GLENDALE, Ariz. — For 99 days, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was cut off from his players, unable to contact them during the MLB lockout. When a new collective bargaining agreement was ratified Thursday, he immediately started working the phones to catch up.
“It was just happy that we could talk,” Roberts said of the reaction he got from players and coaches. “As Trea Turner put it, it felt like we were in a ‘timeout.’”
The timeout ended with the firing of a starter’s pistol as teams now race to sign free agents and fill out their rosters before a compressed spring training.
The Dodgers’ first post-lockout move was to reach an agreement on a one-year contract with free agent left-hander Clayton Kershaw. Roberts acknowledged that it would “feel very strange” to open spring training without Kershaw or relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (still unsigned) in the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
“I think the thing that players count on – fans, coaches and everyone counts on – are stalwarts and cogs. Those two guys, in particular, have been that for the Dodgers,” Roberts said.
Roberts said he is “definitely expecting additions” in the next few days as free agents play a high-stakes game of musical chairs, signing with new teams. Before the lockout, the Dodgers signed left-hander Andrew Heaney and veteran reliever Daniel Hudson and also re-signed super-utilityman Chris Taylor.
More help in the starting rotation and depth to improve a bench that was a weakness last season would be welcome, Roberts said.
“I think that it’s easy to look at our roster and say that we need to focus on starting pitching,” Roberts said. “And some depth on the position-player side, I think, is something that is a good starting point. I like our ’pen. Can we get better? Certainly. Is there something that might happen in the ’pen? Certainly.”
Something else might happen too – and it would be much bigger than adding bench help or a reliever.
Throughout the lockout, there was speculation about free agent first baseman Freddie Freeman’s potential disenchantment with the Atlanta Braves. The Braves failed to negotiate a contract extension with the former MVP before the lockout and now he is being courted by other teams – most prominently the Dodgers and New York Yankees.
The Braves are believed to have offered the 32-year-old Freeman a five-year, $140 million contract extension at one point last season but he is looking for a six-year deal. The Dodgers could use the additional pull of playing near home to lure the Orange County native.
Roberts did not try to hide his enthusiasm when asked about Freeman on Friday.
“I would love to see Freddie Freeman in a Dodgers uniform … Who wouldn’t?” Roberts said. “He’s a heck of a ballplayer. He’s put himself in a situation to be a free agent. So he’s earned that right and the opportunity to be courted by other teams and to see what’s best for him and his family.
“Certainly he’s in the conversation for us. But ultimately it’s going to be his decision.”
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A decision on right-hander Trevor Bauer’s status with the Dodgers was postponed for another week when MLB placed him on administrative leave for another week (a move that could only be made with the consent of the players’ union). Bauer spent the last three months of the 2021 season on administrative leave while MLB investigated allegations of sexual assault leveled against him by a San Diego woman. An investigation by the Pasadena Police led to no criminal charges against Bauer and the woman’s request for a restraining order against Bauer was also denied.
MLB is expected to conclude its investigation now that the lockout is over but that might require Bauer meeting with officials from the commissioner’s office first. A suspension of some length is likely – and it’s also a good bet that Bauer will appeal any discipline, extending this saga further into 2022.
Bauer made an appearance at the players’ union camp in Mesa earlier this week and has been posting videos of his workouts on social media throughout the winter. Roberts indicated he has seen some of those videos but said he has not been in contact with Bauer since he left the team last July nor is he aware of any contact by the team.
But Roberts did say he doesn’t “want to completely close the door” on Bauer possibly being in camp with the Dodgers this spring “because I just don’t know enough” about the situation and MLB’s investigation.