The Los Angeles Dodgers season ended in unceremonious fashion last week when they were swept in the NLDS by the Arizona Diamondbacks. A 4-2 loss in Game 3 of the series sent them to their doom after winning 100 games and cruising to an NL West title.
In fact, the Dodgers ran away with the NL West, finishing 16 games ahead of the Diamondbacks, the very same team that eliminated them. But the pitching staff was too thin, and the Dodgers were unable to hold off their division rivals.
And so, this means that the Dodgers are going to have to invest in some high-priced free agents this offseason if they want to get back to the postseason and have a chance to win a World Series title. They'll be getting Walker Buehler back, but Clayton Kershaw is a free agent and Julio Urias, who was also set to enter free agency, is on leave due to a second domestic violence arrest.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, they play in a large market and have plenty of financial resources in order to lure in some top free agent pitchers.
Here are three free agents the Dodgers can sign to win it all in 2024.
Blake Snell
Even with Walker Buehler coming back in 2024, the Dodgers are going to need some top-level starting pitching this winter. Their lack of starting pitching is what cost them this postseason.
But if they're looking for aces, Blake Snell would be a good place to start. The veteran lefty has great postseason experience and is very likely to win the National League Cy Young Award at the end of the season. Snell posted an MLB-best 2.25 ERA while also winning 14 games in his 32 starts.
Having that experience in their rotation would be beneficial for the Dodgers, and Snell could provide them with another veteran voice in the clubhouse, as well as somebody who young pitchers such as Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan can lean on for support as their careers progress.
Snell is also a strikeout machine, having recorded 234 of them during the regular season. The 30-year-old will command a massive contract this coming offseason, but the Dodgers have the resources to get something like this done.
The left-hander is a workhorse who pitched a total of 180 innings with the Padres this year, and the Dodgers rotation could certainly use a pitcher of his caliber.
Aaron Nola
Aaron Nola will also be one of the top names available in free agency as far as ace-level starting pitchers go. The veteran right-hander is having a truly remarkable postseason with the Philadelphia Phillies. In three starts, he is 3-0 with an ERA of 0.96.
Unfortunately, his regular season numbers were not good. Despite winning 12 games, he posted a 4.46 ERA. But he's been able to salvage the season with a truly remarkable postseason.
Some of his other numbers are not too shabby. He started 32 games, pitched 193.2 innings, and punched out 202 batters. The Phillies were unable to give him the contract extension he desires, which is believed to be around eight years and $200 million.
Based on recent quotes from the right-hander, Nola may want to stay in Philadelphia, but the Dodgers can certainly lure him out west if they give him an offer close to what he is looking for.
Los Angeles has yet to win a playoff series since 2021, but adding somebody like Nola would give them a chance to change that in 2024 should they return to the postseason.
He'll need to improve his regular season numbers, but he has proven to be a solid postseason pitcher.
Jordan Montgomery
Jordan Montgomery's stock continues to rise thanks to his mastery of the postseason.
Though not a stereotypical ace, the 30-year-old left-hander is certainly pitching like one this postseason. The Texas Rangers acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline.
In 32 starts, Montgomery went 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA. This postseason, he has been a revelation. In his three starts, he is 2-0 and owns a solid ERA of 2.08. With the way he's pitching, he's set up well to receive a big payday this coming winter.
In that case, the Dodgers could be in a good position to sign him. They need pitchers who can give them a chance to win games in the postseason. They haven't won a playoff game since Game 1 of last year's NLDS against the San Diego Padres.
Montgomery is quickly building up a strong postseason resume. He owns a career 1.88 ERA in postseason play after his dominant outing in Game 1 of the ALCS.
He could be a solid No. 2 starter next to Walker Buehler when the right-hander returns from Tommy John surgery, and the Dodgers could once again have a truly scary rotation.
