The Dodgers President of Operations Andrew Friedman met with the media Wednesday afternoon following the Dodgers NLCS loss to the Braves. Addressing a bevy of topics, the question of all the Dodgers free agents coming off the books was inevitable.
The Question Gets More Complicated
With the expiration of the current CBA set to happen on December 1st, 2021 however, the question has now become more complicated. Friedman’s response was nuanced, but also carefully crafted.
“It’s a good question I think so much of it will get back to the individual player and what their mindset is. These guys have worked really hard to put themselves in position to be a free agent and to figure out what makes the most sense for them. In some instances I can see someone say ‘hey I want to be here. Let’s engage and talk about that.’ Others it could be ‘I want to fully vet out the market.’ neither answers are right or wrong. It’s really personal and so I think we’ll kind of draft off of each individual guy and what their mindset is and figure it out as we go.”
Friedman’s response can be seen positively. He alluded to the idea that if a player really wants to come back to LA, the front office will do their best to work with their desires in a contract. The business is always the most important part for the front office, though. That notion has to be realistically understood by all.
With that said, with the CBA set to expire, this is no regular offseason. Unfortunately, in the offseason with the most Dodger fan favorites set to leave, the front office’s job gets even harder.
Potential Lockout?
When Friedman was asked if the Dodgers front office was prepared for a potential lockout, this was what he had to say.
“Well, I guess in that we’d have to be you know? I think from our standpoint we are one of 30 teams. There are people working really hard at that and as soon as we have news on that, obviously, we need to be prepared accordingly for whatever that is. We just are reading the news kind of like you guys and then reacting based on what’s going on.”
Not the most confidence-inducing answer, but there is not much else Friedman could really say. The Front office individuals who work on that side of the job can’t do anything about a labor dispute. The front office will just be in a perpetually frozen state, should there be a lockout.
Who Are the Free Agents?
Lastly, these are the players who are now free agents since LA’s early postseason exit.
- Danny Duffy
- Cole Hamels
- Kenley Jansen
- Clayton Kershaw
- Corey Knebel
- Jimmy Nelson
- Albert Pujols
- Max Scherzer
- Corey Seager
- Steven Souza Jr.
- Chris Taylor
I don’t have to highlight the handful of Dodger fan favorites in that list. The potential for a lockout will have huge consequences on the future of the Dodgers roster, and the fans. What the offseason will bring is unfortunately just a mystery at the moment, and Dodger fans can only hope and wait.