The Milwaukee Brewers may have slammed the door on the Dodgers’ three-peat, but Los Angeles isn’t being written off for long. If anything, the way this ended sets up a sharper, angrier Dodgers team for 2027 - one with the kind of talent and motivation that can flip the script on Milwaukee’s repeat push.
The biggest reason? Shohei Ohtani.
The Dodgers’ 2026 season was shaped by the wear and tear that hit several of their biggest names, and Ohtani was right in the middle of that problem. But next year is a different story.
A healthy Ohtani changes everything, and the expectation is that he’ll come in fueled by the disappointment of 2026 and ready to reassert himself as the game’s most dominant player. Kyle Tucker should also be better after a rough 2026, especially after showing signs of life in the postseason.
And with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman still in the mix, the Dodgers still have the kind of star power Milwaukee can’t fully match.
There’s also the matter of resources. The Brewers just proved that money doesn’t automatically buy a title, but the Dodgers’ ability to reload never really goes away.
Even if Los Angeles doesn’t land Tarik Skubal - though it seems likely they will - the organization has the depth, infrastructure and Andrew Friedman’s approach to rebuild a pitching staff in ways most clubs simply can’t. Milwaukee’s arms were outstanding in the postseason, but the question is whether that kind of staff can be sustained when the Dodgers can keep bringing wave after wave of quality pitching.
And then there’s the mental edge. The Brewers are about to carry the weight of being the defending champions, while the Dodgers get to chase the trophy without that burden.
Los Angeles knows exactly how heavy that pressure can be after what happened in 2025, when they could have easily fallen short against a Toronto Blue Jays team of destiny. Now the roles are reversed.
Milwaukee has to protect what it won. The Dodgers get to hunt it back down.
That’s a dangerous setup for everyone else.
For Los Angeles to make sure that happens, two fixes stand out. First, the club has to handle Ohtani’s body and workload better in 2027.
Letting him set the terms in 2026 was the wrong call, and it showed when October arrived. A smarter rest plan could keep him fresher and far more dangerous when it matters most.
Second, the Dodgers need to clean up the roster’s soft spots, especially in the bullpen and on the bases. Edwin Diaz didn’t give them what they needed, and the injuries in the relief corps only made things worse.
On top of that, the team has to get a little younger and a little more athletic. Making Josue De Paula a more regular fixture and continuing to lean on Andy Pages would help, but the larger goal is clear: Los Angeles needs more speed and more life to keep up with Milwaukee in the biggest games.
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 🡒]