With the Los Angeles Dodgers in the midst of an intriguing offseason after the disappointing ALCS exit to the Milwaukee Brewers, the crux of the conversation surrounds how the team will address starting pitching. As Tarik Skubal has been linked to the Dodgers and the rest of MLB in rumors, this insider discusses how the team will operate this winter.
Katie Woo of The Athletic would say in a column that Los Angeles will be “all in” on Skubal, but in a world where the team strikes out on the pitcher, would they go after the next best player? To Woo, she doesn't “think it's as simple” in that scenario, with players that fit in that category being Freddy Peralta and Michael King, expressing that the ball club could take a “flier on some depth options.”
“The Dodgers will be in on Skubal,” Woo wrote. “If he goes elsewhere, I don’t think it’s as simple as the Dodgers going after the next highest-ranked starter on the market, such as a Freddy Peralta or a Michael King. I could see them taking a flier on some depth options to soak up innings in anticipation of a quick ramp-up post-lockout, sort of like they did when they signed Tyler Anderson in the run-up to the 2022 season.”
More on who the Dodgers could target if they miss out on Tarik Skubal
Woo would continue speculating what the Dodgers could do if they miss out on Skubal, saying that she could see the team go after “durable veterans” like Eric Lauer and Kris Bubic.
Article Continues Below“Could we see that again if they miss on Skubal? I say yes, though I agree…that the Dodgers won’t necessarily take the next best starter,” Woo wrote. “It’s too early in the offseason to know any legitimate options — especially because this potential addition likely wouldn’t come until after the new CBA. Still, pitching depth is vital, as the Dodgers know well. The Dodgers could consider an assortment of middle-tier starters to address that need.”
At any rate, it remains to be seen who the Dodgers will pick up this offseason.