The Dodgers are looking nab two championships in a row and possibly build an unbeatable dynasty while at it.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are no stranger to overcoming adversity. Having lost several pitchers to injury, the Dodgers appeared weakened by ill fortune.

Regardless, they flexed their muscles and powered through the 2024 postseason anyway. Now coming off a championship year, upper management is keeping its foot on the pedal.

The Dodgers are in the mix for several (or all the) top names on the free agent market.

This says just one thing about the reigning champs: they’re not in it to make small, incremental improvements; they aim to establish a generational dynasty that is unquestionably superior to the other ball clubs of their time.

As it stands today, the Dodgers are already near such recognition.

But what free agent signings could put them over the top? Let’s comb through the reputations of four such candidates before we explore two that could endanger the Dodger dynasty.

The Los Angeles Dodgers should sign…

4. SP Roki Sasaki

Japanese ace Roki Sasaki is expected to be posted in the very near future. Sasaki is a generational talent, able to throw 100+ MPH fastballs consistently throughout starts. He finished the 2024 NPB season with a career-worst 2.35 ERA. The term “career-worst” is used loosely since a 2.35 ERA is still incredible, but the fact that Sasaki’s yearly ERA has not crept above that mark is astounding. The Japanese phenom maintains a career ERA of 2.02.

Sasaki is also known as a strikeout pitcher, accumulating 524 punchouts in 414.2 innings. In 2022, Sasaki tied the NPB single-game strikeout record with 19 punchouts which he achieved while throwing a perfect game. Making his talent even more special is that he just turned 23 and has only spent four years in the NPB.

And making him even more enticing is that his MLB salary will be capped due to the MLB’s international amateur signing bonus pool rules. But this rule makes Sasaki’s signing a double-edged sword. Because money is not a determining factor, teams will need to lure Sasaki by checking off his wish list items, most of which are out of their hands. Sasaki has labeled his requirements as, “stability, lifestyle, comfort and a team’s track record with player development.”

The Dodgers like many other teams, are in on the Sasaki sweepstakes. One thing in their favor is their signings of Ohtani and Yamamoto, both Team Japan teammates of Sasaki’s in the WBC. Since both are aces in their own right, they could help Sasaki with his development and adjustment to the MLB. However, there is some skepticism coming from former MLB GM Jim Bowden, who believes this is a drawback rather than a perk.

Nonetheless, a talent like Sasaki’s coming at a fraction of the premium he is worth should have the eyes of every MLB club looking to contend. There are concerns about injury as Sasaki consistently throws over 100 MPH and he will likely be on an innings limit since he hasn’t thrown a full season by MLB standards. But any concern can be easia llayed by his incredible talent and low-price tag.

3. Willy Adames

Like with Sasaki, the Dodgers are also expected to make a push for Willy Adames. Adames is coming off a great year with the Brewers where he mashed a career-high 32 home runs to a slash line of .251/.331/.462/.794. The Dodgers’ interest in Adames might signal that they are done with Gavin Lux. Adames, who has been primarily a shortstop all of his career spending only 776 innings at second, is open to switching positions to third base if necessary. Adames represents the best opportunity on the free agent market to upgrade any non-first base infield position.

With high on-base hitters such as Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman at the top of the order, the Dodgers need a bat that can translate those on-base occurrences into runs. In years past, it has been Max Muncy, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernandez (who is a free agent) who played the role of cleanup hitter. In 2024, Adames outperformed Smith and Muncy by a wide margin (though Muncy was injured for an extended period). Adding Adames would add an extra layer of depth and power behind the Dodgers’ dreaded top three in the lineup especially if they re-signed Hernandez. Speaking of Hernandez…

2. Teoscar Hernandez

Behind the stars that brought a championship trophy to LA, Teoscar Hernandez was an integral part of the Dodgers’ success. The Dodgers spent considerable time missing at least one mainstay of their lineup at a time. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Max Muncy missed a combined 150 games in 2024. Hernandez more than made up for their absences.

For the one year he spent in Dodger blue, Hernandez provided an ample amount of firepower from the middle of the order. He hit a career high 33 home runs to a slash line of .272/.339/.501/.840 winning him his third Silver Slugger. Adding to his accolades, besides winning the Home Run Derby, is a postseason performance to remember with 3 home runs and an on-base percentage of .352. Now a free agent, Hernandez has left an indelible impact on the Dodgers and the Dodgers seem to have left an indelible impact on him. Hernandez had this to say after the World Series parade: “I’m going to do everything in my power to come back.”

Hernandez is one of the top outfielders on the market this offseason and naturally, the Dodgers have shown a great deal of interest in him. Given what he did with the Dodgers and his LA-or-bust attitude, bringing Hernandez back appears to be in the best interest of both parties.

1. Corbin Burnes

Among the truly big-ticket items on the free agent market is one of the top arms in the league. Corbin Burnes, the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner and annual contender for the award, is coming off another stellar season, this time with the Baltimore Orioles. Burnes threw to a 2.92 ERA with 181 strikeouts over 194.1 innings. This is by far the lowest K/9 Burnes has posted in his career as a starter. As a full-time starter, he has only finished a season with an ERA over 3.00 once.

Burnes is seen as the best hurler on the market given his elite offerings and track record of success. This success has also carried into the postseason as he maintains a career 2.33 postseason ERA over 27 innings. This past postseason, the Orioles wasted an 8-inning gem where Burnes surrendered only one run en route to a 1-0 loss.

If consistent excellence is what the Dodgers seek for their rotation, it would be hard for any candidate to top Corbin Burnes. Adding him to a rotation with Yamamoto, Glasnow, and eventually Ohtani would be devastating to any opponent. Burnes will be among the most expensive free agents this offseason and depending on how the Soto saga ends, we could see a bidding war between the heads of the Dodgers and Steve Cohen of the Mets.

The Los Angeles Dodgers should avoid…

2. Jack Flaherty

Jack Flaherty just completed a bounce-back season after leaving the Orioles. Across 162 innings pitching for the Tigers and Dodgers, Flaherty threw to a 3.17 EA with a respectable 194 strikeouts. By all measurements, this was a great year for Flaherty who is yet to flash the best of his abilities since 2019, when he came in fourth in the NL Cy Young race. So why should the Dodgers avoid Flaherty?

2024 was Flaherty’s first good year since 2021. The former Cy Young and MVP candidate has battled injuries and performed poorly multiple times. Flaherty pitched to a 4.99 ERA as recently as 2023. Even if his down seasons came amid injuries, there is more to be wary of. Flaherty’s 2024 postseason performance was somewhat alarming, posting a 7.36 ERA through 22 innings. This figure even includes a masterful 7-inning shutout against the Mets.

This isn’t to say Flaherty is a bad pitcher. He has proven the opposite. But with a frequently injured Dodgers’ pitching staff, there is no reason to take the risk. Should he fall injured as he often has, struggle through more down years, or continue to throw poorly in the postseason, this could endanger the Dodgers’ dynasty. Right now, there are better options on the market. It’s hard to label Flaherty as a “Should avoid,” but it may be best to spend on a different frontline hurler and avoid the inconsistencies and injuries Flaherty presents.

1. Juan Soto

No, Juan Soto was not mistakenly placed in the “should avoid” section. But before we draw premature conclusions, let’s explore the arguments for both outcomes.

Every team with deep pockets and the ambition of competing for a trophy in the near future began courting Juan Soto since the Dodgers won the World Series. Currently, there are eight teams still in the mix. The Dodgers, who have scheduled a meeting with Soto, are one of them. The bidding will undoubtedly approach Ohtani’s record contract, but thanks to Ohtani’s deferrals, the Dodgers can afford Soto. However, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan: “The Dodgers won’t chase after Soto,” but he did mention they would “gladly consider him in the unlikely event his market softens.”

Passan cited Soto’s “defensive range” as their reason for backing off the accelerator as Dodgers’ upper management feared he would eventually need to be moved to the DH role which is occupied by Ohtani. That brings us to the strong and obvious counterpoint.

Despite being a poor defender, what Soto did in one year with the Yankees was monumental. On a team that missed the postseason in 2023, Soto proved to be the differentiating factor that brought them to their first World Series matchup since 2009. While they’ve proven they don’t need Soto to win a championship, adding Soto to their already daunting lineup would grant the Dodgers the seamless invincibility only seen by long-gone Yankees’ dynasties.

And that brings us back to Passan’s report. Even if Soto’s defensive range is concerning as he ages, the Dodgers would still consider him if his market softened. While his market softening is not close to plausible, their interest in Soto if that does happen would suggest the main reason blocking them is the money.

At this point, the argument can go either way. The immediate result of Soto’s signing would potentially mean multiple championships for the Dodgers in the coming years. But the long-term consequences, since Soto would likely be a Dodger for 10-11 years, might be a close to $700 million outfielder who can no longer field a position and is blocked from the DH spot. If they can swing a contract for Soto where there isn’t a no-trade clause, the Dodgers could trade him when or if he becomes a liability. But that point becomes moot when they’re on the hook for a large portion of his salary after he ceases to be a Dodger. This risk, though hypothetical, is certainly relevant for the money that will be spent on him.

Juan Soto slashed .288/.419/.569/.988 with a career-high 41 home runs in 2024. His on-base percentage has never dipped below .401 in his seven years in the MLB. Soto led the MLB twice in that stat for two consecutive years.

With his offensive excellence, potential defensive drawbacks, and exorbitant price tag, Juan Soto may not be a strong buy for the Dodgers, but he is never a hard pass. Either way, the Dodgers will be in a good position. And while Soto is not a definite “Should avoid,” it just seems like the Dodgers can afford to pass on him and instead save money for other items such as Teoscar.