Tarik Skubal isn’t buying the talk that the Dodgers’ window is closing.
With Los Angeles coming off an NLCS defeat, some around the game have started to wonder whether 2026 marks the end of this version of the club. The biggest argument against the Dodgers is age, with critics pointing to an aging roster and asking how much longer the core can keep this up.
Skubal sees it differently.
“I don’t feel that at all,” Skubal said. “It’s hard to win the World Series, and this group has done it the last two seasons.
Obviously, not this year, but … I think that this group is incredibly talented. And the preparation and the work ethic that this group has - I don’t buy into that narrative.”
The left-hander’s belief in the Dodgers comes as the organization faces a familiar offseason question: how do they keep the machine moving without letting fatigue drag it down again? After falling in an NLCS sweep, Max Muncy suggested the wear of three straight long seasons finally caught up with the team, leaving the Dodgers out of steam against the Milwaukee Brewers.
That means the front office has work to do. Left field, second base and the bench all stand out as places where upgrades are needed. But the bigger issue may be less about one position and more about how well the roster can bounce back from the cumulative grind of recent years.
One way to solve that is by building a deeper bench, whether that comes from the farm system, free agency or the trade market. The prospect route brings its own challenge, though: figuring out which young players are actually ready to handle the majors. The Dodgers did that with Josue De Paula, and that gives them some credibility as they sort through next season’s options.
If they go outside the organization, the scouting department will have to identify players who can genuinely make the club better than it was in 2026.
Skubal could also wind up being part of the answer. The left-hander would obviously make the Dodgers better, and there’s reason to think the team would have interest in bringing him back. But any deal may end up depending on the financial framework of a new collective bargaining agreement.
Skubal declined to address his future after the Dodgers’ Game 4 loss in the NLCS, but Blake Snell was more direct about what he’d like to see.
Snell said he “would love nothing more” than for Skubal to re-sign with the Dodgers.
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Dodgers Executive's Next Step Just Took An Unexpected Turn
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Seattle still has work to do in filling its managerial vacancy, and the list of candidates has already included Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler. For the Dodgers, Baldellis decision matters in a smaller but still notable way, since it briefly raised the possibility that one of their own front office figures could be on the move before those plans were paused for now. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers See One Big Hurdle In Josue De Paulas Rise
Josue De Paula has quickly moved into the conversation as one of the most important young names in the Dodgers system, and the organization clearly believes his bat could matter sooner rather than later. Brandon Gomes and Andrew Friedman have both pointed to his offensive upside as well as the strides he has made defensively, with the team envisioning him as part of a broader youth movement that could start to reshape the roster by 2027.
The concern, though, is less about whether De Paula can hit and more about how far he still has to go in the outfield. The Dodgers are encouraged by the progress he has made, but they still want to see more consistency on defense before the picture gets clearer. Even so, the praise has been strong enough that Juan Soto singled out De Paulas batting eye and even drew a comparison to himself, which only adds to the intrigue surrounding one of the organizations most closely watched prospects. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Already Found Miguel Rojas A New Role That Matters
Miguel Rojas may have played his final game for the Dodgers on Oct. 15, but he has not exactly drifted far from the organization. Recently retired from playing, Rojas has joined the clubs player development department and is now working with prospects in the Arizona Fall League, keeping a familiar face in the pipeline as young players sort through the next step in their careers.
His new role matters because he is already helping Dodgers prospects, including Charles Davalan as he transitions to a new defensive position. Rojas also stayed visible around the game after his playing days, serving as a Spanish-language correspondent for MLB during the World Series, and the Dodgers appear to have found a meaningful way to keep his experience in the building. [Read more 🡒]