The Dodgers are heading into another offseason with a familiar kind of problem: not enough certainty at the back end of the bullpen.
The lineup is set to return intact, and the rotation is back as well, with the obvious exception of Tarik Skubal, who has a lucrative decision to make in the weeks and potentially months to come. But the relief corps is where the roster starts to show some cracks. Left-handers Alex Vesia and Kris Bubic, along with right-handers Blake Treinen and Evan Phillips, are poised to hit free agency.
That leaves the Dodgers with work to do, even after two straight offseasons in which the front office made the closer market a priority. Right-hander Edwin Diaz and left-hander Tanner Scott were key pieces in 2026.
Diaz finished strong after a shaky start, giving up just one run in six postseason innings. Scott led the club with 25 saves in the regular season.
Both are under contract for 2027, which takes some pressure off the Dodgers to chase another late-inning arm immediately.
Even so, the club is expected to add more depth this winter. And with several internal options already in the mix, there are a few names worth keeping an eye on as the Dodgers try to patch together high-leverage innings for 2027.
One of them is right-hander Bobby Miller. He made three mostly quiet appearances for Los Angeles late in 2026 after spending the first four months of the season on the injured list. If the shoulder problems are truly behind him, Miller still has the kind of arsenal that can matter in 2027, even if his future as a front-line starter is no longer the most likely path.
Another arm to watch is Halvorsen, whose 99-mph four-seamer, slider and splitter give him the swing-and-miss profile teams want in pressure spots. The 26-year-old trimmed his walk rate after coming over from the Rockies at midseason, but he also gave up three home runs in just 10 major league innings with the Dodgers. That’s the kind of damage that has to come down before he can earn real trust from Dave Roberts.
Then there’s Gervase, who brings a different look entirely. At 6-foot-10, he creates elite extension that helps offset a fastball that sits at 92.7 mph. He leans heavily on sliders and cutters, but like Halvorsen, he still needs his command to take a step forward if he wants to avoid another trip on the Oklahoma City shuttle for the third straight season.
In Other News...
Former Dodgers All-Star Is Still Fighting To Stick Elsewhere
Tony Gonsolins path back to a stable big league job has taken another turn, and for Dodgers fans it is a familiar name in a new place. The right-hander, who spent 2019 through 2025 with Los Angeles and was part of the clubs 2020 World Series run, landed with the Royals in August after signing while coming back from right elbow surgery.
Kansas City has now exercised its club option for the 2027 season, keeping Gonsolin on the roster with a $2.5 million salary. It is another sign that the Royals still see something worth holding onto in a pitcher whose recent seasons have been interrupted by injuries, even after the Dodgers moved on from him following the 2025 season. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Come Up Empty In Two Gold Glove Races
Max Muncy and Andy Pages gave the Dodgers a little late-season Gold Glove intrigue, but the club came up empty in both of its finalist races. Muncy was among the finalists at third base and Pages was in the mix in center field, a sign that Los Angeles had at least two defenders drawing real league-wide respect heading into the awards.
Alex Bregman took the honor at third base, while Pete Crow-Armstrong won in center field after the voting from MLB managers and coaches was combined with the SABR Defensive Index. For the Dodgers, it was a reminder that even when the defense looks strong enough to earn a seat at the table, the final verdict can still go another way. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face A Freddie Freeman Decision Fans May Not Like
Freddie Freeman has been one of the defining pieces of the Dodgers run over the past five years, a steady presence who brought All-Star production and championship pedigree to the middle of the lineup. But as he enters the final year of his contract at 37, the conversation around him is shifting from what he has meant to the club to what comes next for a team that has to keep balancing present-day contention with an aging roster.
The Dodgers have already shown they are willing to think ahead, and the next step may involve leaning more heavily on younger talent from a farm system that has given them real options. Freemans decline in power, speed and defense makes the decision more complicated, because this is not just about sentiment or legacy, but about how long the Dodgers can keep one of their most trusted veterans at the center of their plans. [Read more 🡒]