The Dodgers enter the offseason with a roster that still looks loaded on paper, but the abrupt end to their 2026 season made one thing clear: this group needs a reset, not just a tweak.
That doesn’t mean a teardown. Far from it.
Fourteen players who have made an All-Star team appeared in a game for Los Angeles in 2026, and more than half of a 26-man roster has that kind of pedigree. Two of those players are free agents, while the rest are expected back.
That gives Andrew Friedman and the front office a sturdy core to build around as they map out 2027.
The path forward could be simpler than the Dodgers’ recent offseason swings. They could basically run it back, banking on a shorter postseason - and possibly a longer offseason, depending on how the looming lockout plays out - to give an aging club the time it needs to recharge for a run at the 2027 World Series.
But the biggest issue is hard to miss: this is the oldest position-player group in MLB, and it needs to get younger.
Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Will Smith are all closer to the back end of their careers than the front. That means the Dodgers may have to build in more rest for those five and trust the bench to carry its weight when the stars sit.
Miguel Rojas’ retirement will create a vacancy next season, and Tommy Edman is the most obvious name tied to that role. He’s 31, though, which undercuts the idea that the Dodgers are suddenly getting younger there. Triple-A does offer younger options, but most have not logged much big-league time.
The outfield raises even more questions. Can Josue De Paula handle left field for a full season?
If he can, what does that mean for Teoscar Hernandez? And even if Mike Sirota, James Tibbs III or Zach Ehrhard are ready to push for promotions, how does that all fit around Andy Pages in center field and Kyle Tucker in right?
There isn’t one clean answer, and the Dodgers may not have to force it all at once. Still, another October disappointment would only make the need for change louder a year from now.
The bullpen presents a different kind of problem. The Dodgers have spent years turning relief usage into a science, and the workload numbers back that up.
Only four relievers reached more than 50 appearances for Los Angeles in four of the last six seasons. Since 2021, only three have topped 70 appearances in a year.
Even with that careful handling, Dave Roberts’ “trust tree” can’t be too thin. If Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips and Blake Treinen depart in free agency, who steps into the heavy-lift role behind Edwin Diaz and Tanner Scott?
The Dodgers do have internal options under team control for next year, including Edgardo Henriquez, Will Klein, Brock Stewart, Jack Dreyer, Kyle Hurt and Bobby Miller. But replacing or bringing back that free-agent trio still sits near the top of the to-do list.
And then there’s Tarik Skubal.
How far should the Dodgers go to land the two-time Cy Young Award winner? That’s the kind of question with no easy answer, especially with so much about the next few years still unclear. The economics of the sport under the next CBA are unknown, Ohtani’s ability to keep handling a rotation job is still a major variable, and it’s not clear how much more Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell can be counted on for.
What is clear is the risk attached to long-term pitching deals in a pitcher’s 30s. Skubal turns 30 next month, and while nobody in Los Angeles would complain about seeing him in a Dodgers uniform, the price tag comes with more caution than excitement.
For the Dodgers, the years on the next Skubal contract should matter more than the money. Unless there’s a salary cap.
In Other News...
Dodgers Outfield Picture Just Got Even Murkier After Latest Departure
Alek Thomas gave the Dodgers a useful late-season bridge after coming over from Arizona during the year, spending time in the minors before stepping in as an injury replacement. But after the 2026 regular season, he elected free agency, leaving Los Angeles with one more familiar name off a depth chart that already had plenty of moving parts.
Andy Pages, Tucker and Teoscar Hernndez remain part of the conversation as the Dodgers sort out their outfield going forward, and the farm system may have a say as well with Josue De Paula among the internal options. For a club that has long valued depth, Thomas departure is another reminder that the outfield picture is still unsettled, even with the offseason underway. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Need More From Two Key Stars In 2027
Brandon Gomes sounded upbeat about two of the Dodgers biggest additions as the organization starts looking ahead to 2027, when Los Angeles will be counting on Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz to play more like the marquee names they were brought in to be. Both arrived as free-agent signees with real expectations attached, and while their regular seasons did not go the way the Dodgers had hoped, each found a way to matter when October arrived.
Even so, the clubs hopes for another championship run figure to hinge on more than short bursts of postseason production. Tucker is expected to bring more consistent offense, while Diaz is still the kind of late-inning arm the Dodgers need to shorten games and lock down leads. The optimism is there, but the next step is turning that promise into a full season of impact. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Enter An Offseason That Could Reshape Their Next Title Push
The Dodgers are heading into an offseason with plenty of familiar ambition and a little more uncertainty than usual after their sweep at the hands of the Brewers ended the three-peat chase. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the club expects to stick with its standard financial approach, at least unless the upcoming collective bargaining agreement changes the landscape, which means the front office is once again balancing big-game expectations with the realities of how it builds the roster.
One of the biggest questions is whether Los Angeles will dive into the market for Tarik Skubal, the top free-agent pitcher who could land a record-breaking deal. The Dodgers already have a strong rotation and a lineup that is mostly secured, so any major move would come with a clear cost-benefit calculation rather than a simple need-based chase. Even with a roster that looks mostly intact, there are still a few potential moves under consideration, and this winter could shape how the next title push takes form. [Read more 🡒]