GM Meetings are kicking off in Las Vegas, and for once the Dodgers have real incentive to get moving. With a lockout looming on Dec. 1, the industry expects the market to pick up fast before everything potentially freezes for a long stretch.
That changes the usual rhythm for Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers. They’re not known for making loud splashes at the GM Meetings or the Winter Meetings, even when plenty of chatter swirls around them.
Last year, the biggest buzz was Tarik Skubal being traded to Los Angeles, but the Dodgers rarely turn that talk into an actual deal at the event itself. This time, though, the pressure is different.
Every front office has to move with urgency, and Friedman has a chance to show it.
One obvious path is clearing a spot by moving either Teoscar Hernández or Alex Call. The Dodgers need to open room for No. 1 prospect Josue De Paula in 2027, and Hernández or Call would be the most likely candidates to go.
Hernández is the pricier option, but he’s also the one who could return more in a trade. The Dodgers didn’t actively shop him last year, but that could change now that they have a more immediate reason to create space.
There’s also some caution around the Hernández idea. Dodgers insider Katie Woo has pushed back on the notion of a deal, pointing to De Paula’s defense and saying it needs major improvement before the team can trust him full-time.
His Opening Day role may not even be secure if the Dodgers don’t see enough progress in spring training. Still, with a salary cap potentially coming, there’s more incentive than just roster flexibility to move at least part of Hernández’s contract.
The bullpen is another area that needs attention, especially after the Dodgers lost so many relievers to free agency. Some of those departures may be fine in the long run - Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, Kris Bubic, and Eric Lauer among them - but losing Alex Vesia would sting the most for fans. He’s been with the organization for most of his career and became another reclamation success story for the Dodgers.
If Vesia doesn’t come back, the Dodgers still have work to do in the relief market. Adrian Morejon, a former setup man for the San Diego Padres, is one possibility. So are David Bednar, Sean Newcomb, Steven Okert, and other lower-cost arms the Dodgers could try to reshape.
And then there’s the biggest swing of all: Tarik Skubal. Around five teams could be in the mix for him before the CBA expires, but the Dodgers and Mets are still viewed as the clear frontrunners. The expectation is that Skubal and Scott Boras will push to get something done before the lockout, and that deal could still end up being record-breaking.
Los Angeles may not be eager to hand out the long-term guarantee Skubal would prefer, but that doesn’t mean the Dodgers are backing away. They remain the incumbents, and that gives them an edge they can use as the clock keeps ticking.
In Other News...
Dodgers Make First Offseason Move As Ex-Coach Exit Raises Questions
The Dodgers got an early start on the offseason by adding a veteran utility player who had already been traded twice during the 2026 season, a move that fits their usual habit of stocking up on versatile depth before the roster picture sharpens. It is the kind of low-profile transaction Los Angeles often makes quietly, but it also arrives at a time when the organization is dealing with a less routine bit of business behind the scenes.
Former Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates said he was essentially forced out of the organization and is now looking for his next opportunity, adding another layer to a winter that already has some uncertainty attached to it. On the player-development side, top prospect Josue De Paula is expected to spend the offseason working with a Gold Glove outfielder after a strong Double-A season and his MLB debut, though any plans for that training could be complicated if the looming lockout slows down normal offseason work. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers May Regret Letting This Trade Asset Lose Its Value
The Dodgers season ended in disappointment against the Brewers in the 2026 National League Championship Series, and the fallout is already turning to the roster decisions that helped shape the year. Even after the club swung big by landing Tarik Skubal before the trade deadline, Los Angeles still fell short of a three-peat, leaving the front office to sort through which pieces actually moved the needle and which ones quietly lost ground along the way.
Alex Call is one of the more interesting names in that conversation. He was not moved at the deadline, but his role faded as the year went on, and he was left off the postseason roster entirely. Now the Dodgers have a looming November 20 non-tender deadline to consider, and if they pass on him, he would hit free agency with no return coming back to Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face A High-Stakes Race For An Ace This Offseason
Tarik Skubal is shaping up to be one of the biggest names on the pitching market this offseason, and the Dodgers are already being linked as a serious suitor. With the Cubs and Mets also in the mix, the race for the left-hander looks like it could turn into one of the defining bidding wars of the winter, especially for a Los Angeles club that is never shy about chasing elite talent.
The price tag is expected to be enormous, with projections landing in the $300 million to $400 million range, which would put any pursuit under a bright spotlight. Timing may matter just as much as money, though, because the looming MLB lockout and possible changes to the collective bargaining agreement could shape when teams move and how aggressively they try to close a deal. [Read more 🡒]