Dodgers 'Possible Favorite' for All-Star Shortstop in Free Agency: Report

Maren Angus-Coombs | Oct 28, 2024

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are once again in the mix for a big-name shortstop.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Milwaukee Brewers free-agent Willy Adames is on their radar.

This isn’t too surprising given the Dodgers’ history of targeting top-tier talent, and Adames has a connection with their front office. Both Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes, who now run things in L.A., worked with him back in Tampa Bay.

That said, the Dodgers won’t be the only ones making a play for Adames. The Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants could also jump in, but Adames’ price tag, likely over $200 million, might scare off some teams. The Braves, for example, passed on re-signing Dansby Swanson last offseason when the Cubs offered him $177 million.

While Adames is primarily known as a shortstop, there’s speculation he could consider switching to third base to broaden his options. Teams like the Toronto Blue Jays might be interested if that’s the case.

The problem? Adames has never played third in his big league career. He’s only had limited experience at second base, with 10 games there during his rookie season in 2018.

For the Dodgers, Adames could be the answer at shortstop. Miguel Rojas is aging and can’t handle the everyday role, and while Tommy Edman has filled in well since the trade deadline, he’s more of a natural outfielder than an infield leader. Plus, with Rojas sidelined in the NLCS due to a groin injury, Edman’s versatility has been valuable.

Adames is coming off a career-best season, posting 32 home runs, 112 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 2024—all career highs. Before that, his standout year was 2021 when he earned MVP votes after a midseason trade from Tampa Bay to Milwaukee, hitting 20 homers in just 99 games.

In his time with the Brewers, from 2021 to 2024, Adames slashed .244/.323/.457 with 38 stolen bases and 107 home runs.

The Dodgers, with their deep pockets and recent struggles at shortstop, are seen as favorites to land him. Gavin Lux was supposed to be the answer in spring training, but after failing to perform, the Dodgers had to shift Mookie Betts to shortstop before eventually giving the job to Rojas.

If Adames doesn’t sign with L.A., their fallback plan seems to be sticking with the Edman-Rojas duo.