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.
Scott Boras, who became Correa’s agent last January, disputed that the Dodgers were shunning his client, saying, “I have met with LA executives and have been advised the Dodgers’ clear goal is to form the best annual club and do not discriminate based upon prior rivalries.”
The distaste Dodgers fans harbor for Correa, however, would not be the only reason the club might be reluctant to engage with him — or for that matter, any of the other more expensive players on the free-agent market.
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.
Bauer stands to lose $60 million in salary. If his suspension is upheld, the Dodgers will not owe him anything. But if the suspension is overturned or reduced, the Dodgers as a third-time luxury-tax offender would be assessed penalties on top of his salary. As noted by the Los Angeles Times, the team’s total payout could exceed $100 million.
The wide range of possible outcomes is one reason the Dodgers are planning to incorporate a number of young, minimum-salary-type players this season. They want to add a modestly priced starting pitcher, an affordable center fielder such as Kevin Kiermaier and a middle-of-the-order bat — JD Martinez would make sense, although a left-handed hitter might be a better fit. But the Dodgers are unlikely to spend big, especially when they know the market next offseason might include two players they covet — two-way Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani and Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki, if he is posted by his Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines.
• So, where might Correa land? The Twins still want him. The Giants are perhaps the most obvious fit now that they have lost Aaron Judge to the Yankees. But with Xander Bogaerts reportedly close to returning to the Red Sox, the Padres cannot be dismissed.
The Padres tried for Trea Turner, met with Judge and pursued Bogaerts. They clearly have $300 million-plus to burn, perhaps $350 million-plus (no, they did not offer $400 million to Judge). They could spread that money around to build the necessary depth. Or they could become a factor for a big-name free agent such as Correa or Kodai Senga. Brandon Nimmo would be less of a consideration, with the Padres likely to go with an outfield of Fernando Tatis Jr., Trent Grisham and Juan Soto.
Dansby Swanson (Eric Hartline / USA Today Sports)
• The idea of the Cubs adding both Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson was always far-fetched. The addition of two prominent infielders worked for the Rangers last offseason in part because both Corey Seager and Marcus Semien were Scott Boras clients. But with Bogaerts represented by Boras and Swanson by Excel — two different agencies — it was much more difficult to coordinate two such signings.
The Cubs view Swanson as perhaps their most realistic target at shortstop, assuming they don’t go big for Correa.
• Agents believe it is no coincidence that arguably three of the most prominent starting pitchers remaining on the free-agent market — Carlos Rodón, Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Bassitt — are all weighed down by qualifying offers.
Teams when pricing such pitchers factor in the cost of losing draft picks and international bonus pool space. The qualifying-offer system remained intact when the players’ union rejected the league’s final offer for an international draft. The union viewed the international draft as too big an item to trade for the elimination of draft-pick compensation, which affects only a handful of free agents each year.
• Right-hander Seth Lugo is drawing interest as both a starter and reliever, with the Angels, Dodgers, Padres and Nationals among the teams showing at least some interest in adding him to their rotations.
Lugo, 33, pitched regularly as a starter in 2017 and periodically in 2016, 2018 and 2020. He has never thrown more than 101 1/3 innings in a season, making his endurance a question. One executive, however, believes Lugo should indeed pursue a starting job on a one-year deal, then hit the market again next offseason after a full season in the role.
That way, the executive said, Lugo could break out of reliever salaries in the $6 million to $8 million range and become a starter at the $10 million to $14 million level.
• The Cardinals’ agreement with Willson Contreras on a five-year, $87.5 million contract might accelerate the market for free-agent catchers, which also includes Christian Vázquez, Mike Zunino and Tucker Barnhart.
The market has moved slowly in part because the A’s are entertaining trade offers for Sean Murphy and the Blue Jays are willing to move one of Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and Gabriel Moreno.
Teams will examine Zunino carefully as he continues his recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on July 28. The Red Sox, Pirates, Royals, Twins, Guardians and Astros are among the teams with varying levels of interest in catchers.
• And finally, the Astros continue to look at free agents Andrew Benintendi, Michael Brantley and Michael Conforto as options for their outfield. After losing out on Contreras, they might even explore signing two of the three.
(Top photo of Carlos Correa: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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