What began as an inside joke among reporters and Los Angeles Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman at the 2018 MLB Winter Meetings has transformed into an iconic symbol of the franchise's major player acquisitions. The photograph, depicting Friedman reclining casually in a hotel room robe, has become a touchstone for Dodgers fans, frequently shared on social media after blockbuster trades and significant free-agent signings.
The image gained new life Sunday when the Dodgers' official social media accounts posted it hours after acquiring two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. This repeated embrace of the photo has fueled fan discussions about its origins and its elevated status in Dodgers lore, with some even proposing it become a bobblehead giveaway or, in the event of a third consecutive World Series title, a statue outside Dodger Stadium.
Origins at the Winter Meetings
The photo originated on December 10, 2018, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where the MLB Winter Meetings were underway. Amidst speculation about Bryce Harper's free agency and Manny Machado's future, reporters gathered in Friedman's hotel suite for his daily media session. Instead of his usual attire, Friedman emerged from a bedroom wearing a white hotel robe.
"We all went up to his hotel suite and we gathered around the area where you walk into the room," recalled Arash Markazi, then a senior writer for ESPN and now founder and CEO of The Sporting Tribune. "Friedman was not there when we entered the room. He was either in the bedroom or bathroom or wherever, so there’s about 15 to 20 of us gathered around waiting for him to come and suddenly he entered the room wearing a robe."
Friedman later explained his reasoning for the gag: "Winter meetings, there’s a weird dynamic where people are talking even more about baseball during those days. It sets up a weird dynamic where we meet with the media at 5:00 p.m. every day and because we don’t really want to say, ‘Hey we met with this player. Or we made this offer. Or we met with this team and we’re trying to trade for this player.’ It’s hard to say anything. So I decided to have some fun. I put the robe on and told them, ‘Spa Day today. No meetings with teams or agents and unfortunately that’s all I got.'"
Markazi captured several photos, but one particular frame stood out: Friedman leaning back in a chair, hand under his chin, with a magazine featuring Lady Gaga on a nearby table. He posted this image to Twitter with a simple caption, but it garnered little attention at the time.
From Obscurity to Icon Status
For over a year, the photograph remained largely unnoticed. Its resurgence began in February 2020, following the Dodgers' acquisition of Mookie Betts and David Price from the Boston Red Sox. Fans rediscovered the image, using it as a shorthand for Friedman's perceived masterstroke in negotiations. The photo resurfaced again after the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series.
Its status as a widely recognized symbol was cemented on December 11, 2023, nearly five years after its creation. Hours after the Dodgers announced the historic $700 million contract with Shohei Ohtani, the team's official X account shared the robe photo. The post quickly went viral, exceeding 1.2 million views and tens of thousands of likes within 24 hours, officially transitioning the image from a private joke to a piece of Dodgers mythology.
The organization has since utilized the photo multiple times, including after signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto and following the recent Skubal trade, with the latter also surpassing one million views. Markazi noted the image's transformation: "The picture has come to embody the big bold moves he’s made as a GM. He’s the conquering hero. He’s cool and calm under pressure. He might as well be holding a pipe. Now, whenever there’s a big signing or trade, it’s the picture the fans tweet out."
Friedman himself has acknowledged the photo's journey. When it first surfaced, his mother texted him asking about the robe and a potential Lady Gaga concert. Eight years later, the seemingly insignificant image has become a symbol of the Dodgers' ambitious approach to building their roster, often seen as a prelude to victory.