Willy Adames, the standout shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, has long been associated with the Los Angeles Dodgers. During the 2024 season, there were even some whispers that the two teams could be able to make a trade to move Adames to Los Angeles. In the end, the Brewers managed to hold onto him, and now that he is a free agent, the Dodgers can try to sign him. However, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal doesn’t believe the fit is as flawless as it appears. Rosenthal really suggested moving Mookie Betts, who is already returning to the infield, to shortstop and ending the game.
“Friedman has long admired Adames, whom he acquired for the (Tampa Bay) Rays at the 2014 trade deadline as part of a package for David Price,” Rosenthal stated. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was a significant exception last offseason, partly because he was turning 25, but Friedman rarely pays premium price for top players. Not to be overlooked, there are sizable deferrals in the contracts for Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Shohei Ohtani.
Perhaps Rosenthal is right. Some of the biggest free agents of the offseason are thought to be available to the Dodgers, but Adames may not be one of them. It’s ideal to slot Betts back in at shortstop. Additionally, a significant amount of money could be saved for other uses.
To complement Shohei Ohtani at the top of their rotation, the Dodgers might sign another ace, such as Blake Snell or Corbin Burnes, with the money they saved on Adames.