The Los Angeles reshuffled their roster this offseason, bringing back key players to compete for a chance to win baseball’s first back-to-back championships in a quarter-century.
With the National League championship secured and the just four wins away from their ultimate goal, it’s safe to say that Director of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman has orchestrated a successful offseason transaction.
More news: ‘ Andrew Friedman gets the last laugh after quiet trade deadline
One of the players who signed the biggest contract in MLB free agency this year was two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. The southpaw started just two games before shoulder complications sidelined him for four months. After his return, Snell performed phenomenally, posting a combined ERA of 2.35 in 11 starts.
Snell was even better in the playoffs, striking out 28 batters and allowing just five walks. In 21 postseason innings, his ERA is just 0.86.
The move that didn’t work out for LA was signing veteran outfielder Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million contract. He finished the season with a batting average of just .199 and a -0.7 bWAR, both career lows. Kirby Yates signed a one-year, $13 million contract, but did not live up to expectations, posting a 5.23 ERA this season compared to 1.17 last year.
Another move that didn’t work out was probably closer Tanner Scott. After posting a 1.75 ERA in the 2024 season, Scott not only posted a 4.74 ERA in 61 games, but also led MLB with 10 saves. His four-year, $72 million contract doesn’t seem like the most cost-effective deal for LA.
Infielder Kim Hye-sung was signed by the Korea Baseball Organization (right before the parted ways with Gavin Lux). Although it will take him more time to get used to pitching at the MLB level in Triple-A, Kim has proven to be a productive player and a fan favorite. Kim hit .280/.314/.385 with a .699 OPS in 71 games, earning a bWAR of 1.6 despite his limited playing time.
The deal, which turned out to be one of the most valuable, paid rookie phenom Roki Sasaki a $6.5 million signing bonus. Because he is under 25, he was limited to each team’s international pool money.
Sasaki had a stellar career in Nippon Professional Baseball, but struggled in his first eight starts for the . After taking more than four months off to deal with shoulder impingement, he made two regular season appearances out of the bullpen before making his big step up in October. After pitching 8 innings, he recorded a 1.13 ERA and 3 saves (his first 3 saves in his career), and after 5 games, he pitched perfect 8th, 9th, and 10th innings in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, ultimately earning him the right to participate in the National League CS.
The brought back Teoscar Hernandez this offseason, and despite a lackluster regular season, he’s already hit four home runs in the postseason leading up to the Fall Classic. Blake Treinen also returned, but went unrecognized despite having a huge year in 2024. His 7.36 ERA in seven games this postseason is certainly cause for concern.
Two more moves to bring back last season’s talent in Quique Hernandez and Clayton Kershaw also paid off.
The utility star batted .306 this postseason, and Kershaw posted a 3.36 ERA in 112.2 regular-season innings at a time when starting pitching depth was important.
More news: ‘ Mookie Betts “one of the greatest defenders of all time,” analyst says
Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Have you downloaded the new Nation app yet? Click here for Apple users and Click here for Android users It’s part of a redesigned app that gives fans everything they need in one placee. Don’t miss it Live GameCast with play-by-play, news and analysis, Nation podcasts and videos, all the stats you need, and more.