with all-star caliber players. Resigning Hernández should be the priority, as his offensive performance last year helped change the team’s pace of play.
There is still a long offseason ahead with many free agents on the table. Players such as Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes remain unsigned, and the Dodgers should not be counted out as contenders for these superstars.