The Los Angeles Dodgers roster has experienced significant turnover this offseason, with several key contributors no longer part of the organization. The group includes Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner, who had been vital to the team’s success in recent years.
Bellinger was non-tendered last month after a second consecutive subpar season, and he went on to sign a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger believes his struggles over the past two seasons will only help him improve in the long run.
Turner became a free agent after the World Series and maintained his desire to retire with the Dodgers. While there was mutual interest, the possibility of Turner returning seemingly diminished when L.A. agreed to terms with J.D. Martinez.
It didn’t take long for Turner to find a new home as he reportedly signed a two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox. He is now set to reunite with Kiké Hernandez, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and Alex Verdugo, all of whom he played with at some point on the Dodgers.
During an interview with Alanna Rizzo on MLB Network’s “High Heat,” Clayton Kershaw discussed Bellinger’s and Turner’s departures and said it will be odd not seeing them in the Dodgers clubhouse next year:
“Man, this has been the most turnover that I’ve seen in an offseason in a while for us. Our position-player group has pretty much been the same for a long time, and now with J.T. and Belli both leaving, it’s going to be weird. It really is.”
Bellinger and Turner are among a long list of Dodgers free agents who signed elsewhere this offseason. Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney, Joey Gallo, Tommy Kahnle and Trea Turner also will be playing with a different team next year.
In terms of additions, the Dodgers have either signed or agreed to terms with Martinez, Shelby Miller and Noah Syndergaard, while acquiring J.P. Feyereisen and Yonny Hernández in trades.
Clayton Kershaw ‘trusts’ Andrew Friedman despite Dodgers’ quiet offseason
To this point in the offseason, the Dodgers have not made any blockbuster moves. The team was linked to Carlos Correa, Aaron Judge, Dansby Swanson, Xander Bogaerts and Justin Verlander, among others, but missed out on all of them.
Despite this, Kershaw trusts president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to put the team in a position to contend for a World Series championship in 2023.
L.A. appears content with staying under the luxury tax threshold to reset penalties ahead of a potential pursuit of Shohei Ohtani next year.
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