The Los Angeles Dodgers have a talented core of players led by Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Both Freeman and Betts are under contract for the long-term future. But should LA extend other current players to keep their core intact? With a number of key players set to hit free agency sooner rather than later, here's a look at 4 Dodgers' contract extension candidates ahead of the 2023 season.
*Contract information via Baseball Reference.
Julio Urias is the primary Dodgers' contract extension candidate
Julio Urias is set to hit free agency following this upcoming season. He finished as an NL Cy Young finalist in 2023 and is one of the best pitchers in the game. But letting him even enter free agency could prove to be an error on the Dodgers' part.
Many people around the MLB world suspect that LA is preparing for a Shohei Ohtani free agency run next offseason. If Ohtani is the main focus, Urias could get scooped up by a different team. The Dodgers don't want to risk losing the left-hander during their Ohtani pursuit.
Re-signing Urias next offseason wouldn't be impossible. But it would prove to be quite the challenge. If the Dodgers envision Julio Urias being a part of the rotation for years to come, signing him to an extension ahead of 2023 Opening Day would be the best course of action.
Will Smith
Will Smith still has multiple years of team control remaining on his contract. But he's set to hit his arbitration years soon and has emerged as one of MLB's best catchers.
So is there reason to extend him to a long-term contract?
Smith features enough offensive talent to remain productive even if he leaves the catcher position at some point. Freddie Freeman is locked in at first base for the foreseeable future, so finding a spot for Smith could prove to be challenging. With 2022 top prospect Diego Cartaya waiting in the wings, LA will need to make a decision soon.
Cartaya could also switch positions, but that would potentially stunt his development.
As for Will Smith, he could take over DH duties at some point down the road. The Dodgers will cross that bridge when they get to it. But opting to extend Smith prior to the 2023 regular season would not be a bad choice.
Tony Gonsolin
The Dodgers and Tony Gonsolin were unable to avoid arbitration. Extending Gonsolin is certainly an option. But at the very least, the Dodgers could offer him a deal to cover his future arbitration years.
Gonsolin is already 29 and will not hit free agency until 2026. Adding extra years may not appeal to LA. But avoiding arbitration concerns over the next few years would solve future headaches. And the Dodgers could tack on a club option to a potential extension.
Clayton Kershaw
The odds of the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw coming to an extension this offseason are slim. Kershaw agreed to remain in Los Angeles via a 1-year deal this offseason. There is a possibility that the future Hall of Famer retires following the 2023 campaign.
But if Kershaw expresses a desire to continue playing past this season, the Dodgers should consider extending the veteran left-hander. He showed the team that he has plenty left in the tank last year. And if Kershaw excels once again in 2023, there will be no shortage of suitors in free agency.
Again, this is an unlikely scenario. But extending the Dodgers' legend isn't completely out of the question.
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