The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t exactly been quiet this offseason-and they’re not done yet.
So far, the club has brought back veteran infielder Miguel Rojas and made a surprising splash by signing All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a team-friendly three-year deal. Rojas is expected to reprise his role as a reliable bench piece in what could be his final season, while Díaz gives the Dodgers something they lacked during stretches of their 2025 postseason run: a true ninth-inning anchor.
But while the bullpen looks more stable and the infield has depth, there’s still a clear need in the outfield-especially with trade rumors swirling around Teoscar Hernández. If the Dodgers move Hernández, the urgency to shore up the outfield becomes even more pressing.
They’ve reportedly been in the mix for Brendan Donovan, but according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Seattle Mariners have emerged as the frontrunner in that pursuit. That hasn’t stopped the Dodgers from exploring other options, including a potential trade with the St. Louis Cardinals for Lars Nootbaar.
Nootbaar fits the Dodgers’ mold: versatile, controllable, and analytically appealing. He’s coming off a season where he posted a .234/.325/.361 slash line across a career-high 135 games, with 24 doubles, 13 homers, and 48 RBI.
While those numbers don’t jump off the page, there’s more beneath the surface. Nootbaar’s ability to draw walks consistently adds value to any lineup, especially one as deep as the Dodgers’.
Still, there’s a wrinkle. Nootbaar underwent surgery on both heels in October and could miss the start of the 2026 season.
That’s not ideal, but with team control through 2027, the Dodgers could be thinking long-term. This wouldn’t be a rental-it’d be a piece to plug into the outfield puzzle for years to come.
President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman recently said he doesn’t believe the roster needs major changes before Opening Day, but he did acknowledge the front office is keeping an eye on adding a position player. That’s where someone like Nootbaar could come in, especially given the Dodgers’ flexibility across the diamond.
Manager Dave Roberts has already floated the idea of moving Kiké Hernández back to left field-a spot he manned in 2024-but Kiké is recovering from left elbow surgery and won’t be ready for Opening Day. That likely pushes his re-signing until the team can stash him on the 60-day injured list once Spring Training begins.
That kind of roster maneuvering is nothing new for the Dodgers. With a deep bench and players who can move around the field, they don’t necessarily need to acquire a set left fielder, center fielder, or right fielder. They just need someone who can hit, get on base, and hold their own defensively-someone like Nootbaar, if he’s healthy.
If a deal does come together, it would mirror the Dodgers’ approach from last season, when they added Michael Conforto on a short-term deal to help fill a similar void. Nootbaar could be the next piece in that puzzle-an on-base machine with some pop and years of control left.
The Dodgers aren’t rushing into anything. But with Hernández on the mend, questions in the outfield, and a front office that’s never afraid to pull the trigger when the right opportunity presents itself, don’t be surprised if Nootbaar ends up in Dodger blue before long.