Say It Ain't So: Trevor Bauer Or DJ LeMahieu Could End Up With Dodgers

Don't cry, but talk is the Los Angeles Dodgers may actually get even better. How so? Well, do the names Trevor Bauer and DJ LeMahieu ring a bell?

According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, they should -- because both are stars and free agent targets for LA.

"The defending champs have set themselves up — payroll flexibility, minor league depth, a good reputation as a place to play, a winning culture/history — as to be viable in any market," Sherman wrote.

Bauer is the top available pitcher. By all accounts, his time with the Cincinnati Reds has reached an end. If he is willing to accept a short-term deal, well, the Dodgers could be a real possibility. According to Sherman, they could offer him a contract of three years, or less.

If Bauer is seeking a longer deal, then the Dodgers would be out of the mix. But sometimes, winning supersedes the length of a contract.

"LeMahieu is a little bit more complicated in terms of what the Dodgers can do," writes Brook Smith of Dodgers Nation. "The veteran infielder has reportedly been looking for a deal in the 5-year range and well north of $100 million. Los Angeles has been so good at managing payroll that they are only committed to Mookie Betts beyond 2022, and LeMahieu isn’t exactly a generational talent. On the other hand, losing Justin Turner in free agency could make DJ slightly more appealing."

So yeah, the Dodgers could get better. They won't land both Bauer and LeMahieu, but even one would greatly increase their already strong odds of a repeat.