Trea Turner Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

After embarrassing NLDS ouster, Dodgers face many roster decisions

By Matthew Brown | Last updated 10/19/22

After their embarrassing NLDS loss, the Dodgers face many questions in the offseason, notably: What do we do with our free agents?

The Dodgers have 10 players who will become free agents after the World Series: shortstop Trea Turner, outfielders Kevin Pillar and Joey Gallo; and pitchers Tyler Anderson, Clayton Kershaw, Craig Kimbrel, Chris Martin, Andrew Heaney, Tommy Kahnle and David Price.

Gallo, Kahnle, Martin, Pillar and Price are obvious candidates for not getting re-signed. Kimbrel probably won't be re-signed by Los Angeles after a lackluster season that ended with him not making the postseason roster.

Anderson and Heany are interesting cases in similar situations. Both were signed to one-year deals and seen as reclamation projects. Both excelled in 2022, with Anderson (2.57 ERA in 178.2 innings) making his first All-Star team. Heany missed time with an injury but was a strikeout machine when he was healthy, boasting a 35 percent rate. Both have earned multi-year contracts.

Kershaw is once again entering free agency, and like before, there is speculation on what he might do. Does he still want to play? Will he stay in Los Angeles or play closer to home in Texas?

Kershaw said he plans on playing in 2023 but that might change in the offseason. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in a news conference that he wasn’t sure how the team would proceed with him, saying only that his “strong hope is that Clayton Kershaw is pitching here next year.”

Clayton Kershaw said he thinks he’ll play in 2023 but acknowledged his mind could change being at home during the offseason.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) October 16, 2022

Turner is going to be one of the more coveted players this winter, with multiple teams linked to signing the shortstop. If Los Angeles doesn't re-sign him, he might prefer to play for an East Coast team again.

Third baseman Justin Turner, a Dodger since 2014, has a $16 million option on his contract or a $2 million buyout. Friedman called Turner “a huge part of our success” in the news conference. He had a strong second half of the season, hitting .349/.419/.549 since June 30.

Cody Bellinger, entering his last arbitration year, is projected to make $18.1 million. However, his performance over the past two years makes him a prime non-tender candidate. In 2022, Bellinger hit .210/.265/.389. The Dodgers probably won't pay him $18 million for that kind of production.

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