Los Angeles Dodgers

Shortstop Dansby Swanson remains one of the top free agents on the open market, and he's being linked to a perennial National League contender.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Swanson "appears to be a possibility" for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who finished with the best record in MLB last season. Heyman also noted that the Chicago Cubs remain interested in Swanson, who married United States women's national team and Chicago Red Stars star Mallory Pugh on Saturday.

Swanson earned his first All-Star selection last season after establishing himself as one of the best young shortstops in the majors. The 28-year-old hit .277/.329/.477 with 25 home runs and 96 RBI. His 177 hits ranked fourth in the NL and tied for eighth in MLB.

Los Angeles has an opening at shortstop after Trea Turner signed a massive 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last week.

Signing with the Dodgers would give Swanson an opportunity to reunite with veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman, who was his teammate with the Atlanta Braves for the first six seasons of Swanson's career. Together, they helped lead the Braves to a World Series title in 2021.

Freeman, who was once the face of the Braves franchise, signed with Los Angeles last offseason and had another MVP-caliber season. The 33-year-old led MLB with 199 hits and his .325 batting average ranked second in the NL. He also added 21 home runs and 100 RBI. There's a chance Swanson would enjoy similar success if he's added to Los Angeles' star-studded lineup.

Joining the Cubs would present a different challenge, as Chicago is set for a rebuild after tearing down its roster in recent years. Three-time All-Star catcher Willson Contreras left the team to sign with the rival St. Louis Cardinals this past Wednesday. If Swanson were to sign with the Cubs, he would be tasked with carrying the team's offense.

Whichever team lands Swanson is sure to benefit from adding him, as he has proven he can be a top contributor for a contender.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed five-time Gold Glover Jason Heyward to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, the team announced Thursday, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.

Heyward began his career with the Atlanta Braves in 2010, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting and earning his only All-Star Game selection. In his five seasons with the club, he slashed .262/.351/.429 with 84 home runs and 292 RBI in 681 games, in addition to winning two Gold Gloves.

The Braves traded Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 2015 campaign. In his lone season with the franchise, he hit .293/.359/.439 with 13 home runs and 60 RBI in 154 games. He also earned another Gold Glove award.

He then agreed to an eight-year, $184 million deal with the Chicago Cubs before the 2016 campaign. He earned two Gold Gloves with the Cubs and helped the team capture the 2016 World Series title, but he never lived up to the contract offensively. He was released in November.

Heyward's performance at the plate over the last two seasons has been particularly poor. In 2021, he slashed .214/.280/.347 with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 104 games. He appeared in just 48 games for the Cubbies in 2022, hitting .204/.278/.277 with one home run and 10 RBI.

In Los Angeles, it's possible the 33-year-old will find himself back on a major league roster in 2023, especially if he puts together a strong performance in spring training.

The Dodgers saw outfielder Cody Bellinger sign a one-year deal with the Cubs this winter after they non-tendered him, and they could use some depth in both left and center field alongside Trayce Thompson and Chris Taylor.

The Los Angeles Dodgers need a shortstop after losing Trea Turner in free agency to the Philadelphia Phillies, but Carlos Correa reportedly isn't a replacement option.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that one reason is the team's concern that the fanbase wouldn't welcome the move because Correa played on (and fiercely defended) the 2017 Houston Astros, who were caught orchestrating an illegal sign-stealing scheme after taking down the Dodgers in that year's World Series.

"The Dodgers are not pursuing shortstop Carlos Correa in part out of concern that a sizable portion of their fan base would not welcome the move. Correa was the most outspoken member of the 2017 Astros club that stole signs illegally during the postseason, and beat the Dodgers in a seven-game World Series."

Correa left Houston for the Minnesota Twins in free agency last offseason and hit .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI.

Rosenthal noted that's not the only reason L.A. may be reluctant to deal with Correa or any other big-name free agent, though, citing the uncertainty of how much back pay they will owe suspended starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, who signed a three-year, $102 million contract before the 2021 season.

"As the Dodgers wait to learn whether Major League Baseball will uphold Trevor Bauer’s two-year suspension for violating the league’s policy on sexual assault and domestic violence, club officials are uncertain how much back pay, if any, they will owe the pitcher," Rosenthal wrote.

Bauer is appealing that decision, and he will lose $60 million in salary if he loses. If he wins and gets his suspension overturned or cut down, then L.A. will have to pay.

"The Dodgers as a third-time luxury-tax offender would be assessed penalties on top of his salary," Rosenthal wrote. "As noted by the Los Angeles Times, the team’s total payout could exceed $100 million."

That's not an insignificant amount even for a team that had an MLB-high payroll that was north of $270 million last year.

Ultimately, Correa will get paid. Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with Philadelphia, and Correa could be in the neighborhood of that deal as well.

"It's going to take a seven-, eight- or nine-year deal for $265 to $300 million. Maybe more," Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News reported on the Mackey & Judd radio show (h/t Joe Nelson of Bring Me The Sports).

Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicted Correa would sign a 10-year, $327 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.

He won't have a shortage of suitors with money to burn. The Twins reportedly want him back, per Rosenthal, and the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres could be in the mix. Those NL West teams reportedly offered Aaron Judge $360 million and $400 million contracts, respectively, before the American League MVP returned to the New York Yankees.

Correa played seven seasons in Houston before joining the Twins. His resume includes two All-Star Game appearances, the AL Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove in 2021.

The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly hope to make a run at Los Angeles Angels superstar pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani in free agency next year.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Ohtani is the "player they truly want," which could lead the Dodgers to be less aggressive in free agency than usual this offseason.

While Rosenthal noted the Dodgers could make a run at shortstop Carlos Correa on a short-term deal after losing Trea Turner to the Philadelphia Phillies, they may also be content with value signings like bringing back third baseman Justin Turner and adding outfielder Kevin Kiermaier in anticipation of going after Ohtani.

Ohtani was one of the biggest free agents to ever come out of Japan, and the Angels beat out several suitors to sign him ahead of the 2018 season.

In October, the Angels signed him to a one-year, $30 million contract to avoid arbitration, marking the largest one-year deal ever given to an arbitration-eligible player in MLB history.

They have yet to reach a long-term extension, however, and he could hit the open market next year.

Ohtani has been every bit as good as advertised as a two-way player, especially over the past two seasons.

In 2021, Ohtani made the All-Star team for the first time and won the American League MVP award by virtue of hitting .257 with 46 home runs, 100 RBI, 103 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. If that wasn't enough, he started 23 games as a pitcher as well, going 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 156 strikeouts in 130.1 innings.

If New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge didn't break the single-season AL record with 62 home runs, Ohtani likely would have won a second consecutive MVP award in 2022.

His offensive numbers were down slightly, as he hit .273 with 34 homers, 95 RBI, 90 runs and 11 steals, but he turned into a bona fide ace pitcher.

The Japanese star set career highs in starts (28), wins (15), innings (166) and strikeouts (219). His 2.33 ERA and 1.01 WHIP were career bests as well.

Ohtani earned an All-Star selection for the second time, and he finished second in MVP voting and fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting, putting a bow on one of the most remarkable seasons in MLB history.

For as great as Ohtani and teammate Mike Trout have been, the Angels have not reached the playoffs since 2014. That could lead Ohtani to test the market and could push the Angels to rebuild.

If any of that happens, the Dodgers may be an ideal landing spot for Ohtani, as he wouldn't have to go far.

The Dodgers have been a model of consistency, reaching the playoffs in 10 straight seasons, including World Series appearances in 2017, 2018 and 2020 and a World Series win in 2020.

The Dodgers are stacked enough in pitching and offense to be World Series contenders in 2023 without a big-name signing, but the arrival of Ohtani for the 2024 season might make them clear-cut favorites again.

Former National League MVP Cody Bellinger will likely be with a new team in 2023.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, a reunion between Bellinger and the Los Angeles Dodgers appears "unlikely" now, with multiple teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, interested in the two-time All-Star.

Coming off two disappointing seasons, the Dodgers decided to non-tender Bellinger rather than pay more than $20 million he likely would have been owed through arbitration in 2023.

The move made Bellinger one of the most intriguing free agents available, though one with significant risk. It's been three years since he was named NL MVP and two years since he was even a league-average hitter.

Since the start of 2021, though, Bellinger has been the sixth-worst outfielder in Major League Baseball by FanGraphs' wins above replacement with a minimum of 900 plate appearances (0.7). He has the second-worst offensive value among all outfielders during that span (minus-27.8).

Bellinger has a .193/.256/.355 slash line with 29 homers in 239 games over the past two seasons.

Injuries have hindered Bellinger during this two-year down period. He had surgery in November 2020 after he dislocated his shoulder celebrating a homer in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves.

Bellinger was ready for the start of the 2021 season, but he played in four games before suffering a hairline fracture in his left tibia when Oakland Athletics reliever Reymin Guduan accidentally cleated him on a close play at first base.

There were no known injury issues for Bellinger last season. He played in 144 games, but the problems from the previous year may have impacted his swing mechanics.

This is the story that interested teams should be telling themselves. Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal they have received multiyear offers but will most likely take a one-year deal with the hope of rebuilding his value to hit the market again in 2023.

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post previously reported that the Colorado Rockies have an interest in Bellinger on a one-year deal.

It's a calculated risk by Bellinger and Boras, but one with the potential to pay off hugely if he gets back to peak form. He hit .278/.369/.559 and averaged 37 homers per season from 2017 to 2019.

The Blue Jays created an opening in their lineup by trading Teoscar Hernández to the Seattle Mariners. Bellinger could be a natural replacement for him, especially for a team looking to overtake the New York Yankees atop the American League East.

Coming off a decent season with the Milwaukee Brewers, Andrew McCutchen is on the free-agent radar for two playoff contenders.

Per ESPN's Buster Olney, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays have shown interest in the 2013 National League MVP.

There's been a slow-developing market for McCutchen, which isn't a surprise given the volume of high-end free agents teams will likely want to act quickly on.

The Dodgers have been connected to Aaron Judge, though it doesn't sound like they will be willing to give him a significant long-term contract.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Los Angeles is believed to want Judge on a "short-term, high-dollar deal."

In the same report, Rosenthal noted Judge will likely end up getting a nine-year deal from whatever team he ultimately signs with. The New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants are considered the favorites for the 2022 American League MVP.

McCutchen certainly isn't at Judge's level, but he would be better than a fallback plan for the Dodgers. He would also provide a boost to a Rays lineup that lacked thump last season.

The five-time All-Star only hit .237/.316/.384 in 2022, but his OPS+ of 99 was roughly league average. His 17 homers would have ranked third on the Rays in 2022 behind Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes (both hit 20).

The Rays and Dodgers both have openings in the outfield to offer McCutchen a potential starting spot. They can also rotate him in the designated-hitter spot to keep his bat in the lineup and take pressure off his legs over the course of the season.

If McCutchen, 36, wants to go to the best spot to win a World Series, the Dodgers could have a leg up coming off a 111-win regular season. They lost to the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series.

The Rays took a step back last season with an 86-76 record after winning 100 games in 2021, but they did make the playoffs as a wild-card team in the AL.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly "showing interest" in Japanese starting pitcher Koudai Senga, a three-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star.

Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported Friday that Senga, 29, is "now eligible" to enter free-agent contract talks with MLB teams after opting out of his contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Since Senga is a traditional free agent—he's not part of the posting system typically involved with Japanese players making the switch to MLB—the team that signs the right-hander won't incur any additional fees beyond the contract's value.

The five-time Japan Series champion is coming off a 2022 season with the Hawks where he posted a 1.94 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 156 strikeouts in 144 innings. His career ERA across 11 years of Japanese pro baseball stands at 2.42.

In October, Senga said making the move to MLB is the end of a long-term plan.

"I'm absolutely going to file for free agency," Senga told reporters. "I've been saying I'm going to do it for the past six years, so this represents nothing new for me."

The Dodgers will face plenty of competition for him in free agency.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Tuesday the San Diego Padres were interested along with "virtually every other MLB team."

The Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays are among the other clubs publicly linked to Senga so far, per Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors.

MLB sources told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that Senga features a fastball that can reach triple digits and an elite splitter, but there are concerns about his lack of a polished breaking ball and some nagging elbow injuries over the years.

"[Senga] is one of the most talented, physically gifted players I've ever played with," Fukuoka teammate Colin Rea told Sherman. "His competitiveness on the mound is second to none and he works his butt off in between starts. He throws 100 and has a split that no one can touch. He's constantly trying to improve every day. His English also is improving. He could be a star in MLB."

Regardless of where he signs, he'll likely open his U.S. career as a mid-rotation starter in 2023. Any team signing him to become an ace-level contributor would be taking a risk.

Clayton Kershaw is reportedly returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers for his 16th season.

According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, Kershaw has agreed to a new one-year deal that will approach $20 million for the 2023 season.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the three-time National League Cy Young winner was "nearing" an agreement on a one-year deal with the Dodgers.

It's not a surprise that Kershaw decided to remain in Los Angeles. The 34-year-old has spent his entire career with the franchise and doesn't seem like he's ever come close to leaving. They drafted him No. 7 overall in the 2006 MLB draft, and he made his big-league debut as a 20-year-old midway through the 2008 season.

If there was a moment when it seemed like Kershaw could play elsewhere, it was last offseason when the Dodgers opted not to give him a qualifying offer. He wound up re-signing with the team on a one-year, $17 million contract, though.

Even though injuries and missed time have to be factored in when accounting for Kershaw's value at this point in his career, the 2014 NL MVP remains dominant in the games he does play.

Kershaw finished the 2022 campaign with a 2.28 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 126.1 innings over 22 starts. He has missed time every year since 2016, with the exception of the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.

The Dodgers have had no problems accommodating Kershaw when he does have to go on the injured list. They have had the best roster in Major League Baseball for several years and show no signs of slowing down.

A rotation that could feature Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urías and Tony Gonsolin is formidable. They may have to find ways to replace Andrew Heaney and Tyler Anderson, but the Dodgers front office hasn't been shy about spending money if the right players are available.

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Thursday they've declined the $16 million club option in the contract of third baseman Justin Turner for the 2023 MLB season.

However, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports that the Dodgers are still interested in Turner returning in 2023 on a lower salary.

Turner has played for the Dodgers since 2014 when he signed as a free agent following previous stops with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets.

The 37-year-old California native has been a key cog in the L.A. lineup ever since, highlighted by two All-Star selections and helping lead the team to the 2020 World Series title. He also claimed this year's Roberto Clemente Award, which combines a player's on- and off-field accomplishments.

His offensive numbers dipped a bit in 2022 as his OPS dropped to .788, his lowest mark since 2013 with the Mets, but the team didn't miss a beat thanks to its remarkable depth.

Turner previously tested free agency ahead of the 2021 season before re-signing with Los Angeles.

"It was definitely flattering to be courted like that from other teams," he said at the time. "But at the end of the day, it all worked out how it was supposed to and I'm back in Dodger blue, like I was supposed to be."

For his career, Turner has compiled a .289/.366/.466 slash line with 164 home runs and 41 stolen bases in 1,393 appearances across 14 years.

The veteran infielder's age and fading numbers suggest his career may be entering its latter stages, so the Dodgers decided against taking a $16 million risk. It wouldn't be a surprise if he eventually re-signs with L.A. on a more team-friendly deal.

Turner should also have suitors on the free-agent market if leaving Los Angeles is a consideration. Even if he's not the middle-of-the-order force he was during his peak seasons, he can still be a solid complementary contributor at this stage.

If he does sign elsewhere, the Dodgers will likely look to free agency or a trade to pick up a designated hitter with Max Muncy taking over at third on a full-time basis.