Winter Meetings are almost here! Let's check LA's agenda

This story was excerpted from Juan Toribio’s Dodgers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

After a relatively slow first full month of the offseason, things are finally going to start heating up.

Over the weekend, all 30 clubs will continue their preparation and will then head to Nashville, Tenn., to make some noise at the annual Winter Meetings. Though it isn’t obligatory for things to happen, the Winter Meetings usually represent the busiest time of the offseason regarding the Hot Stove.

The Dodgers, as is usually the case, are expected to be among the busiest teams this winter. After three consecutive postseason runs that fell short of reaching the World Series, including two consecutive exits in the National League Division Series, the Dodgers are eager to make the necessary decisions to get back to the Fall Classic.

What that all looks like remains to be seen. But there’s a good chance that we’ll get a better sense of what the 2024 Dodgers will look like when the organization heads back to Los Angeles after spending four days in Nashville.

Key events

Sunday: The Hall of Fame Contemporary Era will release the results of this year’s ballot. The eight candidates for election are Cito Gaston, Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland, Ed Montague, Hank Peters, Lou Piniella, Joe West and Bill White.

Tuesday: MLB Draft Lottery

Wednesday: Rule 5 Draft

Club needs

Starting pitching, starting pitching and some more starting pitching. Yes, there’s a certain two-way player on the market (we’ll get to him a little later), but none of that will matter if the Dodgers don’t secure at least two top-end starting pitchers.

A lack of quality starting pitching ultimately doomed the Dodgers against the D-backs in the NLDS, and the organization knows the best way to avoid a repeat of that is to add frontline starters this winter. Luckily for the Dodgers, this is a strong starting pitching market, with Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto and two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell leading the free-agent arms. Names like Dylan Cease, Tyler Glasnow, Shane Bieber and Corbin Burnes could also be available via trade.

Potential trade candidates

As just mentioned, there are plenty of quality pitchers who could be available via trade this winter. The Dodgers will be involved in a lot of the discussions because of how well-regarded their farm system is.

Young players like Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch still carry some value as potential trade chips. Vargas had a tough season at the plate, but he is just 24 years old. Busch is viewed as one of the best pure hitters in the organization, but he’s 26 years old already and doesn’t seem to have a long-term position.

On the pitching side, the Dodgers have a plethora of prospects who could help sweeten any deal with other organizations. Landon Knack, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone and Nick Frasso are just some of the names other organizations would love to get their hands on. In order for the Dodgers to make a big splash via trade, they’ll have to give up a good chunk of prospect capital. There’s a lot of demand for starting pitching around the Majors. Prices won’t be cheap.

Prospects to know

The Dodgers benefitted from their farm system in ‘23, especially Bobby Miller and James Outman, who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. But with how deep the farm system is, there are still plenty of other names to know heading into the ‘24 season.

Frasso (No. 4 prospect in the organization per MLB Pipeline) and River Ryan (No. 8) continued to improve and are two names to watch on the pitching side. Kyle Hurt (No. 12) made his debut in ‘23 and is another interesting pitcher who could be a weapon out of the bullpen or get spot starts. It’ll also be good to see No. 6 prospect Andy Pages -- who missed most of last season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder -- back on the field and healthy. Pages is a long shot to reach the Dodgers in ‘24 given the time he missed last season, but the outfielder could make some noise if he proves to be healthy.

Rule 5 Draft

Outfielder Jose Ramos was left unprotected for the second consecutive season, but it would be unlikely that a team drafts the Panamanian given he hasn’t played above Double-A. On the other hand, it’s very unlikely the Dodgers make a selection in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft.

Burning question

Are they going to make a big splash? After mostly sitting on the sidelines last winter, the Dodgers could be the biggest hunters this offseason. The biggest of splashes, of course, would be landing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers were the favorites to land Ohtani when he was coming from Japan, but he ultimately chose the Angels. Los Angeles knows this will likely be its last bite at the apple, and the Dodgers need to get it done.

If it isn’t Ohtani, then the Dodgers will have to make some noise in the starting pitching market, both via trade and in free agency. The pool of players is definitely there for them to do just that.