For the eighth time in franchise history, the Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions. It was a fantastic campaign capped off in the best way possible, but the ball club doesn’t have any time to waste when it comes to pending free agents.
In fact, eight different players will hit the open market. In this piece, we’ll discuss the four players who LA must re-sign due to their importance all year long en route to a championship.
Walker Buehler
The last few years have been a whirlwind for Walker Buehler. He had a second Tommy John surgery in 2022 and was expected to fetch a massive deal in free agency, but he struggled to find his previous form in his 2024 return. Buehler went just 1-6 in the regular season with a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts. The stuff wasn’t as sharp and his fastball wasn’t as electric.
However, Buehler showed glimpses of his old self in the postseason. He posted a 3.60 ERA and held hitters to a .214 average. In the World Series, the right-hander closed out Game 5 and was consistently hitting the high 90s with his heater. In six World Series innings, he didn’t allow a single run. The Buehler we saw in the playoffs is the one the Dodgers know.
Maybe he won’t get top-of-the-line money, but Buehler showed that he can be very effective. Doing it in the playoffs when his team needed it most shows LA that he is worth bringing back. Give him a full season and Buehler may just be a Cy Young candidate again. The Dodgers can offer him a one-year, $21 million qualifying offer by Monday. If they don’t it could mean Buehler hits free agency.
Teoscar Hernandez
The Dodgers had a brilliant offseason last winter, signing a plethora of players. Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu stole the spotlight but Teoscar Hernandez was also a huge addition. After making a name for himself with the Toronto Blue Jays, Hernandez spent one year with the Seattle Mariners before signing with Los Angeles, where he was a National League All-Star.
The slugger hit .272 with 33 home runs and 99 RBI, serving as one of the Dodgers’ best hitters alongside Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts. Hernandez said at the World Series parade that he’d love to run it back and return to the defending champions in 2025. Given how solid he was, this feels like a no-brainer move by the front office.
Kike Hernandez
Obviously, right? Dodgers fans absolutely love Kike Hernandez and for good reason. He’s a great teammate, has infectious energy, and can play all over the diamond. While Kike hit just .229 in the regular season, he always rises to the occasion in the playoffs. Hernandez is a career .278 hitter in the postseason and did his thing in the World Series run, slashing .294 with two long balls and six RBI in 14 games.
LA brought the veteran back to town at last year’s trade deadline and given his versatility and importance, it’s likely they sign him to an extension, whether it be just one year or perhaps a longer-term deal. He’s a fantastic bench player who can also step into the lineup and get the job done.
Blake Treinen
The Dodgers do not win the World Series without the hard-throwing Blake Treinen. He entered in numerous pressure situations and got it done in the heat of October, compiling a 2.19 ERA in nine relief appearances. The veteran was dominant in the series clincher as well, throwing 2.1 scoreless frames and striking out three.
Despite barely pitching in 2022 and 2023 due to injuries, the 36-year-old showed that he can still get consistent outs at the big league level. Overall, he owned a 1.96 ERA in ’24. Treinen feels like a priority for the Dodgers as they look to keep their bullpen stacked with top-end arms.
