Dodgers Territory - Surgery for Kiké; Kwan, Bellinger, Williams Talk, Bold Offseason Predictions! | Dodgers Territory

Episode Date: November 17, 2025

Alanna Rizzo is BACK! Alanna and Clint Pasillas catch up on all things Los Angeles Dodgers since she's been gone (1:08), including her World Series feelings, Shohei Ohtani's MVP (5:55), and more!The hosts also dive into the offseason, including the Dodgers swinging a minor trade (12:08), Kiké Hernandez's elbow surgery (14:19), and the latest rumors with Devin Williams and how he fits the team (19:09). Plus, Alanna and Clint's bold offseason predictions (24:14)! Will the Dodgers be players in the Steven Kwan market? How deep into Kyle Tucker's free agency will they dive? Could a Cody Bellinger reunion make sense?Get 15% off The Perfect Jean with the code FOUL15 at theperfectjean.nyc/FOUL15  #theperfectjeanpod  Check out DT merch at dodgersterritoryshop.comSupport Guidry's Guardian at guidrysguardian.orgFind Clint on YouTube at youtube.com/@alldodgersSubscribe to Dodgers Territory on YouTubeRate and review our podcast on Apple and SpotifySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm Daniel Alarcon, and this is my friend, is much more famous than I am. I wouldn't go that far, but I'm John Green, co-host at the podcast The Away End with my old friend Daniel. On our podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things,

football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to The Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. It's the new me and it's the old them. This Woman's History Month, the podcast If You Knew Better with Amber Grimes, spotlights women who turn missteps into momentum and lessons into power. My like tunnel vision of like I gotta achieve this was off the strengths of like I want to make a better life for us.

If You Knew Better brings real talk from women who've lived it. Unpacking career pivots, relationship lessons and the mindset shifts that changed everything. Listen to If You Knew Better with Amber Grimes on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Everyone needs to take care of their mental health, even running back Bejan Robinson. When I'm on the field, I'm feeling the pressure, I usually just take a deep breath.

When I'm just breathing and seeing what's in front of me, everything just slows down. It just makes you feel great before I run the play. Just like Bejohn, we all need a strong mental game on and off the field. Make a game plan for your mental health at loveyourmind playbook.org. Love your mind. Brought to you by the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the Ad Council.

Devin Williams is a name that continues to come up for a lot of teams, but I think it would possibly make sense for the Dodgers because I am sick and tired of the revolving door that is the Dodgers bullpen. What up, everybody, and welcome to a brand new episode of Dodgers Territory. In case you forgot, my name is Alana Rizzo alongside my co-host, Clint Paseas. So good to be back with you guys. Thanks for being here. Rate us five stars.

subscribe all of the things. You can catch our merchandise. We'll talk about that in a hot second. We want to get to 15,000 subscribers, guys. Help us get there, won't you? Please. Part of the Balthera Network. We're so happy to be with you guys for another off season as we get ready for the 2026 season. Hopefully a three-peat is in the works. Before we get to the good stuff, Clint, let's catch up with each other and our fans on the big ticket. Let's do it. All right, since you've been gone, or since I've been gone, I should have. Yeah, I mean, I was, I was fine while you were gone, but it's good to have you back. You were trolling away, doing all of the work, doing all of the things.

But since I was gone, I had a great trip. Thanks for obviously Scott German and Jack Harris for filling in. Anybody else that I miss, thanks for, thanks for filling in for me. So, Mickey Row was the hero. Let's talk about the World Series real quick, because I was actually on it. plane. I watched the majority of the game at the airport in Logan. Then I was on the plane getting texts messages from Jill Painter Lopez. She was giving me the play by play of what was going on. And then obviously, McGee Roe with the home run and all of the things. And I couldn't

yell at the top of my lungs on the plane. But I was very excited. And what an unbelievable thing, right? It's so difficult to go back to back in this great sport. of ours and the Dodgers did it. And I, you know, what else can you say about this team other than they're frigging good? And I'm so psyched for them. I think just watching what everybody was talking about, I feel like the parade this year in LA was better than last year's parade. And I'm just super psyched. Miggi Rowe, the hero, Will Smith the hero, and more than anybody was your dude, Yoshinovu Yamamoto,

the guy that you said, Clint, at the beginning of the year was going to be the Syng Award winner. It could have been. He didn't get it when he was damn near, right? I take a World Series. I take a World Series over that Sa-Young. Series over a Cy Young, right? Just incredible. And I tried to send you guys a message from the plane.

It didn't go through. Whatever, whatever. But freaking great. The important thing is, you know, the things we talked about leading up to that game seven, you know, you're the person who kept telling everybody, it's going to be great. It's going to be fine. It was stressful as shit, but everything eventually was going to be great. great for sure. You mentioned Miguel Rojas with the heroics there in the ninth inning,

both sides of the ball in the ninth inning, of course, the Homer, the very unlikely game-tying Homer off of Jeff Run Your Mouth Hoffman makes that play to cut down Isaiah kinder for Luffa in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extra ratings. Will Smith is inevitable at some point and then Yoshinovo Yamamoto. Whatever they're paying him, it ain't enough because my boy got the job. $25 million is not enough, huh? I mean, whatever. You know, I tell you what, when Andy Pa has caught that ball

and Kiki Hernandez didn't know that he caught it. And then he was like saying, oh, my God, I just lost us the World Series. And Andy's like, what are you talking about, bro? I caught it. I mean, I was listening to Kikey on, I don't know if it was Mookie's podcast or whatever it was, but he was talking about that moment. Oh, maybe he was on Jimmy Fallon. That's where he was talking about it.

Yeah, I think it was. What an unbelievable turn of events. And again, it was like the fifth inning of Game 5 last year that kind of was like game seven of this world series where they had some defensive miscues and just you know jeffman i don't think that it was a bad pitch i just think that miggy did a great job it was a great at bat and again kind of an unlikely hero uh in that moment you think about the dodgers roster clint you think like all right i could see freddie doing that i could see show hey of course doing that i could see will smith doing that i could see mackinsey doing that i can see keke doing that just because of what a

postseason hero Kike is, but it was Miguel Rojas. And this was a guy that we thought that was going to retire at the end of the season. More on that in a moment. But the fact that it was him, a guy that just really understands his role to be able to come in to force the issue and force extra innings in a game seven of a World Series. I don't know that they're, and I'm not just saying this because we're Dodgers fans, okay? Yeah. I think so many people, not even Dodgers. Roger related. We're saying that this was one of the best world series they have seen in quite some time.

That's all you want, right? You wanted to go to Game 7. I know as a Dodger fan, you probably like, no, four in a row. Let's just get this shit done. But you want as a sports fan, you wanted to go to game seven. You wanted to go to extra innings. You want it to matter in every moment you're holding your breath. And that's exactly what they got this year. I told you, I told you it's going to be great. It's going to be great. It eventually got great. You know, the bullpen bottle over here, it took a couple of hits along the way in surviving that game seven and surviving the postseason. I mean, that's a lie. I didn't really drink during the postseason because I'm trying to make the show not God awful. But they survived.

We survived. The Dodgers did good. And like you said, now they're trying to run it forward, trying to run it back for a third time in a row. The other piece of news since you've been gone and since I was live on Thursday with Jack Harris. Sheri Otani. How about that? MVP, once again, two years in a row as a Dodger. You get a title. You get an MVP. I can get used to that, Alana. I'm sure Shohei can get used to that as well. His fourth MVP award in five years and all of them unanimous, as Alden Gonzalez pointed that out as well. But I mean, look at what he continues to do. It's just stupefying what he is able to accomplish. If you can throw that tweet from Alden back up, if you don't mind. All of what he's been able to do. He's the first player. in all four major sports to win both an MVP and a championship in each of his first two seasons with the team according to ESPN research.

That's just dumb. It's like it's not that easy, right? He probably just is like, oh, all I had to do is come to LA. I mean, he has so many more supportive, a much more supporting cast now in Los Angeles than he did in Anaheim. But man, he's good. I just don't want this to become a situation

where it's just a given every year, right? It's like, oh yeah, Shohay, until there's another award, or, you allow co-MVPs. I don't know who else in the National League could have gotten it in comparison to Shoah. I mean, I think there was much more of a close race, obviously, in the American League. I still believe Cal Raleigh should have gotten the American League MVP, not that I'm

trying to take anything away from Aaron Judge. But Shoah didn't have a ton of competition, right? I mean, when you pitch and hit, it's going to be very difficult. If he does it at a quality level, which he did, and he did it in the postseason, you know, 10 strikeouts, three home run game. I know the award is voted on prior to the postseason. But who else is ever going to win this award? I don't know.

I mean, at some point you feel you worry there is going to be the whole, you know, voter fatigue when it comes to Shohei Otani. I was assuming there would be a little bit of voter fatigue with Aaron Judge in the American League this time. Thankfully not. I mean, he put up a phenomenal year. My vote would have went to Cal Rale if I was allowed to vote. I'm not. I'm not that important.

But until somebody else can pitch and hit at the level that he can, and by the way, he said after his MVP, that he plans on being ready to pitch from the start of the year to the end of the year. He's going to be on that mound, hopefully going out there for, you know, 25, 30 starts. Until somebody else can do that, this is Show Hayes Award. And there's a good chance. I mean, this is the guy, Alano, we need to ask a question. Is this somebody who is going to pass Barry Bonds on that MVP, you know, all of MVP trophies? Barry has seven, right? Barry has seven MVP's. Yeah, I don't see how you can't.

I mean, Shohei's still very young in his career. Barry obviously was whatever you want to say about Barry Bonds, asterisk, no asterisk, asterisk. I think Barry Bonds was a Hall of Famer in Pittsburgh, even before all of the speculation and all the giant shit and all of that stuff. Shohay Otani, unless something catastrophic happens, I certainly hope not. But as long as Shohay Otani is on both sides of the ball and performs even at a minimal level of what he's doing, he's the MVP. There's nobody else that can compete. And I know that Juan Soto was in the conversation, Kyle Schwerber, both Goodyear. Schwerber, phenomenal, right? Soto, great.

but they don't pitch. And until he's going to have like legitimate competition on both sides of the ball, I don't see how he doesn't, unless he has a horrible year either way. You know what I mean? I don't see how anybody else could win. Yeah. If he's out there healthy and getting into 160 games, you know, pitching at least 15 games, he's going to be your NL MVP for a possibly the majority, if not all, of his Dodgers contracted.

I'm okay. I'm okay with that. No question. You know, and again, until somebody can even come close to what he's doing, I think the award is his. A couple of other things that you wanted to bring up if we talk about this. Are we doing that now or what are we doing? How about this?

Let's take a little bit of a break and then we'll get into the real stuff. We've caught up. That's all we needed to do, right? Good to see you. Good to see you. We're all set. I went on a safari. I saw some stuff.

Dodgers won the World Series. And we're caught up. Here we are. Yeah, you weren't trampled. That's the important thing. I was not. Still more Dodgers territory to come. But first, the word from our friends at foul territory.

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I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars, and now I guess also as the co-host of the Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old.

I watched every game, and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer, football, is a story we've shared for over 30 years, since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game.

I love its history, it's hope, it's heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Auer Kohn and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to Dodgers territory here on this. What is it? Monday. I think it's a Monday. The 17th. If you guys are looking, as Alana said at the top of the show, looking for a way to support us besides us watching, subscribing, clicking that like button, sharing to your friends, your grandma.

your dog. Check out the store. Dodgers Territory Shop.com. It's, it is hoodie season. Alana said it is cold as balls over there back home. Got to get,

got to get that beanie going there. There's a whole bunch of stuff. It directly supports me. Alana, the fine people here that put on, you know, a show with Dodgers Territory,

foul territory, yada, scan that QR code, buy some stuff. Alana, there's been more news since you've been gone and all that kind of stuff.

And, and even since I, was last live. Let's talk about the trade that happened on Sunday. The Dodgers make a move to essentially clear roster space on the 40-man roster trading away minor league, well, I guess not minor league, 40-man reliever Robinson Ortiz, who they had just added to the 40-man roster. They trade him, they sent him to Seattle for an off 40-man reliever, basically a lottery ticket because they are in dire need of 40-man roster space, especially if they want to bring anybody back. And in a little bit, we're going to get into our offseason predictions.

So, you guys, stay tuned and tell us how wrong we are. But yeah, the most important part of this move is, again, lottery ticket. You add a reliever and it clears roster space. Yeah, this is not the leverage arm that they're looking for, right? Like, this is somebody where it's like, let's, we got to make some moves. Because if they're going to do anything in the off season, I don't know that it's going to be starting pitching-wise just because you figure that they're going to have everybody back, right? Yeah.

Hopefully. I, and we'll get into this about what I think needs, what we think needs to happen and the closer situation and the whole Devin Williams rumors and all of those things. But this is just, this is semantics. This is just moving the pieces around.

This is neither here nor there. I think we can move on. I really could not care less about this move. Yeah. It's not, it's not going to be the move of the offseason, but it is definitely one move. And we also have breaking news from Scott Braun.

He wears shorts most of the time. Yeah, somebody just said that he probably wore shorts to his own wedding this weekend. I don't think he did. I don't think, I don't think Emma would have allowed that. Maybe they were like tucks shorts. But by the way, congratulations to my little brother, Scott Braun and his beautiful bride on their nuptials. It's about damn time. Listen, you guys know my stance on marriage.

But congrats to Scott. Scotty, Scottie Braun there and the new Mrs. Scotty Braun. That is pretty awesome. Hey, let's talk about our friend, your friend, Kike Hernandez, had a little bit of surgery on that elbow. A little bit. So what's funny about how this all went down is Dave Vasay was saying that Kiki was basically ambushed at the airport. So somebody recognized Kike at the airport, which, I mean, I can understand why. He's very popular. And he was in a sling. So that begs the question, why are you in a sling? Well, he had to have off-season surgery. I guess he hurt the elbow early on in May, played through it, had to have surgery.

So he's going to be fined for whatever team is his employer in 2006. Hopefully it's the Dodgers, more on that in a moment. But he's not playing for the World Baseball Classic, obviously, which is a bummer because Kiki is a huge influx of personality. And he is the biggest guy that you want in big moments. and the whole WBC is a big moment. So that's a bummer for him, because I know he loves representing team Puerto Rico. It's a bummer for the fans,

but he obviously has to be ready for the regular season with whomever that is going to be with. He needs to be ready for October. He does. He does. I mean, I don't think you can just sign him for October. I mean, I've told you this a thousand times. I'll say it a thousand more times.

I don't care if he's owe for the regular season. I want him on my roster as anything, as a hype man, as a bench player, as a janitor. I don't care. But come the postseason, Kike is in the lineup every day, period. End of story. Yeah. I do wonder if this is a move that changes his market. Well, let's talk about the ambush thing. I don't know if you saw the video, but there was just some random dude at the airport who kind of wouldn't leave him alone and like followed him around and, you know, up through the escalator and all that. That's like, bro, leave the man alone. For one, for the love of God,

leave the man alone. But beyond that, I do wonder if he would have posted anything about the surgery if that video did not come out. Does anybody know if this was like a TMZ kind of guy? Or was this just like a fanboy kind of guy? I think it was like running around another grown ass man in the airport, which I will never understand that. Yeah, I think it was more leaning towards grown ass man than than the professionals over at TMZ. But it was definitely giving big TMZ injury. It's worth noting the numbers for Kike before that injury to after that injury,

pretty stark, small sample size on both sides. He did miss a couple of months on the IL with that elbow. I kind of had forgot that it nearly knocked him out for the season, but the big numbers there, the average was never good, but the big numbers, 741 OPS before that injury with a couple

of bombos, seven homers, 513 after the injury. There was something to that. I mean, it is your lead elbow, and if it's this extended tendon or whatever it was that was surgically repaired. Apparently by the time he got to the end of the postseason, it completely tore from the bone, as opposed to it being partially torn through the majority of the season.

He aggravated it in the National League Championship series. I was going to say, I hope he aggravated it picking up the trophy. You know what? You'll take it. Everyone's hurt at that point, right? I mean, Akiki was legitimately injured. I mean, think of what Freddie Freeman played through last year. You know, so I just,

I hope that it heals well. I mean, remember coming into this off season or coming into the season this year, he had the groin, you know, the sports hernia surgery and all of that stuff. These guys are not immune to going under the knife. That's just part of the, part of the drill, part of the game. But I don't know. I mean, does that change his market? I'm not sure.

I guess it all depends on when he's going to be ready, you know, and what teams need him. Yeah, I mean, the Dodgers can use them. I've kind of, I said a couple of weeks ago that I don't. think the Dodgers can resign both Miguel Rojas and Kike Hernandez. Miguel Rojas let it known, let it be known that he wants to come back desperately. I think they can find a way to make that move. I think they would have found a way to make that move happen already if there was any sort of space on the 40-man roster they can play with, but I'm assuming now I kind of had the gut feeling now that Miggy Roe probably happens closer to spring training after all of the pomp

and circumstance of the offseason. We've seen it with Clayton Kershaw in the past. that kind of stuff. Give them some opportunity to. I agree. I think they wait and see like how ready Kike is. I don't, and we'll tell we can talk about this later coming up in our Nostra dumbass segment with you as the headliner of that, of course. I don't think that they sign them both. I think that they wait and see how Kike heals. I mean, if Kike is in their legitimate plans, I mean, both guys have said that they pretty much only want to play for L.A., you know, Miguel Rojas said that he wants to come back with an opportunity. opportunity to three Pete. So we'll see what happens there. Before we get to that, though,

there is some, this is an interesting closer market coming in. It reminds me, and I talked about this a little bit on foul territory. I was filling in for Scott Braun. I think this closer market, Clint, is very reminiscent of the shortstop market two or three years ago. Remember when like when Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Xander Bogart? Yeah, Danesby Swanson, I think was in there. Yeah, Danesby Swanson, like four. more really, really good. I think Lindor was before that, but like really high quality shortstop, defensive short stops, all in the, all in the free agent market at the same time. I kind of feel like that is this year's closer market. Devin Williams is a name that continues to come up for a lot

of teams, but I think it would possibly make sense for the Dodgers because I am sick and tired of the revolving door that is the Dodgers bullpen and the Dodgers closing role, which is such a different than you and I had at spring training this year when we're like, oh my gosh, we talked to Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott and yada, yada, yada. And, you know, we're like, wow, we have 10 closers. This is amazing. And then it was like, this is so awful. This is not amazing. Like, no, no, working out. This doesn't work. We lose Evan Phillips. You know, we lost Blake Tronon for quite some time. He came back. He wasn't as effective as he was in 2012 in 24 in terms of the postseason Tanner Scott. We know we had that surgery. The whole thing. Kirby Yates wasn't as successful as we need to. them to be i am i don't like this revolving doorb yes devon williams makes some sense to me what about you oh absolutely i mean we know the interest is going to be there we'll talk more about devon williams uh in a little bit spoiler he will be part of noster dumb ass there um but yeah this is a guy that the dodgers have been linked to him uh over the last you know a couple of years obviously there was

almost a trade in place a year ago to bring him from milwaukee to the dodgers ultimately they ended up going the Tanner Scott route because he was traded. Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees. Did not have a great season in New York by any stretch of the imagination. But I don't know if I buy in so much of the idea that they need a closer, but they 100% need high leverage like somebody, a right-hander, a high-leverage right-hander that can get the job done at the back end of the bullpen because, you know, you mentioned Blake Trina did not have a great season.

He's getting long in the tooth now, 38. He'll be pitching at age 38 in 2026 in the second and final year of his deal, which is, it is insane to look at the baseball reference of Blake Trinan and see that he's entering his eighth. I think it's eighth season with the Dodgers, ludicrous to think of how long he's been here. Really? Yeah, it's, it's pretty nutty. But I think this is more about they don't necessarily need a closer because I've said it and I'll stay. I'll die on the sill. Dave Roberts is a better manager when he doesn't have a closer, at least in the postseason.

but they need somebody who can get the lion's share of ninth inning opportunities and is just plainly a light's arm, lights out arm, which we know Devin Williams is because, you know, the All-Star births, the numbers tell you that much. That airbender is disgusting and it still can be good, maybe even better in a Dodger uniform. Amen. I think Devin Williams makes a lot of sense. And the reason is I think his performance, or lack there of, or lack there of in terms of production for the Yankees was an anomaly. I don't think the Yankees numbers this year. I think that it was kind of, it was a down year. And I do think that there's something to be said about pitching in the National League versus the American League.

I do think there's something to be said about pitching on a team where you don't have to be the man. You don't have to be, I mean, granted, he didn't necessarily have to do that either in New York. But I do think that Devin Williams makes a lot of sense because I like the price tag. I don't think he's going to be insane. I just like his stuff. I like his makeup. I think he'd be a good fit in LA. I do lend.

I'm a little opposite of you. I do think they need a closer. I think they need somebody that is, you say the lion share. I say you're the closer unless you absolutely need a day off because of workload or, you know, obviously you don't need a,

it's not a safe situation so you don't need a closer that day. But I love it. Bring him in. Cool. Hey, listen, you're just saying that because the whole time you were covering

that damn team, Kenley Jansen was nails, all right? At least for the majority of the time, he was nails. It's definitely traditional. My guy, Jay 74. Yeah. Which, by the way, free agent, I don't hate the idea of him being one of the guys. I would like him as a metal reliever, like, maybe like a two, three inning guy.

He's not closer anymore. Breaking yours. I would love to have Kenley back. Let's say, spoiler. Kenley Jansen, at least is not part of the expected bold off-season. and predictions, but let's say we get into some not so bold, honestly, offseason predictions with some noster dumbass. I'm John Green.

You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars and now, I guess, also as the co-host of The Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic.

of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer, football, is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan.

I love this game. I love its history, its hope, it's heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him.

Hi, Dad. And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen. She says, I have some cookies and milk. This is a badass convict. Right. Just finished five years. I'm going to have cookies and milk at my mom. Yeah.

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I figured we could have some fun two bold or not so bold predictions because I say not so bold. I don't think it's going to be a very exciting offseason, at least not to the levels of excitement we've seen over the last. But that's good though, because that means you don't need a lot of stuff. Yeah, this team is good, you know, and that's another conversation we haven't had because you've been out vacationing and enjoying your life.

But like, this is a team that does not need a lot of effort. They could probably put the 40-man roster out that they have right now and win the NL West without much fanfare. I mean, yeah, other teams in the NOS is getting better. Let me ask you this. Is that with Sasaki as a starter or is that with Sasaki as a closer? Well, it's with Sasaki not in the rotation, them winning the, the, the, the, the, the, the NL. West. I don't know that his future is in the starting rotation. That said, he will enter spring training in the starting rotation, or at least being one of the

five or six to seven dudes that this team will be looking at to pick up some big innings. I really don't know how that works out because they have just an insane amount of talent in the starting rotation, even after Clayton Kershaw retires or retired now. The amount of arms they have. It's pretty ridiculous. I have this one. This one's just going to be hanging around in perpetuity this this offseason. But Gavin Stone is coming back from shoulder surgery. He was electric when he was healthy in 2024. Emmett Sheen, we know he is a very, very good starter. And you got those four dudes at the top of the rotation. I would love to see Yamamoto get a fair amount of break. But with Roki Sasaki, River Ryan, most likely you see Casperius

and Rebleski go to the bullpen in some sort of role. Dodgers are in a very, very, good position to not need a flashy or splashy offseason. They need an outfielder. This much we know. Actually, we got a super chat from the Truth Seeker Doc RB. $10. Thank you much. And welcome back, Alana. Good afternoon to both of us. And wondering what the rumors are to improve the outfield, bullpen the defense, hearing that maybe there's a Pete Fairbanks, another guy who's a longtime future Dodger, you know, maybe a Stephen Kwan, maybe Byron Baxter in there. And yeah, getting into bold offseason predictions. I have no problem leading us off here.

Mine, my number one is I do think the Dodgers trade for Stephen Kwan. I understand Cleveland, you know, they made the postseason last year. They're a good ball club. Their managers, a two-time AEL manager of the year award winner. But at some point, Stephen Kwan's going to start costing more money. The Dodgers were already linked to Stephen Kwan at the trade deadline last year. The Dodgers loved to start doing their homework early. Cough-Coff, the Mookie Betts deal.

that happened in 2020, almost happened in that 2019 at the 2019 trade deadline. We know there's interest now. Bob Nightingale penned a column about it last week at the GM's meetings. Dodgers needed an outfielder. They needed a left fielder with plus two elite bat to ball skills, something Stephen Kwan has. He's also an absolute demon in the outfield. They can use some left field defensive help. And we know this is a team that has the prospect capital to get a job, get a deal.

deal done. If it's, you know, one or two of the outfield prospects they have or one of their guys, plus maybe an Alex call thrown in there, a top pitching prospect, a lower tier pitching prospect, maybe Alex Freeland, who is still highly regarded on all of the prospects lists. They have the tools. They have the players. They have the talent to bring Stephen Kwanir, who fills a perfect need for this team. Let me ask you this, and we didn't talk about this, and I'm just throwing it out there because it's easy for me to spend other people's money. What if you moved Teo to the left field? You moved Teo to left field.

He's not a great right fielder. Kwan obviously is better defensively. I understand that. But I will take Teo's power and lineup and you go out and you sign Kyle Tucker. Now, I say that because it's going to come with a massive, massive price deck. Okay? We're talking about $350 to $500 million for Tucker, which is insane. but he's young, he's good.

I get it. He's a former astro. Calm down. But, I mean, is that something that would even be on the radar? Does it make sense? Yeah, I mean, absolutely, to a degree. And this is with that caveat of it's not our money, because you're looking at a 10-year deal for a 28-year-old

all-star outfielder with Kyle Tucker. But one of those guys, you know, he mentioned to Oscar Hernandez. He will be off of the payroll in two seasons. They already opened up a button. ton of payroll this winter with Clayton Kirshaw retiring. Obviously Michael Conforto off of the payroll. Chris Taylor finally out from under that

contract, so on and so forth. Almost $90 million free in payroll. They're kind of the most expensive they're going to be right now. You don't need to pay a lot of other prospects who are getting big

raises in arbitration. So if you're looking for somebody fitting that bill of bat to ball, plus defender Kyle Tucker somebody who can play some left field can play some some some right field ideally they would land a center fielder that's not necessarily the guy that's out there in this market I you know there is that factor though of couldn't can they convince Teo to move to left field like I wonder if they would be more open to trading him somehow rather than maybe maybe but I think I mean he wants to be in LA I think I mean if

as long as he as long as you're not taking him out of the line I don't think he cares where he plays in the outfield. I think he downy knows he's not the best right fielder in the world. I would hope. Hopefully he gets better, though. I mean, what's wild, and we've talked about this on the internet over the last week or two, because I asked that question, like, could there be a scenario where the Dodgers explore trading to Oscar Hernandez? But what's a wild situation with him is that he has good foot speed.

He just reads baseballs poorly in the outfield and doesn't really... You need that as an outfielder. You need to be a good reason. It's all coming off the bat. You know who I would have loved for the Dodgers to sign is Jaron Duran. Now, they can't this year because they sign him to a one-year deal. Trade, baby. But I think Jaron Duran, uh, maybe, maybe.

But I think Jaron Duran would have been really great pop in the lineup. He can run fast. Um, he's a really good dude in the clubhouse. Not to say that any of our guys aren't, but I'm saying that if you're going to add somebody, you always want to know about the character of the person. And I think Jaron's a really good dude. I would not be upset with Stephen Kwan at all. No.

Um, but I just, you know, there's other guys. too that I would be fine seeing in the outfield. What about a belly reunion over Stephen Kwan? I don't know. I never know how that's going to work out. I mean, I would love belly and center because I love, I still love Bellinger's defense. He played, he played so much better in New York than I thought he was going to. I didn't think that Belly was going to deal with New York very well just because he's such

a mellow dude. And I know everybody says, oh, because he's always stoned. But he had such a good year in New York in terms of numbers and the way that he handled everything. Like I wasn't sure how that was going to go and it worked out really well. I don't know. You never know how it's going to be with reunions, right? Like, I mean, it made worked out well with Kike. I don't know. Like, would it be the same as it was when Kenley was here? Would it be the same as it was when JT was here if those guys came back? I don't know. Sometimes you sometimes you can't go back home. You know what I mean? So I'm not, I'm not sure.

If, if Belly would have the same type of impact as he did. Like sometimes the team now is different than when belly was here. You know? An important fact, though, that he doesn't need to be 2019 MVP belly. He does not need to be 2017 rookie of the year, 40 Homer Belly. He doesn't, he doesn't need to be that guy. They don't need that guy. They have other dudes to be the man.

He just needs to be somebody who is a solid five or six hitter in that lineup, even as low as seven if you really need it. But you know he can hit cleanup. You know he's a run producer. You know that Scott Boris is willing to do. some sort of weird white man raps about him or whatever the hell. Scott Boris does at this point in the offseason. Somebody needs to take the microphone away from that man.

But between, honestly, I've said it before. Some of this is definitely rehashing things we've already talked about on the internet. Not that there's a whole lot going on, so there's going to be a lot of rehashing. I think I take Cody Bellinger on a shorter deal over Kyle Tucker just because of the shorter deal. Yeah, that's, of course, sure. I mean, I think I think belly is he's not that far gone from Kyle Tucker. He's not that far from what he used to be. But yeah, of course, the money makes a lot more sense.

I mean, maybe that's what you do. Maybe you figure it out for the next couple of years and then and then reassess. I mean, this team is very good. So there's really nothing to me other than the closer in the revolving door situation. There's not, this team doesn't have a ton of holes in my opinion. I mean, now there is one thing, though. This team is a year older now. Like they're getting older.

Yeah. You know what I mean? I mean, we all are. But it is, they are getting over. Yeah. I mean, Hage is a factor for sure. And they play a lot of baseball each and every year, starting with earlier seasons in spring training and playing into November this year.

That is absolutely a factor. You know, we're probably going to hear a lot of the conversation about World Series Hangover early next year, maybe even through a lot of the season again, because, as we saw it this year. Hopefully they learn how to deal with that World Series hangover. But yeah, they are getting older. They are one season older. Freddy is getting older.

You're starting to see some of the signs there of him not being the perfect hitting specimen that he was for the majority of the first, what, 12, 13 years of his career. Still all very, very good ballplayers. And as Dave would say, to borrow from Dave, you know, I believe in these guys. I have a lot of trust in these guys. and you find a way to supplement, you know, the roster here and there. You have an opportunity in the left field. You have an opportunity maybe with a closer or a bullpen guy.

Devin Williams is much younger than Blake Trinin. At some point, you know, they're going to need an heir apparent at third base for Max Muncie. They'll find a way. Hesson Kim's young. I don't know if Hesson Kim's on the team next year. Anyway. Bold prediction. Is that a bold prediction?

Sure. I mean, he was not, he wasn't on a postseason roster. Yeah. Yeah, that was, uh, what are we doing? I mean, that's how they need to know about how they feel about him. Like, I feel like he's an expendable piece. You know what I mean? Remember, he started this season in the, in the minor leagues. I ideally, he's somebody who fills into that whole, um, rotation of utility guys could be somebody that takes, you know, one of those jobs that's open right now from, uh, Miguel, Mohoss and Keanu Hernandez. That's the thing, though. If that's, if we're looking at it at, if that's his value, if that's who he is, I'd rather. have Kike Hernandez or Miguel Rojas, even at their age. What about so, Matt, let's make that a bold prediction here. I had said two weeks ago, I don't think they would both be back. I don't think the Dodgers re-signed both. Where do you stand with both, uh, Miggi Roe and Kike Hernandez?

Which way did the Dodgers go? If Hisson Kim is on the roster, I don't think they bring both of them back. If he's not, I do think that they bring both of them back. I will say this, though. if it's one or the other to me, I think it's Kike over Miguel. I know that I, you know, obviously Miguel with the, the World Series heroics and all of those things, but I mean, you're not in the situation that you're in without Kiki in the course of the postseason. And I know that Miguel said he was, wants to come back and have the opportunity to the repeat,

which is different than what he said, that, you know, that he was going to retire. But I think I would love to see them both back. I think it happens if Kim's not on the roster. If he is on the roster, only one comes back and it's Kike. Hey, competition, though, you know, Heson Kim does have options. He's somebody that could get a lot more playing time at AAA if they need it. We know this is a front office that wants to have the maximized, wants to maximize their options on the 40-man roster.

So that could be one of those things where they do bring them both back. And, you know, eventually somebody wins out on the playing time between those two and Heson Kim, but between those three guys, one guy actually has something to prove that is Heson Kim. So he has, he has team control. I don't know. I think he'll be around. I think he'll be a factor.

I mean, if Miguel and Kikey don't get signed by another team and they wait until the end of the season, the end of the off season like they did last year to bring Kike back, it may be a situation of non-roster invite to spring training for both of those guys if they're not picked up by any of the other 29 clubs. And then the three of them battle it out in. in spring training. Yeah. I mean, Miguel Rojas, I'm still going to die on the hill that that he comes back. I think he means so much of that clubhouse. Um, he means so much to the front office and him just being a, you know, a vocal leader back in the clubhouse. So,

that's essentially they're the same dude. They are. That's what makes us really tough, you know, but, um, yeah, I love them both to death, but I don't know that you can have three utility guys, you know. Yeah. Plus, plus Tommy Edmund, you know, he's, still going to be around. He's having ankle surgery this week at some point. So I don't know if we actually had a fully bold prediction there because that is a tough conversation for the front office. I'm still going to die on the hill that I had two weeks ago. As much as I want Kiki back, I think they go Miguel Rojas because it's one year over Kike. And I don't think Kike's going to want to wait to sign a contract until March like he did last year. I don't know, but I think

Kike knows he's probably only going to get a one-year deal. anywhere that he goes. So unless somebody comes up, like, soon in free, in a, yeah, free agency in the off-season, um, listen, I love him. I just don't think that there's a billion guys, you know, a billion teams knocking down his door. You know what I mean? And that's, that's a stark reality that a lot of other teams aren't in the same position

the Dodgers are into sign somebody who essentially is just an October player. Correct. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. And that's exactly. That's exactly right. Like if there's not a ton of teams that are like, oh, we're good.

We know we're making the postseason. So, you know, yeah, that's that's exactly exactly right. So another point that you had, do the Dodgers resign Michael Kopeck? That's one of my bold predictions here. Not a lot of people talking about Michael Kopeck. I'm going to be one of the people talking about Michael Kopeck. I think he'll be back. I think it'll be a one-year deal.

Listen, he was really good when they brought him over after he was freed from the clutches of the white socks. in 2024. 2025 season, disaster. You cannot state it any other way. It was an absolute disaster. I think he owes them one. I think he would like an opportunity to actually pitch for this ball club again,

something he couldn't really do. And they got into, what, 9, 10 games, something like that during the regular season here in 2025. I don't know that there's a massive market out there. So I think it would be a one-year deal, maybe one of those one-plus ones. But I think there'll be a Michael Kopeck siting at spring. training because they need healthy relievers at the start of the season. They are going to eventually have a very, very good bullpen, but you need, you know, Evan Phillips to get healthy by midseason and, you know, insert other names here.

It's going to be a lot like we dealt with last year. Like, oh, just give them time. Everybody will be healthy. Then it's going to be really good. Well, I mean, we were healthiest when it mattered the most in terms of starting staff. This is what I think, though. I look at Michael Kopeck the same way I look at. Devin Williams. Devin Williams had a really down year for the Yankees. Michael Kopeck had a terrible

year for us. So perhaps, you know, he has a bounce back year. Devin Williams has a bounce back year. And that's two really solid arms in that Dodgers bullpen. And yeah, that's, we'll pull the wool over everybody's eyes or the other way around. I'm saying that wrong. Anyways, the final bold prediction. Yeah, I do believe the Dodgers sign. Devin Williams, I think everything is out there. the pieces are in place for for him to want to come to L.A. The Dodgers need him, can use him. He would, there's a, if you can get better, if Devin Williams could get better by working with the Dodgers,

you know, pitching gurus, they needed an eventual replacement, like I said earlier, for Blake Trinen, who has only one year left on his deal, but maybe they need a replacement at the back end of the bullpen for him this year because he was not great in 2025. Yeah. You know, they. Let's be honest.

The bullpen as a collective was in great in 2025. Breaking news. They weren't. They weren't. It's okay. There's a, in 20204 in the World Series and in the postseason. They just,

they were not good. That was the biggest question mark all season long, was the Dodgers bullpen, especially towards the end of the year. They just weren't good. And there was that constant revolving door, which is why Dave Roberts should get more credit than he does because of the way he handles everything.

No votes in the manager of the year. I know. That is... Not even a down ballot vote. That's embarrassing. That's so ridiculous because everyone's like, oh, they're the Dodgers. They should automatically win. People not being exceptionally happy about my co-pec resigning.

I will note, I'm not saying he's going to be re-signed to be a back end of the bullpen guy, a closer for this team, more so a healthy, righty throwing arm for... That's an option, another guy who is competition. If he is outpitched by somebody like Evan Phillips when he comes back and is healthy in the second half of the season or if Ben Casperius outpitches him. If Anthony Bond outpitched him, so on, so forth, those guys will get more opportunities. And we didn't talk about this easier. We didn't talk about this either. I'm super psyched that they brought Alex Vescia back.

Good. Yeah. That's great. 100% needed to be back. He is the leader in that bullpen. And, you know, you saw it by the World Series. It showed, his absence absolutely showed, just as a heart and soul kind of dude for that ball club. But there's our long way around some bold predictions.

Hopefully people enjoyed that. Again, I don't think it's going to be an overly exciting offseason. So doesn't need to be. It doesn't need to be. If it is a lot of re-signings, if it is, you know, Miguel Rojas and Kiki Hernandez is a Michael Kopeck, I mean, we should be excited if they land Devin Williams and are able to bring in Stephen Kwan. But don't be mad when it's not the most exciting. Most exciting offseason.

That said, I think we can get into last next next licks now. What do you think? Agreed. Always. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars. And now, I guess also is the co-host of the away end, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist. And John and I have known each other since we were kids.

My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer, football, is a story we've shared for over 30 years

since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, it's hope, it's heartbreak,

and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Auerkone and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, guys, thanks for letting me do this. I appreciate it very much. This is Trooper. He is adorable. He's not even a year old, but he's such a good boy.

He's healthy. He's neutered. He's vaccinated. He's a sweetheart. He gets along swimmingly with other pups. He's good with kids. He was going to be euthanized at the shelter in Downey just because he had a broken leg. He's all fixed up.

He's awesome. So if you're interested in adopting trooper, please let me know. He's being fostered in Aliso Viejo, California. But he wants to go to his forever home for the holidays. So reach out, let me know, giddreysgarden.org or hit me up on social. Before we sign off, Clint, baseball thought for the road. I don't know if you guys saw it, but recently the 2006 Hall of Fame ballot is out. There's about 12 new names on there.

And former Dodger, Matt Kemp, is on the list. Your thoughts of the likelihood of my favorite number 27 getting into the hall. I would love it. He is not a Hall of Famer. Love you, Matthew Ryan Kemp, not a Hall of Famer. The fact that he's on this list, one makes me feel extremely old. That one I can't get away from because I remember this kid coming out of being part of the Jacksonville five that won the

Southern League AA championship back in 2004, 2005, watching those dudes come up, make their debuts, him, Russ Martin, Andre Ethy, or John Brockton, Chad Billingsley, watching those guys come up and make a difference with his back up. That's the last in the past.

John, Chad Billingsley. He was somebody who was but anyways. Yeah, I don't know. I just don't see Hall of Fame credentials. Definitely an MVP. Robbed an MVP. No, that's exactly what I was going to say. I don't see Maddie Kemp getting into the Hall of Fame, but I will say this,

you better not let that motherfucker in. I'll tell you that right now. Because if it wasn't for him, on that list. Yeah, Ryan Braun's on the list. So if Ryan Braun didn't do what he did and lie about everything, Matt Kemp would have gotten the MVP that year.

Do you think there's more of a case, more of a Hall of Fame case, if he wins that MVP? for Matt no I still don't think that that he's an MVP just based on numbers and and I don't know I mean it certainly wouldn't hurt yeah maybe maybe he's I think I think he'll be a one and done maybe he wouldn't be a one and done if he was a former league MVP but yeah I don't think he gets the 5% vote not that there's a lot of you know I guess there are some pretty decent names on there but Matt yeah I mean like for Matt it's all about what's on there I mean they've been on before

But yeah, I don't know. I don't think anybody on that list actually gets in, to be honest with you. Not via the normal BBWAA vote. I think as things expand and, you know, time and there's all these other ways to get into the hall now. Maybe Jimmy Rollins gets in. I don't know. But not just based on writers' votes, I don't. Yeah.

I agree. And it feels like as good a time as any to hit that sign off button. Went out way too long. That's good. You guys. Sorry, Mark. Yeah. Anyway, good to be with you guys.

Thank you so much for listening. Clint and I are back normal time on Thursday. We're back to our Monday, Thursday rotation in this offseason. Much more to talk about I'm going to try to get a guest on, a player guest. Until then, go Dodgers. We'll see you. Bye. I'm Daniel Alarcon.

And this is my friend. He's much more famous than I am. I wouldn't go that far. But I'm John Green. Co-host at the podcast The Away End with my old friend Daniel on our podcast, the away end. We'll share with you the magic of. international football, all leading up to the

2026 World Cup. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's the new me, and it's the old them. This woman's history month, the podcast, if you knew better with Amber Grimes, spotlights women who turn missteps into momentum and lessons into power. My like tunnel vision of like I got to achieve this was off the strengths of like I want to make a better life for us. If You Knew Better brings real talk from women who've lived it, unpacking career

pivots, relationship lessons, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. Listen to If You Knew Better with Amber Grimes on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Everyone needs to take care of their mental health, even running back Beijon Robinson. When I'm on the field, I'm feeling the pressure, I usually just take a deep breath. When I'm just breathing and seeing what's in front of me, everything just slows down. It just makes you feel great before I run the play. Just like Bijan, we all need a strong mental game on and off the field.

Make a game playing for your mental health at loveyourmind playbook.org. Love your mind. Brought to you by the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and the ad console.