Dodgers still looking at Tucker, Bichette and Bellinger

At the start of the winter, the Dodgers voiced one consistent message about the upcoming offseason:

They felt they already had a strong roster in place. They were confident in their superstar core to spearhead a World Series three-peat bid in 2026. And, while they would explore potential blockbuster moves as usual, they wouldn’t exactly be desperate to make a major splash.

“[When] you go into an offseason, you look at the areas of strength and the areas you want to focus on, and look to augment if you can,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at the Winter Meetings.

But, he added, “looking at 2026, we feel really good about the team that we’ll bring to spring training in February.”

A month out from spring training now, that ethos is about to be put to the test.

Activity is finally starting to stir at the top of the market for free-agent hitters. The Dodgers, as they have been for weeks, remain linked to the three biggest names available: Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Cody Bellinger.

However, in the wake of Alex Bregman’s surprise signing with the Chicago Cubs last weekend, their competition in those pursuits is looking stiffer than it once did –– creating a market that could make a marquee signing more difficult for the two-time reigning champions.

While Tucker would fill the Dodgers’ biggest remaining need in the outfield, he is also coveted by the New York Mets (who are offering $50 million per year on a shorter-term proposal, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman) and Toronto Blue Jays (who have made a longer-term offer, per ESPN).

Bichette could slot in as the Dodgers’ second baseman, theoretically kicking Tommy Edman to the outfield. But he is also receiving unexpectedly heavy interest from the Philadelphia Phillies, and could be a fallback option for the Boston Red Sox after they unexpectedly lost Bregman to the Cubs.

A potential reunion with Bellinger, a National League MVP with the Dodgers in 2019, is another lingering possibility. But his strongest fit remains with the incumbent New York Yankees. And even though they’ve hit a sticking point in negotiations –– with Bellinger looking for a seven-year deal, and the Yankees only offering five to this point –– the Dodgers are believed to prefer an even shorter-term pact with the outfielder, unlikely exceeding the three-to-four year range.

All of it leaves the Dodgers facing a crucial question at this crossroads point of the winter: Do they truly feel comfortable settling for what might only be marginal upgrades to their lineup ahead of next season? Or will they ramp up their efforts to land a top free-agent bat, even if it requires a bigger commitment than they were probably hoping for?

A few weeks back, market factors seemed to be shaping up more favorably for the Dodgers.

Coming out of the holidays, there appeared to be a limited number of teams willing to wade into the high-priced waters in which Tucker, Bichette, Bellinger and Bregman resided. At that point, it looked possible that one of them could fall to the Dodgers on the kind of shorter-term, higher-annual-average-value deal the club was targeting –– like the one it secured with closer Edwin Díaz at last month’s Winter Meetings.

But then came a flurry of surprise developments: The Cubs’ signing of Bregman to a $175 million deal on Saturday, leaving the Red Sox in need of a new impact bat. The Phillies’ emergence as not only a serious suitor for Bichette, but one that could tempt him with a long-term deal, as The Athletic reported Tuesday. And the Mets’ willingness to break with their previously conservative approach this winter, and offer Tucker what would represent the third-highest annual salary in the sport.

Now, demand is outweighing supply, with as many as six teams (Phillies, Mets, Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers) having been linked with at least one of the remaining three star hitters still left.

For the Dodgers, it creates a more complicated risk-reward calculus.

Extending longer offers to Bichette or Bellinger doesn’t seem probable, given the team’s already aging core and significant pre-existing long-term financial commitments.

With Tucker — a four-time All-Star with the kind of disciplined approach and balanced offensive profile the Dodgers are seeking — the team could match the Mets’ $50 million bid while still keeping payroll similar to last year’s record-breaking $415 million total (they are currently projected for $346 million, per Cots Baseball Contract). But they might also be wary of giving such a sizable salary to someone who has missed more than 100 games with injuries over the last two years, even on a short-term basis.

After all, the club is already bringing back much the same lineup that ranked second in the majors in scoring last season, despite the since-departed Michael Conforto struggling mightily in left field, Mookie Betts suffering a career-worst campaign at the plate, and several other key contributors being limited by injuries.

Thanks to their luxury tax status, any further salary they add will incur a 110% surcharge too.

Standing pat would come with its own risks, of course, especially considering the inconsistencies the Dodgers suffered at the plate over the second half of last season.

But if they bypass the top of the market, they could always pivot to a trade acquisition, target a smaller free-agent signing, or go into the season with a platoon in left field (including options such as Alex Call, Ryan Ward and potentially Kiké Hernández later in the year, if he re-signs later this offseason) before reassessing their lineup at the trade deadline. 

To this point of the winter, the one thing they’ve been clear about is their confidence in their current core, and that another big signing isn’t a necessity.

With the market heating up, time will tell how steadfast that approach remains.