With Juan Toribio out on vacation, this edition of the Dodgers Beat newsletter was written by Los Angeles-based reporter/producer Sarah Wexler. |
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LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani has been a Dodger for only a week, but he has wasted little time sliding into a new role as team recruiter.
Ohtani played his part in making the Tyler Glasnow and Manuel Margot trade happen by recording a video message for Glasnow, encouraging him to agree to what ended up being a five-year, $136.5 million extension. It was something the two-way superstar was happy to do on account of how highly he thinks of Glasnow, according to Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes.
“[Ohtani] said he wants me to come on the team and hopes to hit some home runs for me and join me in the pitching staff the following year,” Glasnow said during his introductory Zoom with media on Monday. “... What he's able to do on a baseball field, it's nothing short of just insanity. So it was cool, and it definitely added a lot of points for me to go to the Dodgers. So I think his recruitment worked.”
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This wasn’t even Ohtani’s first time pitching a player on joining the Dodgers, and he should have plenty more chances this offseason, as the team is far from done adding. Glasnow is an impact arm who bolsters the front end of the rotation, but that remains the biggest area of need for Los Angeles and there will be more moves coming on that front.
“We're still looking to add talent and continuing to examine all avenues on the starting pitching front,” said Gomes. “And, ultimately, it's just about continuing to add as much pitching talent and depth as we possibly can. So we'll see how the coming weeks, months play out.”
The addition of Margot doesn’t mean the Dodgers are done adjusting their outfield for next season, either. Gomes indicated that they will continue to monitor the corner outfield market and, if the right opportunity presents itself, the club will act. Regardless, Margot should still see plenty of playing time.
“I think [Margot’s] ability to play anywhere is super helpful,” Gomes said. “So depending on what [manager Dave Roberts] is thinking in the lineup construction, there's different avenues for him to get out there. And our sense is that he will get a ton of reps. And how that exactly looks come regular season is TBD. … The fact that he's an elite defender and puts together a really good at-bat in a box is very helpful for constructing the rest of the team.”
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Getting talent like Glasnow, of course, requires a hefty return price. And the Dodgers knew they were giving up some great young talent in right-hander Ryan Pepiot and outfielder Jonny DeLuca. According to Gomes, the loss of Pepiot in particular underscored why locking up Glasnow beyond next year was such a necessity for the Dodgers.
“I think it was very important knowing we were losing Pep in this and how much we thought of Pep,” Gomes said. “But being able to get Tyler on that extension, and just from everything we've heard about him -- [he’s an] incredible person, how he relates to teammates, work ethic -- and then obviously his stuff and what he's done when he's on the mound speaks for itself. So it was a really good combination, and we felt confident in making that commitment to Tyler.”
Both Pepiot and DeLuca made Instagram posts saying goodbye to the organization that drafted them in 2019.
“To my teammates, coaches, staff, and everyone in between, thank you for the lifelong friendships made!” Pepiot wrote.
“It’s been an honor to meet such incredible people in the Dodgers organization,” wrote DeLuca. “Being able to debut and play in my hometown was truly special.”
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Including the Glasnow deal, how many trades have the Dodgers made with the Rays since Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay and joined L.A.’s front office in October 2014?
A. 11
B. 13
C. 15
D. 17
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“When Shohei signed [with the Dodgers], it was that immediate [feeling] like, ‘I want to be on that team.’ I just want to pick his brain, obviously, and just know what he's learned. He just seems like such a cool dude, and probably one of the best baseball players to ever live. I want to be on a field with that guy, and I'm just extremely excited.” -- Glasnow, on getting to play with Ohtani |
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THIS WEEK IN DODGERS HISTORY |
Dec. 23, 1953: Jim Gilliam wins the National League Rookie of the Year Award, getting 11 of 24 first-place votes to beat out the Cardinals’ Harvey Haddix and Ray Jablonski. Gilliam batted .278 with six homers and 125 runs while leading MLB with 17 triples. He was the fourth of what is now 18 Dodgers to win the prize, most of any franchise.
A four-time World Series champion, Gilliam had his No. 19 retired by the Dodgers shortly after his death in 1978, making him one of two Dodgers players (along with Fernando Valenzuela) to hold that honor without being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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