The Los Angeles Dodgers might be leading the division, but lately it hasn’t really felt like a victory lap. And hence, tough decisions were made, and two players were laid on the chopping block.
Two faces that had become synonymous with the Dodgers’ success are no longer part of the picture. First is longtime catcher Austin Barnes, who was designated for assignment. That ended an 11-year run that saw him catch some of the team’s biggest postseason moments. Following next is Chris Taylor, who got the call that no player wants. The ever-reliable utility man played over 1,000 games for the Dodgers and was in the final year of his four-year, $60 million deal.
The message was clear from the front office—they are chasing another ring, and sentimentality isn’t part of the plan.
Friedman noted 2021 when they won 106 games and lost the division still when talking about moving on from Taylor and Barnes.
“Everything we do is about trying to win as many games as we can… We’ve got a tough division.”
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) May 18, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman broke his silence. He conveyed that the entire week was “very emotional.” But while he undoubtedly acknowledged the contributions of Barnes and Taylor, he made one thing clear—he isn’t doubting the decisions that have been made. He said, “Everything we do is about trying to win as many games as we can… We’ve got a tough division.” He said that, pointing to the 2021 season when they won 106 games yet didn’t even end up winning the division title.
Friedman, though, didn’t pretend that this was part of the plan all along. “We didn’t feel like coming into the season, this was something that we would necessarily be doing in May…… We just have a lot more information at this point in May than we did before the season.” And to be fair, the numbers didn’t help either of the players. Barnes posted a -0.3 WAR across 42 at-bats. Taylor had a -0.5 WAR in 35. For a team looking for more rings, this doesn’t cut it.
Friedman admitted, “The decisions were incredibly difficult… we felt this was in the Dodgers’ best interest in terms of how to win as many games & put us in a position to best win a World Series.” So this move is meant to keep the Dodgers’ title hopes alive. And hence, just like that, two World Series champions were gone—simply cleared to make room for new talent. So in came top prospect Dalton Rushing. Then Hyeseong Kim held on to his roster spot. And right now, maybe changes are needed given that alarm bells have already begun ringing for them.
Alarm bells are ringing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Maybe the Dodgers need a reset, or maybe they need a wake-up call. Because right now, the reigning World Series champs are looking lost. This weekend was supposed to be business as usual at the Dodger Stadium. The Angels rolled up, and most thought that the boys in blue could handle the cross-town rivals like they usually do. But instead, they got swept at home for the first time in the Freeway Series since 2010. So it isn’t pretty.
Friday it was a 6-2 loss, Saturday an 11-9 heartbreak, and on Sunday a 6-4 gut punch. It was sealed by Travis d’Arnaud’s bat in the eighth inning. With the game tied, d’Arnaud stepped up and launched his first home run of the season off Anthony Banda. And just like that, Angels took the lead. Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel tried to save things in the ninth. But by the time Yoan Moncada grounded into a double play, the damage was done. It was 6-4, and the sweep was complete.
But it wasn’t because of a lack of effort. Will Smith tied it with a three-run blast in the seventh, but the bullpen couldn’t hold. Shaun Anderson, of all people, shut the door, and he retired six straight Dodgers, including striking out, Shohei Ohtani on a changeup to end the game. Tony Gonsolin, too, didn’t make things easy, and control was a big issue.
But make no mistake, the Dodgers are still a playoff-caliber team. But if this weekend showed anything, it’s that the magic of last season can’t carry on forever. Now they will try to regroup against the Diamondbacks on Monday.
Do you think they can find a way in the coming week? Let us know your thoughts on where the team is lacking.
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