The Los Angeles Dodgers entered last season as the most overpowered team in Major League Baseball and it wasn't even close.
The Dodgers found plenty of success throughout the campaign and even beat the Giants in the postseason but it just wasn't enough to get the job done when it mattered the most.
Notably, perhaps their biggest issue was their pitching, as their rotation and bullpen were top-notch for most of the year but were worn out and underperformed in the final stretch.
The Dodgers spent plenty of cash on Trevor Bauer before the start of last season.
However, the controversial flamethrower was shut down mid-season amid a sexual assault scandal.
And, although some hoped he could be back in time for the start of the upcoming campaign, Brit Ghiroli of The Athletic doesn't think this problem is going to go away any time soon:
"Multiple sources indicated Bauer’s case won’t be decided one way or the other until at least January and it has little, if anything, to do with the holiday. … The only comment the DA’s office will give is the case remains “under review," reported Ghiroli.
Moreover, others like Jeff Passan of ESPN believe that we've already seen the last of Bauer, as even if he's cleared from all accusations, his reputation and an impending sanction from MLB make it pretty unlikely that he'll ever play again in the Big Show.
"At this point, the answer to that question is far down the road. The DA's office must make its decision. Then MLB. Then, presumably, an arbitrator. And, after all that, if Trevor Bauer still wants to pitch in the major leagues, if he still has any fight left, it might still not be enough," wrote Passan.
So, with Bauer out, Clayton Kershaw testing free agency, Max Scherzer leaving for the Mets, and Dustin May coming off a season-ending surgery, Dodgers Nation believes that the Dodgers could make a run at Frankie Montas to try and bolster their rotation:
"With the Oakland A’s reportedly listening to offers for their top starting pitchers, the Dodgers could be a potential suitor for talented right-hander, Frankie Montas. Montas, 28, spent time in the Dodgers minor league system in 2016," reported Dodgers Nation.
The Dodgers could look to make a run at both Montas and Matt Olson in a blockbuster deal.
But, should they fail to acquire them, some of the heavyweights on the team would like the front office to pursue Freddie Freeman instead:
“I had three different Dodger players of significance text me after Seager’s news was announced, ‘Freddie Freeman. Freddie Freeman. Freddie Freeman'," David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports Radio reported.
Whether the Dodgers will be willing to spend big bucks in the offseason remains yet to be seen. However, it's clear that they need to make a couple of moves if they want to continue being the team to beat in the NL.
