The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ season came to an end last week in the NLCS.
Despite some massive expectations, the Dodgers weren’t able to repeat as World Series champions in 2021.
To the surprise of many, the Atlanta Braves ended up being too much for L.A. to handle.
The Dodgers organization is now entering a pivotal offseason in which several key players are set to become free agents.
Here are a few of the toughest decisions the Dodgers are going to have to make this winter.
3. Is Corey Seager’s Time As A Dodger Over?
Corey Seager has spent his entire MLB career as a Dodger to this point.
But could that come to an end this offseason?
It’s certainly possible.
Seager is set to become a free agent this offseason, and with Trea Turner sticking around in L.A. for at least one more season, it remains to be seen which direction the Dodgers will go with Seager.
Seager has had a fantastic stint with L.A.
He has earned a long list of accolades, including two All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger awards, a Rookie of the Year award, NLCS MVP award, World Series MVP award, and, of course, a World Series title.
He has a career slash line of .297/.367/.504, and he likely has plenty of good years left in the tank.
Corey Seager, a free agent, on if he would like to return to the Dodgers: “Absolutely. I grew up here, I've spent a lot of time here, I believe in what these guys do. I believe in how we go about it. Yeah, absolutely.”
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 24, 2021
He’ll be a hot commodity this offseason.
2. Max Scherzer: Rental Or More?
When the Dodgers traded for Max Scherzer, they knew that they were only guaranteed to get a few months out of him.
The future Hall of Famer was phenomenal for L.A. after joining the team, but he’s now set to become a free agent.
Will L.A. try to bring him back?
Time will tell.
Scherzer is still one of the top arms in baseball.
He finished the 2021 season with an ERA of 2.46, FIP of 2.97, and WHIP of 0.86.
He also fanned 236 batters in 179.1 innings.
Max Scherzer, Unfair 88mph Slider…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ald5CxQSv4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 27, 2021
For his career, he’s an eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young award winner.
He’s a World Series champion, too, thanks to his 2019 run with the Washington Nationals.
The market for the righty will likely be big, and it’s tough to predict whether or not he will return to the Dodgers in 2022.
1. What Does Clayton Kershaw’s Future Hold?
No Dodgers fans want to see Clayton Kershaw leave L.A.
But this offseason, that’s a possibility.
Like everyone else on this list, he’s set to become a free agent.
The lefty has had an all-time great career with the Dodgers, but there are no guarantees that he will be back next season.
There are some valid concerns about how much Kershaw still has left in the tank.
In the 2021 season, he was good, but by his standards, his production was underwhelming.
Still, there is no diminishing what this guy has accomplished throughout his career.
He has a lifetime ERA of 2.49 and bWAR of 69.1.
He has earned eight All-Star selections, three Cy Young awards, five ERA titles, an MVP award, and a World Series title.
