The Dodgers may be looking to the trade market more than the open market as they try to shape their roster for 2027.
That’s partly because the 2026 free-agent class doesn’t line up well with what Los Angeles needs, and partly because the club’s farm system, while deep, may not have enough ready-made help to make an immediate impact next season. With those options limited, trades could end up being the cleanest way to address holes.
On SportsNet LA, David Vassegh pointed to a market that could start moving soon.
“It feels like the (Tarik) Skubal chip, once that moves, Freddy Peralta and Michael King may move as well. I think those three are the ones that are looking to sign the most before December 1. To me, outside of Skubal, I feel like the Dodgers are looking at trade partners before December 1 with the uncertainty of how a new CBA will look,” David Vassegh said on SportsNet LA.
He also said Los Angeles may be best served by targeting a player on a shorter contract.
“Shorter-term deals, ideally maybe a player that only has one year left on his contract, like the Houston Astros’ shortstop Jeremy Peña. There’s been reports that the Astros are listening on offers to Jeremy Peña, who is a free agent after one more year. That would be an ideal type of guy in a trade partner for the Dodgers.”
The Dodgers do have some young outfield talent coming. The organization is confident that Josue De Paula, Mike Sirota and Eduardo Quintero are close to helping at the big-league level. De Paula already made his MLB debut in 2026 and looked like he could handle a bigger role.
Still, the bigger need appears to be on the infield side. Los Angeles may be able to count on at most two outfielders to reach the 2027 roster as a left field option and a bench piece, but its top infield choices are projected to be more than a year away from being Major League ready.
There’s also another route available to the Dodgers through the international posting system.
Shoki Oda, an 18-year-old high school pitcher from Japan, is expected to meet with the Dodgers and other MLB teams over the next two weeks. Oda passed on the Nippon Professional Baseball Draft, where he was projected as a first-round pick, so he could pursue a path to the United States.
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