Of the nine LA free agents after 2024, two retired and four more signed back with the Dodgers. One still to be determined.
After winning the World Series, the Dodgers began the offseason with nine free agents, though the effective number was a bit lower than that.
Relief pitcher Daniel Hudson and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier both announced their retirement after 15 and 12 major league seasons, respectively. Kiermaier in February signed back with the Blue Jays as a special advisor to the front office, in a role he described as “the outfield whisperer.”
So we’re really only talking about seven Dodgers free agents, and four of them re-signed with the team.
One of those free agents was Clayton Kershaw, who declined his $10 million player option on November 4 as a formality. But both Kershaw and the team made clear the plan was for him to return in 2025 for an 18th season. That plan came to fruition officially on February 13, when the franchise icon finalized his one-year, $7.5 million contract that can be worth up to $16 million including bonuses for games started and time on the active roster.
Like Kershaw, Kiké Hernández re-signed with the Dodgers after spring training camp officially opened, with the Dodgers utilizing the availability of the 60-day injured list to create space on the 40-man roster. Hernández signed for one year, $6.5 million.
After settling for a one-year contract in his first go-around in Los Angeles, Teoscar Hernández got the long-term deal he sought, re-upping with the Dodgers for $66 million over three years plus a club option for 2028.
Blake Treinen, who anchored the Dodgers bullpen during the postseason to cap a mostly healthy season after two years of shoulder issues, on December 10 signed a two-year, $22 million contract to return to Los Angeles.
Walker Buehler, who missed nearly two years after his second Tommy John surgery, had a bumpy regular season but shined in October. Buehler, the Dodgers’ first-round draft pick in 2015, finished his postseason with 13 consecutive scoreless innings, including a win in Game 3 of the World Series, and a perfect ninth inning to close out the championship two days later in Game 5.
Buehler signed a one-year, $21.05 million with the Red Sox on December 28, and it’s quite jarring seeing him wearing a red uniform.
Jack Flaherty at the beginning of the offseason looked most likely to cash in, especially given some of the contracts signed by starting pitchers early on the hot stove. But things cooled off such that Flaherty ended up only getting a two-year, $35 million guarantee in February from the Tigers, who traded him to the Dodgers last July. The second of those years is a 2026 player option for the right-hander.
The only Dodgers free agent who hasn’t yet found a home is reliever Joe Kelly.
On caveat is that these were major league free agents at the end of the season. On November 14, the Dodgers also outrighted pitcher Connor Brogdon off the 40-man roster and he elected free agency. He signed a minor league deal with the Angels and is a non-roster invitee in Tempe.
Brent Honeywell and Zach Logue were non-tendered on November 22. Logue signed with the Doosan Bears in the Korean Baseball Organization in December, while unsung NLCS hero Honeywell is still unsigned.