⚾ Thoughts on the Dodgers This Offseason

Back-to-back titles ain’t bad, but if the Dodgers hope to continue their winning ways, they will need to seek improvements from the pen and an aging lineup. I’m going to go through each area of the roster and give my thoughts on what changes are expected for 2026.

The bullpen was a glaring weakness for the team this season. Treinen is unfortunately under contract for next year, so there is a good chance they bring him back at least to start the season. Stewart and Bazooka are injured. Phillips should return from injury early in the season. Klein, Henriquez, and Casparius are all optionable, fringe 26-man roster guys. Roki probably gets another chance in the rotation. Hurt is coming off an injury and optionable. There is room to add 2-3 right-handed arms here. Maybe they look at short-term prove-it deals for down-on-their-luck closers like Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, or even Pete Fairbanks.

On the other hand (get it?), we have the lefties. The Dodgers appear surprisingly solid on the lefty reliever front. The team already exercised Vesia’s option for 2026. I expect a bounce back year for Tanner Scott. Dreyer looked good in his rookie season and still retains options. I think Banda might be the odd man out and could find himself traded or non-tendered.

The starting rotation is a juggernaut. Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, and Ohtani are locks. Sheehan is too unless they unload him in a blockbuster. Gavin Stone and River Ryan are coming off injuries and optionable. Roki and Wrobo figure to get looks in the rotation. Maybe they add a vet on a one-year deal, but overall the rotation is in great shape. 

Catcher and infield are set thanks in large part to Mookie’s miraculous transition to Gold Glove-caliber shortstop. The outfield needs work. Pages looked awful in the playoffs, but he’s cheap and decent in center, so he isn’t going anywhere. Teo is unplayable on defense, but it’s not like any other team wants that contract. It might be worth floating him to DH-needy teams with an offer to pay down some of his deal while throwing in a B-tier prospect or two as a sweetener. The outfield offers a prime opportunity to inject some youth into an aging lineup. Some of the org’s best prospects are outfielders, but unfortunately their ETA’s are at least a year out. Kyle Tucker is the biggest name on the free agent market, but his contract demands likely exceed the kind of commitment the Dodgers want to make right now. Maybe the team looks to the trade market where guys like Jarren Duran, Lars Nootbaar, and Taylor Ward are expected to be made available.

Rushing is a lock for a bench role. Kiké and Rojas are free agents, but I expect both to return to LA on one-year deals. I wouldn’t mind moving on from Miggy Ro despite the World Series heroics. I think his 2025 offensive production was a bit of an aberration. Call and Kim both have options remaining, so they’ll be around in some capacity. Alex Freeland needs to earn a spot if he wants one. Until he does, he should see regular at-bats in AAA, with the occasional call-up to fill in for injuries. 

Last offseason, I thought a World Series-winning team that committed to spending over a billion future dollars the offseason prior wouldn’t make any big splashes, but then they went and signed two-time Cy Young Blake Snell. The Dodgers are in a great place for 2026, but if the past is any indication of the future, they won’t (and shouldn’t) rest on their laurels.