Once Yasmani Grandal rejected the one-year, $17.9 million qualifying offer, the expectation was the Los Angeles Dodgers would look elsewhere to fill their vacancy at catcher. Although Austin Barnes remained on the roster, the team appeared to be searching for a starter behind the plate.
The early stages of the offseason saw the Dodgers linked to Yan Gomes, who the Cleveland Indians traded to the Washington Nationals. Then as the Miami Marlins made a decision to make J.T. Realmuto available, the Dodgers were connected to those trade rumors as well.
But as the Marlins continued to have a high asking price for Realmuto, the Dodgers changed course and struck a trade for Russell Martin.