Fansided

It might hurt now, but the Dodgers should still be World Series favorites in 2020

By Joshua Sadlock

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 06: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is greeted by teammate Cody Bellinger #35 after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during Game 3 of the NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sunday, October 6, 2019 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 06: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is greeted by teammate Cody Bellinger #35 after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during Game 3 of the NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sunday, October 6, 2019 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 05: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros reacts after his 14th strike out during the eighth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Minute Maid Park on October 05, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 05: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros reacts after his 14th strike out during the eighth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Minute Maid Park on October 05, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

3. Financial freedom

The Dodgers have a well-deserved reputation as massive spenders when it comes to free agency, but they were actually able to get themselves under the luxury-tax threshold and weren’t even in the top five in the league this year in terms of overall payroll. Granted, the Dodgers still spent close to $200 million by the end of the year, but their long-term financial obligations continue to trend downward. What that all boils down to is a high chance the Dodgers will be very aggressive in free agency for the first time in a few seasons.

For as much money as they have spent to stay in constant contention for the World Series, the majority of the big contracts the Dodgers have handed out in recent years have just been to keep the band together. They shelled out big bucks to keep Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner and Kenley Jansen, but have mostly stayed away from big names outside their own house.

That’s probably going to change this year, as the Dodgers will enter the offseason without Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu locked into contracts. While there are still raises due to young players through arbitration or salary increases, the Dodgers are looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of $75-80 million to work with this winter. That’s enough for an ace and a rebuilt bullpen by my estimate.

First on their list should be right-hander Gerrit Cole, a Cy Young contender who struck out 326 hitters this year and has totally taken his game to another level after the Houston Astros analytics department got a hold of him. Cole is only 29 and doesn’t turn 30 until next September. If ever there was a pitcher to back up the Brinks truck for, it’s Cole. The Dodgers can afford to offer him over $30 million per season, and they should make sure he’s putting on a blue and white uniform come Opening Day 2020.

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