Dodgers' top 5 offseason questions: Where will Mookie Betts play in infield, and what domino effect will that create?

A year ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers entered the offseason with the frustratingly familiar, sour taste of an early postseason exit. A decade of consecutive trips to October had yielded only one championship, and being swept in the NLDS by the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks sparked a high degree of urgency to make meaningful roster improvements. That manifested in one of the more impactful set of offseason moves we’ve ever seen: the titanic signings of Japanese mega-stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the acquisition and extension of ace right-hander Tyler Glasnow and the January addition of outfielder Teoscar Hernández, all of whom would go on to contribute tremendously in 2024 as the Dodgers captured the eighth World Series title in franchise history.

The tone is certainly different as this hot stove season commences, considering that L.A.'s campaign ended on the ultimate high note, but that’s not to say the Dodgers won’t be busy this winter. While the core of a no-doubt contender remains firmly in place, reinforcements will be required. And based on the way Mookie Betts was talking at the victory parade, there is still ample motivation within the organization to defend its crown and attempt to become the first team since the 2000 Yankees to win consecutive championships (that season capped a Yankee three-peat).

Here are the five biggest questions facing the Dodgers as they look to build a roster capable of repeating as champions:

1. What are the potential ramifications of Mookie Betts moving back to the infield?

Betts was the every-day shortstop from Opening Day until he was hit by a pitch and suffered a broken hand in mid-June. He played almost exclusively right field upon his return from the injured list in August, including throughout October. General manager Brandon Gomes revealed at the GM Meetings earlier this month that the team plans to move Betts back to the infield in 2025, though whether that's at second base or shortstop is yet to be determined. That uncertainty leaves a lot of room to speculate.

Miguel Rojas, Gavin Lux, Chris Taylor and Tommy Edman remain on the roster as viable candidates to claim a middle infield spot opposite Betts. If we focus on this quartet of internal options, the most crucial unknown is which of them — if any — the Dodgers view as worthy of every-day at-bats. The switch-hitting Edman is the most likely of the bunch to warrant such regular playing time, but his at-bats could also come in the outfield, so there’s flexibility there. If Edman remains entrenched at the shortstop position he played for nearly all of October and Betts becomes the every-day second baseman, that would seemingly squeeze Lux out of playing time, considering the organization’s reluctance to trust him at shortstop.

If Betts is at shortstop, there’s more wiggle room to shuffle through Lux — who was sneaky stellar in the second half of the regular season (.899 OPS) — Rojas and Taylor at the keystone. That said, if the Dodgers are committed to moving Betts back to the infield but also want to prioritize defense, letting him settle in at second base, where he has more experience and rates more favorably, feels more likely. That makes Lux a name to monitor this winter as a possible trade chip.

While the middle infield outlook remains cloudy, the good news is that there is no doubt whatsoever about the corner infield spots. After some cameos at second earlier in his career, Max Muncy appears to be settling in at third base and showed marked improvements with the glove in 2024. World Series MVP Freddie Freeman is the star incumbent at first base. As such, this Dodgers infield, if it indeed features Betts, will be a no-doubt strength regardless of who occupies the fourth spot. More intriguing then is what such a move will mean for the position Betts is vacating.

2. If Betts is moving back to the infield, how will the Dodgers fill out their outfield?

On the surface, moving Betts to the infield seems to be plugging a hole that didn’t really exist while opening a much more prominent one in right field at a time when the other two outfield spots aren’t exactly spoken for, either. That could change in the event of a reunion with Hernández, with both sides expressing serious interest in keeping the free-agent outfielder in L.A. But even if we pencil in a Hernández return in left field — far from a guarantee considering how hot his market is expected to be — center and right emerge as weak spots on an otherwise loaded roster.

With James Outman falling completely out of the picture following his breakout in 2023, center fielder Andy Pages emerged with a solid rookie campaign of his own in 2024. Was it good enough to earn him every-day reps in 2025? Outside of a two-homer game in a loss against the Mets in NLCS Game 5, Pages did next to nothing in October and didn’t appear in the World Series despite being on the roster. It’s difficult to imagine Pages being Plan A in center field on Opening Day next year, but it shouldn’t be ruled out. It seems even less likely that the Dodgers will be counting on Outman in any meaningful way, but perhaps he finds a way to rebound.

Edman is an interesting part of this equation. After being acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline, Edman bounced between shortstop and center field down the stretch in the regular season but played the vast majority of his innings in October at shortstop. Perhaps Edman continues to split his time evenly between the infield and outfield — that versatility is the root of his immense value, after all — but he sure looks like the Dodgers’ best option in center field as things currently stand, albeit with a whole winter ahead of us.

Let’s grant a Hernández reunion and some combination of Edman and Pages in center field. What then to expect in right? Yes, there is a fellow named Juan Soto available in free agency, but the Dodgers are expected to remain on the periphery of the intense pursuit of his services. Other free-agent outfielders are available, though, and looking at the tier of guys such as Michael Conforto, Randal Grichuk or Max Kepler on a short-term deal could make a lot of sense.

Top prospect Dalton Rushing is one more name to know. Drafted as a catcher, the lefty-hitting Rushing slugged his way to Triple-A in 2024 and spent the majority of his time in the second half playing left field. With the backstop responsibilities already spoken for but Rushing’s bat projecting to be ready sooner rather than later, don’t be surprised if he is discussed in spring training as an option for outfield at-bats in 2025.

3. Which free-agent pitchers are most likely to be retained?

The Dodgers have five pitchers hitting free agency with varying levels of sentimentality attached and, in turn, likelihood of returning. Let’s start with the legendary Clayton Kershaw, who declined his player option for 2025 but has been extremely open in recent weeks about his desire to remain a Dodger. He also revealed that he will need toe and knee surgeries this winter, putting his readiness for Opening Day in doubt. Still, it seems like we can expect the future Hall of Famer to play a role in the Dodgers' rotation at some point in 2025.

In the bullpen, there's Blake Treinen and Joe Kelly. Kelly has been a fan favorite for quite some time, but his effectiveness and relevance declined sharply in 2024, leaving his future in L.A. in doubt. Treinen, whose heroic, seven-out appearance to help the Dodgers close out the World Series cemented his place in franchise lore, is a far more crucial arm to retain. He’ll turn 37 in June, but he remains one of the more dominant relievers in the sport. He is not easily replaced. There are a fair number of other accomplished bullpen arms on the market — including former longtime closer Kenley Jansen — but keeping Treinen should be a priority.

Then there’s Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty, two pitchers whose narratives shifted dramatically over the course of October. Flaherty fortified the rotation after being acquired at the trade deadline but was extremely volatile in his five postseason starts. An L.A. native, Flaherty loved his experience pitching for the team he grew up rooting for, but it’s unclear if he makes sense as a long-term Dodgers commitment. He’s young for a free-agent arm, having just turned 29, but remains something of a wild card from a durability standpoint, which isn’t exactly a trait the Dodgers want more of from their starting pitchers. Flaherty unquestionably played a huge role in the team winning it all, but his Dodgers stint might turn out to be temporary.

Buehler, on the other hand, is a beloved, homegrown star whose Dodgers tenure seemed certain to come to an end before an epic run of fantastic playoff appearances reignited the fan base’s affection for him after a tumultuous road back from a second Tommy John surgery. How much will Buehler’s October impact the Dodgers’ interest in retaining him — or increase the interest from other teams eager to sway him to sign elsewhere? Such a small sample of success after such a poor regular season makes it difficult to say, but if that was the end of Buehler as a Dodger, it was one hell of a way to go out.

4. Is the rotation as currently constituted a strength or a weakness?

Even before any potential additions or the possible returns of Buehler and/or Flaherty, arguably no rotation in baseball currently boasts more upside while also featuring more massive question marks than the Dodgers'. The view through rose-colored glasses is clear: Glasnow was sensational when he was on the mound, and though he was on the shelf for the playoffs due to an elbow injury, the right-hander indicated that he expects to be full-go for spring training. When healthy, Yamamoto was as advertised in his debut Dodgers season, and he was especially brilliant in his final three postseason starts. And of course, Ohtani is expected to make his highly anticipated return to the mound, adding another top-of-the-rotation arm to the mix.

That top three is tremendous from a pure talent perspective, though all three will enter 2025 with questions about their ability to sustain a full-season workload — a theme that extends to a boatload of internal rotation candidates beyond them. From that perspective, it’s tough to declare this rotation an obvious strength at the outset of the offseason.

The Dodgers have a staggering collection of arms who are either coming back from injury (Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Emmet Sheehan, Nick Frasso) or whose 2024 seasons leave their future as starters in question (Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski). And that doesn’t include those who are already likely to miss all of 2025 due to surgery (Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt).

A positive outlook suggests a wealth of appealing options that could emerge as not just viable but also impactful starters. You could also look at all the uncertainty baked into that pool of hurlers and conclude that further additions on the mound are absolutely necessary. Which brings us to our final question …

5. Who will end up being the biggest addition of the winter?

Assuming a surprise Soto signing isn’t coming, it will be impossible for the Dodgers to come close to replicating the seismic impact of last winter’s moves. And let’s be real: That’s OK. We might never again see anything like what the Dodgers accomplished last winter. But there are several marquee, non-Soto names available who cannot be ruled out as sensible targets.

Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki, 23, has been heavily linked to the Dodgers in the early stages of his unique free agency, though it is far from a foregone conclusion that the right-hander — whom all 30 teams will be able to afford due to the unique circumstances of his posting — will end up in Dodger blue. Sasaki would infuse another jolt of elite talent into the rotation right away, albeit the kind that comes with questions about how many innings he’ll be able to contribute.

Beyond that, it will come down to which part of the roster the Dodgers' front office views as most in need of upgrades. Perhaps shortstop Willy Adames makes sense as an avenue to supercharge an already star-studded infield and Betts ends up playing second base. What seems more likely is that Hernández ends up being the most impactful position player signed by the Dodgers this winter, with a pursuit of a more durable ace, a la Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, emerging as the team’s biggest potential expenditure.

No matter what they end up doing, the evolution of the Dodgers’ roster will be a key storyline of the MLB offseason. They’ve fully earned that attention, through both their unparalleled success on the field and their consistent high-profile activity in the winter.