NL West

The San Diego Padres have been one of the most aggressive teams in the majors this offseason and don't appear to be slowing down.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Padres are "doing background work on multiple free-agent starting pitchers," with former New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka considered an option for the team.

The move would help further strengthen the rotation even after trading for Blake Snell and Yu Darvish earlier this offseason.

The Padres have high expectations in 2021 after going 37-23 last season, although the pitching staff still needs help with Mike Clevinger undergoing Tommy John surgery that will cost him all of 2021. Rosenthal also speculated there could be concerns about the health of Dinelson Lamet, who missed the postseason with biceps tendinitis.

It could leave an opening for a pitcher like Tanaka, who is coming off a solid 2020 campaign with a 3.56 ERA in 10 starts for the Yankees. The 32-year-old added 44 strikeouts with only eight walks in 48 innings, creating the second-best strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.50) of his seven-year MLB career.

The two-time All-Star could also bring valuable postseason experience to the roster with a 3.33 career ERA across eight series.

While the production would be enough for the Padres to have interest, the personal connections could help bring Tanaka aboard.

Rosenthal noted the right-hander is friends with the newly acquired Darvish, while pitching coach Larry Rothschild spent six years alongside Tanaka with the Yankees before he joined San Diego in 2020.

It could be a perfect fit for the Padres as they seek another reliable option on the mound.

San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. could reportedly command a 10-year contract extension worth in the range of $210 million to $230 million. 

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Tuesday it's a possible middle ground as Tatis tries to decide between a shorter deal that would allow him a chance at free agency in his prime or a longer agreement, potentially 15 years, that could make him a "Padre for life."

Tatis' career is off to a tremendous start. He's played about one season worth of games between his 2019 rookie year and the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign, and his numbers are among the National League's best.

The 22-year-old Dominican Republic native has posted a .301/.374/.582 triple-slash line with 39 home runs and 27 stolen bases across 143 appearances. His .956 OPS over that span would rank ninth among all MLB hitters if he had enough at-bats to qualify, per FanGraphs.

He's under team control through 2024 via arbitration, but teams have showed a willingness to sign budding superstars to extensions early in exchange for pushing back their free-agency timeline.

In 2019, the Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. became the youngest player to sign a $100 million extension at age 21. He could have become a free agent in 2024 but is instead now linked to the Braves through at least 2026 with club options for two additional years.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller said in October there was interest from both sides to at least start looking at an extension for Tatis before the 2021 season.

"It was just such a short season and such a sprint to the finish line that I don't think there was a lot in the middle of all of that for trying to put a contract negotiation in there," Preller told reporters. "We'll start to look more seriously at that here this offseason, and it sounds like there's interest on both sides, so we'll see where that goes."

With or without a new deal, Tatis will once again take on a prominent role in the heart of the Padres' order alongside Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers in 2021.

San Diego will enter the season with championship-level expectations after the offseason additions of starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Blake Snell to a roster that ranked third in MLB with a 37-23 record in 2020.

The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly have interest in signing DJ LeMahieu if they are unable to reach terms with Justin Turner.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported "quite a gap remains" between Turner and the Dodgers in contract negotiations. Turner is pushing for a four-year deal, whereas the Dodgers currently top out at two. 

The MLB offseason has moved at a glacial pace as teams seek to limit contract lengths and high-end salaries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Yankees remain an overwhelming favorite to re-sign LeMahieu but have been in a long-simmering impasse in negotiations. Heyman reported the team is willing to give LeMahieu a four-year contract; the two sides remain far apart in the dollar amount.

The Dodgers, Blue Jays and Mets are among potential suitors if the utility infielder ultimately leaves the Yankees.

Turner has spent the last seven seasons with the Dodgers serving as a consistently solid option at third base despite injuries. Given his troubles staying on the field and age (36), it's understandable the Dodgers haven't been competing against themselves to pay Turner until age 40.

The overwhelming likelihood is that Turner and the Dodgers find some middle ground with a mutual option that would pay him a buyout if the team opts out in a third or fourth year. As far as LeMahieu and the Yankees go, that franchise always has money. It's simply a matter of whether it is willing to pay it. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers and relief pitcher Blake Treinen reached an agreement Tuesday on a two-year, $17.5 million contract with a 2023 club option worth $8 million, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Dodgers announced the move Tuesday evening:

Treinen was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball for the Oakland Athletics in 2018. He racked up 38 saves, posted a microscopic 0.78 ERA and 0.83 WHIP and struck out 100 batters in 80.1 innings across 68 games.

The 32-year-old Kansas native couldn't replicate that success over the past two years. He landed on the injured list in June 2019 with a shoulder strain after an up-and-down start to the campaign and was replaced as the Oakland closer by Liam Hendriks, who proceeded to keep the job for the rest of the year.

Treinen's trip to the IL didn't solve his on-field woes, as he compiled a 6.14 ERA in 25 appearances following the All-Star break. The only silver lining was his still-strong strikeout numbers, as he punched out 22 hitters in 22 innings in the season's second half.

The 2018 All-Star said in August he continued to believe in his stuff despite the poor overall numbers.

"I know people looking from the outside in are probably thinking that I'm down, but I've never had any lack of confidence at any point this year," Treinen told reporters. "I know what God has blessed me with and I try to attack hitters every single day with it. It doesn't mean that I'm always my sharpest, but it doesn't dwindle my confidence."

He added: "I don't believe last year was a fluke. I don't believe the success I've had in the past was a fluke. This year, obviously, the numbers are different, but I feel like I can go out there and get any hitter out at any point."

Treinen posted a mundane 3.86 ERA in 27 games for the Dodgers last year.

In all, the South Dakota State product owns a 3.02 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 72 saves and 54 holds across 372 appearances in seven MLB seasons split between the A's, Dodgers and Washington Nationals.

Treinen represents a solid addition for the Dodgers based on his prior success. He finished each of his first five seasons with an ERA below 4.00, including three years below 2.50, which makes him a strong bounce-back candidate for 2021.

After more than six weeks in the hospital, Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda reportedly is headed home. 

MLB Network's Jon Heyman provided the update on the 93-year-old Tuesday night. 

Lasorda, who has been a member of the Dodgers organization for more than seven decades, was hospitalized for unknown reasons on Nov. 8, just over a week after joining the Dodgers for the World Series finale in Arlington, Texas, according to the Associated Press. Lasorda spent some time in intensive care but was moved out of the unit in early December, per the AP.  

Lasorda, a left-handed pitcher, made his major league debut in 1954 with the Dodgers, where he played for two seasons until he was traded to the Kansas City Athletics. He retired after the 1960 season and began his front office work for the organization as a scout. 

His coaching career took him to the minor leagues before he returned to the Dodgers in 1973 as a third base coach, then taking over as manager in 1976. 

In 21 seasons at the head of the Dodgers, he amassed a 1,599-1,439 record that included eight division titles, four National League championships and a pair of World Series victories in 1981 and 1988. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, and he guided Team USA to a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

According to the AP, Lasorda suffered a heart attack which prompted him to retire from his post with the Dodgers in 1996. He also had a heart attack in 2012 and was hospitalized for an extended period in 2017, when he had a pacemaker installed.

On Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Sandra Scully, the wife of legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, died Sunday at the age of 76.

"Sandra had been battling the neuromuscular disease ALS over the last several years," the announcement explained.

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of Sandra Scully, the loving wife of Vin and a dear member of the Dodger family," Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten said. "Sandi was Vin's biggest fan and was always there in loving support of him at Dodger Stadium until she began her battle with ALS. She was truly Vin's and the Scully family's rock, and she will be dearly missed."

Alden Gonzalez of ESPN noted the Scullys were married for 47 years.

Vin was the voice of the Dodgers for 67 years and became synonymous with summer broadcasts before he retired following the 2016 season. His distinct voice provided the soundtrack for plenty of Major League Baseball history.

He called moments such as Bill Buckner's infamous error in the 1986 World Series and Hank Aaron's record-setting 715th home run.

Sandra is survived by Vin, six children, 21 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly do not want to give third baseman Justin Turner the four-year deal he is looking for this offseason as a free agent.

According to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers prefer a two-year deal for the 36-year-old veteran and don't want to commit to four years for someone "whose mobility has appreciably diminished in recent seasons" even if he is a fan favorite and "beloved in the clubhouse."

Turner apparently isn't the Dodgers' only option on the hot corner.

While Castillo explained signing free agent DJ LeMahieu to a lucrative contract would put the Dodgers significantly over the competitive balance tax line for 2021, he noted the National League West team could trade for Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant or Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

Both the Cubs and Reds are looking to offload salary this offseason with Chicago already trading ace Yu Darvish and Cincinnati already moving closer Raisel Iglesias while exploring a move with starting pitcher Sonny Gray.

Bryant is a 29-year-old with a National League MVP, NL Rookie of the Year and World Series crown on his resume, although he would be a rental with one year remaining on his contract. Such a move worked for the Dodgers when they traded for Mookie Betts in similar fashion and then signed him to a long-term extension.

Suarez is also 29 years old and hit 49 home runs during the 2019 campaign and would likely be better known as a power-hitting star if he played in a bigger market than Cincinnati.

As for Turner, he has been a constant source of production in Los Angeles' lineup since the 2014 campaign. He was an All-Star in 2017 and has had an OPS above .830 in every season with the Dodgers. 

He may have to settle for fewer than the four years he is seeking, though, if he is to remain with the Dodgers.

The San Diego Padres are hoping to keep Fernando Tatis Jr. around. 

Padres general manager A.J. Preller appeared on MLB Network Radio and said that the team would have conversations "behind closed doors" in hopes that both sides would end up "on common ground to work something out at some point before the season." 

The 22-year-old will be arbitration-eligible after the upcoming season and remains under Padres control until he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2025. 

In October, Preller said the abridged season—not a lack of interest—contributed to an extension not occurring during the season for the shortstop. 

"We'll start to look more seriously at that here this offseason, and it sounds like there's interest on both sides, so we'll see where that goes," he told reporters. 

Tatis earned a Silver Slugger and finished fourth in National League MVP voting this season, when he tallied a .277/.366/.571 slash line with 17 home runs, 45 RBI, 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases in 59 games. 

The Dominican Republic native led the team to a postseason berth for the first time in 14 years before San Diego was eliminated in the NLDS by the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. 

In 2019, Tatis finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting behind New York Mets star Pete Alonso and Atlanta Braves starter Mike Soroka. In 84 games, Tatis blasted 22 home runs and 13 doubles with 16 steals and 53 RBI while slashing .317/.379/.590.

Tatis is the centerpiece of what he referred to as "a special group," and if the team is able to keep him around, they will continue to see similar levels of success to what they reaped in the 2020 season. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers have "continued to show interest" in free-agent infielder DJ LeMahieu, according to MLB.com's Jon Morosi.

LeMahieu is among the most-prized free agents available after putting up big numbers the past two seasons with the New York Yankees. That included winning the American League batting title with a .364 average last season.

While any team can sign LeMahieu, Yankees manager Aaron Boone called him New York's "No. 1 priority" last month.

The 32-year-old veteran is a 10-year MLB veteran who previously spent time with the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies prior to the Yankees.

LeMahieu first broke out with an All-Star nod with the Rockies in 2015 followed by an NL batting title with a .348 average the following season. After seven seasons in Colorado, LeMahieu signed a two-year deal with the Yanks before the 2019 season.

He was an instant success in the Bronx, hitting .327 with 26 home runs, 102 RBI and 109 runs scored in 2019. He was named an All-Star for the third time in his career, won his first Silver Slugger award and finished fourth in the AL MVP voting.

LeMahieu followed that up by hitting .364 with 10 homers, 27 RBI and 41 runs in 50 games last season as part of the truncated 2020 MLB campaign. LeMahieu won another Silver Slugger and finished third in the MVP voting.

Given his hitting prowess, ability to play multiple positions and durability compared to the rest of the Yankees lineup, LeMahieu has undoubtedly been New York's MVP the past two seasons.

Signing a player of his caliber would provide the Dodgers with a huge boost and solidify them as the favorites to repeat as World Series champions.

Since Dodgers longtime starting third baseman Justin Turner is a free agent, it is likely that LeMahieu would become the team's new starter at third.

LeMahieu has primarily been a second baseman during his MLB career, but he played a combined 62 games at the hot corner over the past two seasons in New York and has shown he can do it at a high level.

If LeMahieu joins the likes of Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and Co. in Los Angeles next season, the Dodgers may be able to field one of the best lineups in the history of Major League Baseball.