As the World Series gets underway, we’ll take a look at how both teams’ rosters were constructed. In a battle of big-market behemoths, much of the heavy lifting was accomplished via free agency. The Yankees and Dodgers have each done a lot in trade and graduated some key homegrown contributors to complement their splashes on the open market.
A player drafted or acquired in trade who subsequently hit free agency and re-signed will be classified as a free agent acquisition. The player’s history with the organization is a key part of why they returned, of course, but the most recent transaction was nevertheless to sign them to a free agent deal.
After looking at the Yankees earlier this evening, we turn to the Dodgers in their quest for a second title in five years.
Trade (9)
The Yankees had massive trades for Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. The Betts blockbuster may have been even more impactful. Los Angeles also landed Graterol from the Twins in that three-team deal. They dealt Kenta Maeda to Minnesota while sending Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs to Boston and taking on a chunk of the underwater David Price contract. L.A. immediately signed Betts to a $365MM extension. He has a trio of top five MVP finishes since donning Dodger blue. It’s one of the most impactful trades in MLB history.
Nothing quite matches up to the Betts deal, but L.A.’s World Series team is benefitting from a couple more big deadline trades. Game 1 starter Flaherty came over from the Tigers in a trade sending rookie infielder Trey Sweeney and catching prospect Thayron Liranzo to Detroit. That transaction, which dropped just minutes before the deadline, reportedly came within hours of the Yankees pulling out of a potential Flaherty trade because of concerns about his back.
For as well as Flaherty pitched down the stretch, the Dodgers’ bigger July move was another three-team trade. Los Angeles landed eventual NLCS MVP Edman from the Cardinals and future closer Kopech from the White Sox in a deal that cost them young infielder Miguel Vargas and prospects Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez. Edman was recovering from wrist surgery and had yet to make his season debut at the time, while Kopech was sitting on a 4.74 ERA despite huge swing-and-miss numbers.
The oldest trade on this list happened a decade ago. The Dodgers and Marlins lined up on a seven-player deal that continues to have ripple effects. Los Angeles sent Dee Strange-Gordon, Miguel Rojas and Dan Haren to Miami for four players: Enrique Hernández, Andrew Heaney (immediately flipped to the Angels for Howie Kendrick), Chris Hatcher and Barnes. They’ve kept Barnes as a backup catcher ever since. Los Angeles would bring Rojas back nine years after moving him. The Dodgers acquired the veteran infielder in a one-for-one swap that sent infield prospect Jacob Amaya to the Fish. Amaya played four games for Miami before they waived him.
Los Angeles continues to benefit from another minor trade with the Marlins. In 2021, the Dodgers sent middle reliever Dylan Floro to Miami for Vesia and Kyle Hurt. Vesia has a 2.57 ERA over four seasons in Los Angeles. He is Dave Roberts’ top lefty bullpen arm. Vesia is backed up by Banda, a well-regarded prospect turned journeyman. The Dodgers acquired him in a cash trade with the Guardians in May.
MLB Free Agency (8)
Most of L.A.’s biggest free agent pickups came last winter. The Ohtani signing will go down as one of the biggest transactions in MLB history. The deferral-laden structure made it one of the most controversial sports contracts ever. After accounting for the deferred money, MLB values the $700MM as an approximate $461MM deal for luxury tax purposes. By any measure, it’s still the largest deal of all time — a record it’ll hold until Juan Soto signs this offseason. Ohtani became the first player in league history to go 50-50 and is going to win the NL MVP in year one.
Within weeks of landing Ohtani, the Dodgers signed Yamamoto to the biggest pitching contract ever. The 25-year-old righty signed for 12 years and $325MM before throwing his first pitch in MLB. A rotator cuff injury cost him a chunk of his first big league season, but he turned in an even 3.00 earned run average through 18 starts. Teoscar Hernández inked a one-year, $23.5MM pillow contract that was also deferred. The two-time All-Star was coming off a down year with the Mariners but rebounded with a 33-homer showing reminiscent of his best days with the Blue Jays.
Freeman was a big-ticket signee coming out of the lockout in 2022. He inked a six-year, $162MM deal (deferrals knocked the NPV closer to $140MM). The former MVP has picked up where he left off in Atlanta. He’s a .314/.399/.520 hitter in more than 2000 plate appearances across three seasons with Los Angeles.
Taylor, Brasier, Enrique Hernández and Treinen have all re-signed with the Dodgers in recent years. Los Angeles acquired Taylor from the Mariners in 2016 for righty Zach Lee. Taylor developed into a key super utility piece whom the Dodgers eventually re-signed for $60MM.
Treinen has signed successive short-term contracts and continues to pitch well at the back of Roberts’ bullpen when healthy. Enrique Hernández is a clubhouse favorite who has tended to elevate his game in October. The Dodgers reacquired him from the Red Sox at the 2023 deadline and brought him back on a $4MM free agent pact last winter. Los Angeles signed Brasier to a minor league deal midway through the 2023 season after he was released by the Red Sox. He dominated in Southern California and returned on a two-year, $9MM contract.
First-Year Player Draft (5)
Buehler, Lux and Smith are former first-round picks. Buehler fell to 24th overall coming out of Vanderbilt in 2015 because of concerns about his arm health. He underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted but developed into an ace before going under the knife again in 2022. He has been a shell of his former self this year. The Dodgers grabbed both Lux and Smith the following year. L.A. took Lux 20th overall out of a Wisconsin high school before grabbing Smith, a Louisville product, 12 picks later.
He has three career MLB appearances. Knack was a senior sign out of East Tennessee State in 2020. He started 12 of 15 appearances with solid results, but he’s working in low-leverage relief in October. Casparius, a UCONN product, went in the fifth round in 2021.
Minor League Contracts (2)
Muncy was an excellent find. A career .195/.290/.321 hitter when he was waived by the A’s, he signed a minor league deal in April 2018. He has four 35-homer seasons and three years with appearances on MVP ballots in the seven years since then. Muncy has signed successive extensions and has a .230/.356/.487 line in nearly 3000 plate appearances in a Dodger uniform.
Hudson re-signed with L.A. on a minor league deal last offseason. There seemed to be a handshake agreement that the Dodgers would carry him on the Opening Day roster. Hudson was coming off consecutive seasons wrecked by knee injuries but stayed healthy and tossed 65 innings of 3.00 ERA ball this year.
International Amateur Signing (1)
The Dodgers signed Pages for $300K out of Cuba in 2018. The outfielder has improved his stock to become one of the organization’s top prospects. He debuted this season and hit .248/.305/.407 with 15 homers.
Waivers (1)
Los Angeles claimed Honeywell off waivers from the Pirates in June. They waived him themselves but called him back up at the end of August.
