The MLB offseason is already moving, and the calendar is packed from now through Opening Day.
For the Los Angeles Dodgers and the rest of the league, the new offseason began Thursday morning after the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series. From here, the first major window is short: teams get a five-day stretch to negotiate only with their own free agents before the market opens wider. Players and agents can still reach out to other clubs, as long as contract terms are not discussed.
The Dodgers’ free agent group features Tarik Skubal, Kris Bubic, Brusdar Graterol, Kiké Hernández, Eric Lauer, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia. Miguel also is no longer under contract with the Dodgers but he has officially retired after a 13-year career.
The next major checkpoint comes Nov. 2, when teams and players must make decisions on contract options. That same day is also the deadline to extend the $23.15 million qualifying offer to eligible players.
The five-day “quiet period” ends at 2 p.m. PT that afternoon, and free agents can then sign with any team.
Before that, there are other early dates to watch. Gold Glove winners will be announced Sunday, Nov. 1, followed by the BBWAA Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Awards on Monday, Nov. 9, at 4 p.m. PT on MLB Network.
The awards run continues into the middle of the month. Manager of the Year winners will be announced Nov. 10, also at 4 p.m.
PT on MLB Network. The next day brings the Cy Young and Reliever of the Year announcements at 4 p.m.
PT, plus MLB’s awards show from The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas at 6 p.m. PT.
That show will hand out honors including the Hank Aaron Award, Comeback Players of the Year, Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year, All-MLB First and Second Team selections and MLB Executive of the Year.
MVP winners follow on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 4 p.m. PT on MLB Network.
The business side of the offseason starts stacking up fast after that. General managers meetings run Nov. 10-12 in Las Vegas, and the owners meetings are set for Nov. 17-19 in New York.
Teams must also decide by 1 p.m. PT on Nov. 17 whether to accept or reject the qualifying offer, and that same day is the deadline to set 40-man rosters ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.
Silver Slugger winners are announced Nov. 17 as well.
Nov. 20 brings the tender deadline, when teams have until 5 p.m. PT to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players.
The current collective bargaining agreement expires at 8:59 p.m. PT on Dec. 1, and that looming deadline shapes almost everything that follows.
The Hall of Fame’s Classic Baseball Committee results are scheduled for Dec. 6, and the Winter Meetings are set for Dec. 7-9 in San Diego, though they are expected to be canceled if no new CBA is in place. The MLB Draft lottery is on Dec. 8, but that too is likely to be delayed until a new agreement exists.
The Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for Dec. 9, though MLB could change that setup if a lockout hits.
The minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft will still be held regardless of the date or the CBA situation.
The offseason then keeps rolling into 2027. The 2026 international signing period ends Dec.
- Arbitration figures are exchanged on Jan. 8, 2027, and the next international signing period begins Jan.
- The 2027 Hall of Fame class is announced Jan. 19, followed by arbitration hearings in February if there is no lockout.
For the Dodgers, spring is not far off after that. Their 2027 spring training schedule opens Feb. 19 against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch, and Opening Day is Thursday, March 25, against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium.
In Other News...
Dodgers Face Two Quiet Roster Decisions That Could Reshape Their Bullpen
The Dodgers have a small but meaningful set of offseason roster calls ahead of them, with six arbitration-eligible players to sort through before the November 20 deadline. Andy Pages and Emmet Sheehan are expected to stick around, while Brock Stewart and Gavin Stone also appear likely to be tendered even with some lingering questions attached to each.
The trickier decisions sit farther down the list, where Alex Call and Jake Cousins are both in that gray area between usefulness and uncertainty. Los Angeles will have to weigh performance against health before deciding whether either player is worth keeping on the books, and those choices could ripple into how the bullpen is shaped for next season. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Prospect Is Suddenly Testing A Role This Roster May Need
The Dodgers have spent the Arizona Fall League using Charles Davalan in a different way, shifting the No. 6 prospect away from the outfield and over to second base as they sort through a crowded group of young outfielders. It is a notable wrinkle for a player who already built momentum with a strong 2026 season at High-A Great Lakes, where his bat helped him stand out as one of the organizations more interesting position-player prospects.
Eric Longenhagen has pointed to Davalans versatility as one of his selling points, and the new look only adds to the sense that the Dodgers may be exploring a path that keeps his bat moving while broadening his defensive value. Longenhagen has projected him as an everyday player who could handle both second base and left field, with a possible major league role by 2028, and this fall assignment gives the club a chance to see whether that kind of flexibility can become part of the roster puzzle. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Have Two Rotation Fallbacks If Tarik Skubal Gets Away
The Dodgers are expected to chase Tarik Skubal if he reaches free agency, but they are not likely to sit around with only one name on the board. As the winter market takes shape, Los Angeles is already being linked to a pair of rotation alternatives in Freddy Peralta and Michael King, giving the club some insulation if the top target proves too expensive or simply lands elsewhere.
Peraltas season was uneven after splitting time between the Mets and Rays, though he finished on a better note with a strong September and postseason run. King, meanwhile, declined his player option after a strong October and brings the added familiarity of having pitched for the Padres, which only adds to the sense that the Dodgers will have several paths to choose from if their preferred ace slips away. [Read more 🡒]