4. Los Angeles Dodgers

When the Dodgers made a blockbuster seven-player trade with the Cincinnati Reds that sent Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp and left-hander Alex Wood, it was assumed the move was to free up payroll so the Dodgers could make a run at Harper. Since the trade, the Dodgers have gone into defensive mode by leaking the need for a right-handed bat and a lefty starter — basically what they just traded. For about 24 hours, it seemed like Harper to Hollywood was going to become a reality.

Since then? Nothing but crickets. Harper and his agent Scott Boras met with Dodgers part-owner Magic Johnson at the Winter Meetings here in Sin City, but so did roughly 10-12 other teams. In fact, the Dodgers haven’t really made any moves since the trade other than a few minor league deals. Many Los Angeles fans had this vision of Harper joining fellow prodigy LeBron James in L.A. Instead, they’re stuck without fan favorite Puig and nothing to show for it but a trimmed payroll and one less left-handed arm in their stable.

The Dodgers are out of it, but they seem to have set their sights on catcher JT Realmuto, but that would require sending another stud like Cody Bellinger to the Marlins, who reportedly are not budging on their asking price for the stud backstop. As it stands now, the Dodgers have been pushed to the back of the line with the Cubs, which could frustrate Dodgers fans after coming so close to a World Series title two years in a row. Another year of coming up empty-handed is highly likely.