For the second consecutive day, the Dodgers did not make any blockbuster deals at the 2018 MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. But if the reports are true, they are about to make one that could have a huge impact on the two-time World Series runners-up … not on the field, but in the Dodgers front office.

On Tuesday evening it was being widely reported that recently retired Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley was in the building at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for the Winter Meetings.

Why, you ask? Check this out:

“We’ve had a lot of conversations with Chase,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters, when asked what the 39-year-old beloved former Dodger was doing there. “I think he’s really curious and trying to figure out what life after baseball looks like, but I’m optimistic we’ll figure it out.”

As Dodger fans know, the extremely popular 16-year MLB veteran – his final two and a half with the Dodgers – retired following the just-concluded 2018 season, saying that he wanted to spend more time with his young son. But somehow, everyone knew deep down inside that “The Silver Fox” (as he is affectionately known) would remain in the game in some capacity. By all appearances, that capacity will be in baseball operations; a job that would not require him to travel with the team all the time.

But the Utley news wasn’t all that Friedman and Dodgers manager had to share with the media at his end-of-day press conferences. Roberts also shared some of he and Friedman’s strategies for the upcoming 2019 season which, of course, could very well change should the Dodgers indeed make some trades and other acquisitions between now and Opening Day. Perhaps the most notable among Roberts’ early revelations is that it he plans to have Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy in his line-up (almost) every day in 2019, and that Kiké Hernandez, Chris Taylor, and Muncy will split time at second base.

“Our goal is to have Cody out there every day,” Roberts said

To that end, the Dodger skipper said that Bellinger, Corey Seager, and several other Dodger players are working out at Dodger Stadium this week.

Also of interest is that while the Dodgers brass is doing whatever it is that they do at the Winter Meetings when they aren’t making major deals or placating the media, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has also been working out at Dodger Stadium on what Roberts said was his “biomechanics.”

“It’s just going to increase his margin [for error],” Roberts said. “And I think that Clayton feels that there’s more in there. We do, medically. And so it’s just going to make him that much better and the trust to execute a fastball glove-side. I think that confidence that he can touch 92, 93 consistently, it’s going to make it that much tougher — make the slider that much better, too. He’s pretty set he wants to see that number tick up.”

Friedman concurred … sort of.

“I would just bet on him having a lot of success and I don’t feel like he needs to significantly improve his velocity to do that,” Friedman said. “I don’t think it’s necessary to have great success for him. Look at last year, how well he pitched. I would bet on his stuff and his execution being better next year. Velocity, mixing pitches, whatever it is.

“I don’t think it’s all tied to fastball velocity. He is working on his body. He feels there was some delivery stuff that got out of whack … to be expected with a back injury to be compensating. There are so many more guys I’m focused on. I will bet on him.”

…and why not? He is in Las Vegas, after all.

Play Ball!