This post was originally published on this site.
The Dodgers traded outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins in exchange for minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero on Monday night, weakening their outfield depth but, most notably, clearing a 40-man roster spot, which immediately raised eyebrows. What might Andrew Friedman have up his sleeve? A Kyle Tucker signing, perhaps?
Apart from the Ruiz trade, Friedman and Co. have been quiet since they signed Edwin Díaz at the Winter Meetings, but they’re impossible to underestimate, and there are still some key signings or trades they could make — other than getting Tucker — to truly bolster the roster ahead of 2026.
3 non-Kyle Tucker moves Dodgers could be prepping for after Esteury Ruiz trade
Trading for an outfielder
The Dodgers are biding their time in the search for a corner outfielder. There’s been little movement on trade rumors around Steven Kwan, Brendan Donovan, and Lars Nootbaar, but unless other teams are actually threatening, the Dodgers can take things slowly on the trade front while waiting to see if Tucker and Cody Bellinger’s markets tank.
Could this be it, though? Though a Tucker or Bellinger move still seems unlikely at this point, maybe they finally came to some kind of agreement with the Guardians, Cardinals, or even a dark horse third team (you never really know with Friedman) for the outfielder they’ve been looking for.
Signing/trading for a reliever
The bullpen hasn’t undergone major changes, but the Dodgers’ addition of Díaz (their only real one so far) still makes them look like one of the big winners of the offseason, and they have perhaps misguided faith in Tanner Scott and presumably Blake Treinen to have bounce-back seasons.
But adding one more reliever wouldn’t hurt. The reliever market has moved faster than any other and there aren’t many good options left, but Seranthony Dominguez and Michael Kopech are still out there. The Dodgers do need to leave some room for the excess starters they can’t fit in the rotation, but it wouldn’t be uncharacteristic of them to add now and figure out 26-man space later.
Trading for Tarik Skubal
Okay, hear us out.
Skubal rumors have basically died at this point, and it’s unclear what might’ve gotten in the way of rumored talks during the Winter Meetings, but maybe Friedman has finally figured out a way to pull it off. It’s the most unlikely possibility, of course, but it’d certainly be the most exciting.
Tyler Glasnow seemed pretty assured of his future with the Dodgers but confirmed that trade talks for Skubal seemed relatively real. If not Glasnow, it would be interesting to see which starter the Dodgers would send in this scenario. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris is a shrewd operator, but so is Friedman. If anyone could talk Detroit down from the Juan Soto-level package they’re reportedly looking for, it’s him.