The Baseball Insiders talk NLCS, ALCS, and the possibility of Aaron Judge joining the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Baseball Insiders recap is back. FanSided’s MLB Insider Robert Murray with new co-host Adam Weinrib chatted about the National League Championship Series, the American League Championship Series, and the upcoming free agent market.
The San Diego Padres comeback on Wednesday night courtesy of Brandon Drury, Juan Soto and Manny Machado saw the Friars take Game 2 from the Philadelphia Phillies.
The two teams are now off to the City of Brotherly Love where the home crowd will be in full throat looking for their beloved Phils to take the series, or at least have a 3-2 advantage before heading back to the west coast. But enough of the NLCS, let’s get to the Baseball Insiders recap.
Will the Dodgers make a play for Aaron Judge in free agency?
The Los Angeles Dodgers bowed out of the postseason much sooner than the baseball world expected. After winning 111 games during the regular season, LA was bounced by the San Diego Padres in four games and will be watching the remainder of the postseason season from their living room. What might the Dodgers do during the offseason?
Look for Trea Turner to be the Dodgers’ top target during free agency. Andre Friedman made the deal to bring Turner to Hollywood last summer and the Dodgers’ front office would love to have the shortstop back in the fold for the next several years. Turner will be one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has connected LA to Aaron Judge, FanSided’s Robert Murray has connected the Dodgers to Jacob deGrom, and Murray would not be shocked if Los Angeles makes a run at Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers actually have he horses to get a deal done with the Halos for Ohtani.
Look for the big market teams to make a splash during the offseason. The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants could all be in the market for Judge and Ohtani this winter.
How can the Guardians maintain relevance after ALDS run?
The Cleveland Guardians certainly surprised a lot of baseball fans by nearly taking down the Bronx Bombers in the ALDS, but Terry Francona’s group eventually fell to the New York Yankees in five games.
The Guardians have a plethora of starting pitching, and there’s some speculation that Zac Plesac may emerge as a trade candidate with the Guardians looking to upgrade their lineup by adding a bat during the offseason.
Surprise managerial candidate emerges from NLCS coaching staff
Dusty Wathan, the Philadelphia Phillies third base coach, is drawing interest from both the Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins for their managerial vacancies. The Royals dismissed Mike Matheny earlier this offseason and the Marlins parted ways with longtime manager Don Mattingly.
Wathan is in his fifth season in Philadelphia, but his dad was actually a catcher for the Royals from 1976-1985 and actually managed the Royals from 1987-1991, so the 49-year-old does have a connection to the Kansas City organization.
Will Justin Verlander return to the Houston Astros?
Justin Verlander has put together a terrific 2022 season that will likely result in another Cy Young Award. Will Verlander leave Houston during the offseason?
Murray seems to think Verlander will opt out of his contract with the Astros, but don’t look for the right-hander to play elsewhere in 2023. It sounds as if there’s mutual interest between the two sides, and while other teams may be interested, the smart money is on Verlander returning to Houston next season.
Any other teams finalizing their managerial search?
Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada is a name that has emerged as the target for most of the teams who are looking to fill their managerial vacancy. The Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, and Miami Marlins are all looking for a new skipper.