The Dodgers are back in the Silver Slugger conversation, but this time the shine is a lot dimmer.
Los Angeles is once again a finalist for the National League team award, with Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy also in the mix on the individual side. That part is no surprise. What makes this year different is the backdrop: the Dodgers’ offense didn’t look like the same machine down the stretch, and even their own fans would have a hard time arguing they belong at the top after how 2026 ended.
Last season, the Dodgers had four finalists - Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Muncy - and they went on to win the team honor over the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs. That vote made easy sense. Los Angeles led the National League in home runs, RBI, runs scored, walks and OPS by a wide margin, and the club’s third title in six seasons fit the numbers.
This year, though, the Cubs were the standard-bearer. Chicago led the NL in home runs, RBI, runs scored, walks and OPS, and it pushed the Dodgers off the perch decisively. Los Angeles finished fourth in homers, RBI and runs scored, third in walks and second in OPS.
The bigger issue was how the Dodgers got there. Silver Slugger voting doesn’t include the postseason, but the warning signs were already showing before October. The offense started slipping as early as July, and the slide got ugly in August.
The Dodgers hit .247 in July and .241 in August, and their OPS fell to a season-low .689 in August. That was the only month they finished under .500, and they opened that stretch by going 3-7 in their first 10 games.
They did recover some ground in September, but the damage had already been done. For a few weeks after the All-Star break, the lineup looked mortal, and the rest of the league noticed.
There were still some encouraging signs late. Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernández and Mookie Betts all picked things up, and Josue De Paula gave the group a boost. But Ohtani was hurt, and Freddie Freeman finished his season hitting under .200.
The Cubs are the clear favorite to take the award this time, and the Dodgers will have to carry this ending into 2027 as motivation.
In Other News...
Dodgers Fans Have A New Prospect Debate With A Fall Stars Twist
Major League Baseballs Fall Stars Game roster announcement gave Dodgers fans a fresh reason to keep an eye on the Arizona Fall League, with third baseman Chase Harlan and pitcher Luke Fox landing on the National League team. The showcase will be played Sunday at Salt River Fields and aired on MLB Network, giving the organization another chance to see two of its prospects on a bigger stage.
Now the debate shifts to who should join them, with fans voting on one more National League spot from a pool that includes Dodgers prospects Eduardo Quintero and Charles Davalan, along with Padres infielder Justin DeCriscio. For a player development system that has already put two names on the roster, the final choice adds a little extra intrigue for Dodgers followers who have been tracking the fall circuit closely. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Could Be Near A Tough Kik Hernndez Decision
Kik Hernndez has been one of the more familiar October pieces in the Dodgers recent run, a utility presence who has shown up in postseason after postseason since 2015 and given the club flexibility all over the diamond. Even with that track record, the offseason always has a way of forcing uncomfortable choices, and Hernndezs status is now part of that familiar roster churn as Los Angeles weighs how to reshape its bench and defensive depth.
One name that has surfaced in that conversation is Mauricio Dubon, the versatile defender most recently with the Atlanta Braves. Dubon would likely come at a higher salary, which only adds to the calculus for a Dodgers front office trying to balance value with familiarity, and while a move away from Hernndez looks increasingly possible, it is not yet official. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Could Lose A Bullpen Weapon To A Familiar Rival
The Dodgers have already made one major bullpen splash by landing Edwin Daz, and they are not likely to stop there as they keep looking for ways to deepen a roster built to chase another title. With Tarik Skubal expected to be a major winter target, Los Angeles is also being linked to a more immediate relief-market possibility in Padres left-hander Adrin Morejn, a pitcher who has quietly become one of the more interesting names in the division.
Morejn has been extended a qualifying offer by San Diego and has until November 17 to decide whether to take it or test free agency, which leaves the door open for a familiar rival to make a run at him. For the Dodgers, the appeal is obvious: pairing Morejn with Daz would give them another high-end bullpen look, while also turning a Padres weapon into part of the same late-inning mix that has long frustrated opponents in the National League West. [Read more 🡒]