TL;DR - Scouting Report
The Dodgers reign atop MLB rankings and 2025 World Series odds after the MLB Winter Meetings. Key signings like Snell and Conforto, plus potential moves for Hernandez and Sasaki, keep them as baseball’s team to beat next season.
Start the Rally: Tweet This Now!The Dodgers are standing as baseball’s top team for the 43rd day (as of publishing of this post) after winning the 2024 World Series over the Yankees four games to one.
Vegas odds show the Dodgers as the overwhelming favorite to win the 2025 World Series too at +380 odds.
Bleacher Report’s post 2024 MLB Winter Meetings Power Rankings also has the Dodgers sitting at No. 1.
Let’s recap:
- The Dodgers signed Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract ahead of the Winter Meetings.
- Blake Treinen is returning to the Dodgers’ bullpen on a two-year, $22 million deal.
- Michael Conforto signed a one-year, $17 million deal either to add to the outfield depth, or more than likely take a corner outfield spot.
However, the news fans were hoping for hasn’t happened quite yet. Though, the good news is that Teoscar Hernandez is still a free agent and absolutely could return to the Dodgers as many expect for him to.
Roki Sasaki was posted this week, too, and the majority of the industry thinks it’s inevitable that he winds up in Dodger Blue when all is said and done.
That added outfield spot, by the way, it’s because Mookie Betts wants to play shortstop, which he absolutely will do moving forward into the 2025 season.
As it currently stands, the Dodgers’ lineup could look like:
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Mookie Betts, SS
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Gavin Lux, 2B
- Will Smith, C
- Max Muncy, 3B
- Andy Pages/James Outman, RF
- Michael Conforto, LF
- Tommy Edman, CF
Even without Hernandez in the lineup, it’s pretty formidable.
It’s backed up by a starting rotation that could look like this:
- LHP Blake Snell
- RHP Shohei Ohtani
- RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- RHP Tyler Glasnow
- RHP Tony Gonsolin
- RHP Bobby Miller
That’s without the possibility of the Dodgers signing Sasaki, Clayton Kershaw, or potentially bringing back Walker Buehler.
The weak point of the Dodgers in the playoffs becomes a strength in 2025.
Bleacher Report predictably ranks the Mets as second after they signed Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract.
The American League champion Yankees are third. The Padres are fifth.
Check out Bleacher Report’s full rankings here.
Your Turn: What weaknesses must the Dodgers address to fully solidify their team going into 2025? Tell us below in the comments!
