After embarrassing NLDS ouster, Dodgers face many roster decisions

After their embarrassing NLDS loss, the Dodgers face many questions in the offseason, notably: What do we do with our free agents?

The Dodgers have 10 players who will become free agents after the World Series: shortstop Trea Turner, outfielders Kevin Pillar and Joey Gallo; and pitchers Tyler Anderson, Clayton Kershaw, Craig Kimbrel, Chris Martin, Andrew Heaney, Tommy Kahnle and David Price.

Gallo, Kahnle, Martin, Pillar and Price are obvious candidates for not getting re-signed. Kimbrel probably won't be re-signed by Los Angeles after a lackluster season that ended with him not making the postseason roster. 

Anderson and Heany are interesting cases in similar situations. Both were signed to one-year deals and seen as reclamation projects. Both excelled in 2022, with Anderson (2.57 ERA in 178.2 innings) making his first All-Star team. Heany missed time with an injury but was a strikeout machine when he was healthy, boasting a 35 percent rate. Both have earned multi-year contracts. 

Kershaw is once again entering free agency, and like before, there is speculation on what he might do. Does he still want to play? Will he stay in Los Angeles or play closer to home in Texas? 

Kershaw said he plans on playing in 2023 but that might change in the offseason. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in a news conference that he wasn’t sure how the team would proceed with him, saying only that his “strong hope is that Clayton Kershaw is pitching here next year.”