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The Los Angeles Dodgers have been associated with nearly every top-flight free agent ahead of what should be a very eventful winter.
Given the profile of the ballclub, the past activity executed by the front office, and the appeal of playing for the team, it’s no shock that the likes of Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger, and others have been linked to Los Angeles.
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While that may be the case, famed MLB personality Ben Verlander recently revealed his offseason predictions as to where the top-10 free agents will ultimately sign.
Verlander, the younger brother of MLB legend Justin Verlander, doesn’t believe that any of these elite free agents will end up in Los Angeles.
Tucker has been most linked to the Dodgers, given the team’s need for an outfielder. However, Verlander has the left-handed bat headed to the Toronto Blue Jays. He also predicts that Bichette, Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber, and Pete Alonso will re-sign with their current ballclubs.
The two most talked about Japanese imports in pitcher Tatsuya Imai and infielder Munetaka Murakami, according to Verlander, are also projected to break the recent Dodgers trend of signing players from Japan. Imai (New York Yankees) and Murakami (Los Angeles Angels) will play their inaugural seasons in the Big Leagues elsewhere, per Verlander’s guess.

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The last free agent within his top-10, pitcher Ranger Suarez, is projected to end up in the Windy City with the Chicago Cubs.
There’s a reality that Verlander is completely accurate in the Dodgers not pursuing any of these free agents heavily. The team is already on the books with several lengthy contracts. It’s also not a group where there’s a can’t-miss player the Dodgers simply have to have.
As has been theorized for much of the offseason, the Dodgers could find themselves far more active in the trade market. This would, in theory, enable the team to have less of a financial/time commitment with some of their acquisitions. It would also allow the Dodgers to utilize their strong farm system and trade prospects in exchange for players that better fit their current needs.
At the very least, expect the Dodgers to be highly active over the next month as the hot stove rages on.