Late WM action may be sign of change to come

LAS VEGAS -- The apparent late Wednesday night agreement with free agent Joe Kelly should provide the big bullpen arm the Dodgers have sought to set up closer Kenley Jansen.
They still need a veteran catcher to replace free agent Yasmani Grandal until the pipeline of Minor League prospects delivers a Major Leaguer, with Will Smith scheduled to arrive first, but not in time for Opening Day 2019.
Unlike a year ago, when the front office held the line financially and made only minor changes, this offseason there's an undercurrent that upgrades are needed and new faces are on the way. Kelly would be the first, but not the last.
"We have a very good product with a lot of depth," said manager Dave Roberts, whose club has lost back-to-back World Series. "But you still want to tweak things to keep it fresh, to get better and improve. That's our goal this winter."
The Dodgers have been linked in rumors to trades with Cleveland for Corey Kluber, in deals with the Reds or Mets involving Yasiel Puig and with Miami for catcher J.T. Realmuto. And they are considered a logical landing spot for premier free agent Bryce Harper, especially if he doesn't find the 10-year contract he seeks.
Biggest remaining needs
1. C: Whether it's trade targets like Realmuto and Pittsburgh's Francisco Cervelli, or short-term free agents like Nick Hundley, Los Angeles believes it will find a veteran catcher to pair with Austin Barnes. In the case of Realmuto, adding the difference-maker would reduce Barnes to a seldom-used backup.

2. Game-changer: Maybe it's adding a two-time Cy Young Award-winning starter like Kluber. Maybe it's hoping for a collapse in the market of Harper and getting him to accept a short-term deal. Whatever the case, the Dodgers are looking for a significant upgrade somewhere to help finally get them a ring.
3. Shed excess: Los Angeles still wants to thin out its crowded outfield and starting rotation, with the big salaries of Matt Kemp, Puig, Alex Wood and Rich Hill the players they would prefer to deal.

Rule 5 Draft
Los Angeles' Major League roster was full and it was ineligible to select a player in the Rule 5 Draft. The Dodgers lost two players: utilityman Connor Joe was taken by the Reds as a catcher, and infielder Drew Jackson was taken by the Phillies (who are managed by former Dodgers farm director Gabe Kapler).
GM's bottom line
"I feel like the information we've gained has been really valuable, and we're lining up what makes the most sense for us." -- Andrew Friedman