The Los Angeles Dodgers’ trade of Esteury Ruiz to the Miami Marlins felt like small potatoes on the surface — a depth outfielder for an 18-year-old lottery ticket arm, nothing headline-shaking. But Dodgers fans know better. Any time Andrew Friedman quietly frees up a 40-man spot, the radar starts blinking red.
And with the Dodgers now operating in the rarefied air of Yamamoto-Ohtani-Snell-Sasaki-Glasnow World, every inch of roster space matters. If another big move comes this winter — another bat, another bullpen hammer, another stealth superstar, because apparently there’s no such thing as “too much” in LA — someone has to step aside.
And right now, three names feel the most vulnerable in a potential 40-man roster crunch this offseason.
The Marlins are acquiring Esteury Ruiz from the Dodgers in exchange for Adriano Marrero, per multiple reports pic.twitter.com/cIKyJu5Lg2
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 30, 2025
3 Dodgers who could lose their roster spot if LA makes another big move
Alex Call
Alex Call is the type of player front offices love: he runs well, fields cleanly, takes professional at-bats, and doesn’t complain about being optioned. He fits the Dodgers’ Swiss army knife vibe.
He also fits the profile of The First Guy You Waive When Something Bigger Arrives.
Call currently sits in that fourth-or-fifth outfielder purgatory with Ryan Ward and Mike Siani breathing down his neck. But unlike Siani (elite defender) and Ward (big Triple-A bat), Call’s ceiling is… well… Call-ish. Useful. Competent. Replaceable.
On a team trying to win its third straight World Series, the depth bar is just higher. If a veteran corner bat –– perhaps one named Kyle Tucker –– becomes available? If the Dodgers decide they want another center field option behind Andy Pages? If they add a DH type and need flexibility elsewhere? Call becomes the obvious roster squeeze.
Call will hook on somewhere. Guys like him always do. But the Dodgers aren’t building a playoff team anymore. They’re building a Death Star. And Call is more Rebel Transport than X-Wing.
Alex Freeland
Alex Freeland is a fun story: 2025 breakout year at Triple-A, left-handed bat, capable glove, good on-base instincts. On some clubs, he’d be a sleeper utility infielder of the future. But on the Dodgers? He’s a lottery ticket tucked behind Mookie Betts, Hyeseong Kim, Tommy Edman, Miguel Rojas, Max Muncy and even Shohei Ohtani (if you squint at positional charts).
Freeland’s roster spot feels less like “we need him now” and more like “protect the asset so we don’t lose him for free.” Which is fine — until the Dodgers need that spot for someone they
do need right now.
Freeland is the exact kind of player contending teams DFA and then hold their breath hoping he sneaks through waivers. Another team probably gives him a longer runway. That’s the risk. And the Dodgers front office has never been sentimental about that reality.
Ben Casparius
Ben Casparius has real stuff. He’s not a token name. There’s upside there. But look at this bullpen pileup: Edwin Díaz, Tanner Scott, Brusdar Graterol, Alex Vesia, Brock Stewart, Gavin Stone, Kyle Hurt, Roki Sasaki … the list goes on.
Plus, the Dodgers always seem to find another Tyler Anderson-type in a parking lot somewhere and turn him into a leverage guy.
So where does that leave Casparius? Firmly in the “nice arm — tough squeeze” group. You only keep fringe bullpen arms on the 40-man if they’re out of options, close to contributing, or so high-ceiling you’re terrified that someone else will steal them –– and Casparius feels like he lands just outside that circle.
And if another bullpen-ready pitcher arrives? Or the Dodgers stash another surprise starter? Casparius becomes the easiest name to click-scroll highlight in the transaction log.
The Dodgers live in a different roster world now. While most other clubs worry about filling spots, Los Angeles worries about finding space for more elite ones.
This roster doesn’t have many soft edges anymore. It’s Yamamoto-Snell-Sasaki-Glasnow-Ohtani-Freeman-Betts at the top and “would be starting for 20 other teams” everywhere else.
So when the whisper networks light up ––
“Hey, could Friedman still be working on something…?” –– look at the bottom of the roster. Because that’s where the tremors start.
Right now? Call, Freeland and Casparius are the ones standing closest to the ledge –– not because they can’t play, but because the Dodgers might simply need the room for someone just a little better.
Welcome to life on a superteam.
Joe Lombardi’s Bo Nix comment is exactly why the Broncos are in good hands
Joe Lombardi has football roots and has been coaching in the NFL since 2006, so he’s seen a thing or two. He’s primarily been on Sean Payton’s staffs and has been with the Broncos as the team’s offensive coordinator since 2023, when the Payton era began.
He might fly under the radar a bit, as Sean Payton calls the plays, and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb seems to garner some attention, but Lombardi is clearly still a very valued coach on the offense and has surely been intrumental in Bo Nix being able to develop into one of the league’s best young quarterbacks.
Bo Nix has definitely had more command of the offense and has looked a lot more comfortable in all phases this year for the Broncos. When speaking to the media on Thursday, Lombardi only reinforced this with some glowing reviews.
Joe Lombardi says that Bo Nix is ‘thinking less’ and is more patient in the pocket
There has to be a fine line between being patient in the pocket and also being able to think less, but
Bo Nix has been able to do it:
Bo Nix is “thinking less” and more patient in the pocket, per Joe Lombardi.
Was proud how he led long drives in the Raiders and Chiefs game.
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) January 1, 2026
The one way Bo Nix can sustain success in this league for the next decade is to be able to play and win from the pocket – it’s the main reason why Tom Brady was able to play for so long, and why Philip Rivers was signed off the couch and started for the Indianapolis Colts recently.
We did see Nix leave clean pockets from time to time in 2024, but there is a sense of comfortability that Nix now has. Sure, he can make plays with his legs, but it’s obvious that the coaches want him to primarily win from the pocket and use his legs when needed.
But the comment of him apparently ‘thinking’ less is interesting to me, as there are so many moving parts in just one play that a high level of thinking has to happen, but my guess here is that Lombardi is probably talking about paralysis by analysis to a degree.
Too much thinking could be a detriment to quarterbacks, especially when they have to win from the pocket. Hearing Joe Lombardi say these things about Bo Nix is excellent news and only more proof that the Denver Broncos are in good hands for the long-term.
Bo Nix can clearly do a little bit of everything at the position and is absolutely, undoubtedly, a franchise quarterback.