LAS VEGAS — Nearly everybody in baseball, it appears, is ready to see how aggressive the Dodgers might be this offseason.
For now, that seems to incorporate the two-time defending champions themselves.
Because the membership’s entrance workplace arrived at The Cosmopolitan Lodge for MLB’s annual basic managers’ conferences this week, the staff’s plans for this winter remained in a formative stage.
The Dodgers ought to have loads of monetary flexibility to play with within the coming months, with greater than $60 million in wage from final season set to return off the books (ensuing from Clayton Kershaw’s retirement, the expiration of contracts for Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech and others, and the staff’s choice to designate Tony Gonsolin for task final week).
They might additionally use upgrades at a few of the deepest positions on this yr’s free agent class, particularly a nook outfielder (the place Kyle Tucker beckons as the largest identify accessible) and one other prime aid arm on the again finish of the bullpen (the place Edwin Díaz, Devin Williams, Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks will all be on the open market).
Add in a farm system that MLB Pipeline ranked as the most effective within the majors this yr — giving the Dodgers loads of chips to make use of in a possible commerce as effectively — and the staff could possibly be poised for an additional splashy offseason of big-name acquisitions.
Or … they might stand comparatively pat.
In spite of everything, there isn’t a blockbuster transfer the Dodgers really feel like they want to make this winter. Having just about all of their star-studded core intact means, even in comparison with final winter, their urgency for an additional offseason of star additions might very effectively be much less urgent now.
That was the tone basic supervisor Brandon Gomes struck on Tuesday whereas discussing the staff’s winter plans — acknowledging the outfield and bullpen as areas the Dodgers will discover this winter, however stopping wanting describing both as outright “wants.”
“By being aggressive over the past couple offseasons, we do have a really, superb core in place,” Gomes stated. “So it’s persevering with to fine-tune and have a look at what the weaknesses on the roster are and attempt to handle these … It’s being very focused in who we exit and look to amass. I feel that holds true throughout the board, with out many evident holes.”
As a reminder, right here’s the place the Dodgers’ 2026 roster stands.
The beginning rotation? Stacked, with Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan and a bunch of different younger pitchers all slated to be again (together with Gavin Stone and River Ryan, breakout rookies in 2024 anticipated to have regular offseasons after lacking final yr with surgical procedures).
The lineup? Comparatively unchanged, with Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas representing the one out-of-contract gamers who performed necessary roles within the postseason (and so they, in fact, stay choices to be re-signed, too).
The bullpen? That group might definitely use some extra assist, after Tanner Scott struggled within the nearer function final yr. However even there, the Dodgers nonetheless possess loads of depth in Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda, Jack Dreyer, Blake Treinen, Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, Brock Stewart, Edgardo Henriquez and a lot of different younger pitchers who might step into big-league roles (plus the returns of Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips from harm).
And on the entire, Gomes described the Dodgers’ anticipated 2026 pitching workers as being “pretty much as good as we’ve ever had.”
That’s why, at the very least at this juncture, the Dodgers’ aggressiveness this winter stays unclear.
They’re of their most popular place as a corporation — capable of see how the market develops, with out dealing with an amazing want at anyone spot.
“I feel the mindset continues to be to strategy the offseason and never should exit and make huge splashy trades on the deadline,” Gomes stated. “However what that every one appears to be like like? Fortunately, we haven’t had a ton of time to dive in, however we’re gonna look to try this right here over this week and the approaching weeks.”
The staff’s pursuit of Tucker might present the primary huge inform of the offseason.
Way back to the summer season, the Dodgers had been seen across the trade as a possible front-runner for the four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger. As a left-handed bat who would match completely into the center of their lineup, and somebody who might be solely 29 by the beginning of subsequent yr, Tucker represented the form of still-in-his-prime, star-caliber participant whom the Dodgers at all times wish to be in place to go after when accessible.
Nonetheless, Tucker is not going to come cheaply. He’s prone to subject gives of 10-plus years. He might drive a bidding warfare upwards of $400 million to $500 million.
For all of the Dodgers’ short-term monetary flexibility, it’s honest to marvel what number of extra profitable, long-term offers they wish to add to what’s already an ageing core.
Thus, the upper the worth for Tucker turns into, the much less possible it could possibly be he winds up in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, Gomes spent extra of his time touting the interior outfield choices the Dodgers already boast — from deadline addition Alex Name, to utilitymen Hyeseong Kim and Tommy Edman (who will endure surgical procedure subsequent week on his nagging ankle harm, however is hoped to be prepared for spring coaching), to triple-A MVP Ryan Ward, who was added to the 40-man roster final week and is anticipated to “get a bunch of alternatives in some unspecified time in the future this yr,” Gomes stated. The door additionally stays open to backup catcher Dalton Speeding probably getting a while within the outfield once more, after he struggled with restricted taking part in time behind Will Smith.
Gomes was equally complimentary of the Dodgers’ present aid corps, even sustaining perception in Scott to “come again and have a terrific yr for us subsequent yr, and be proper there within the combine to pitch on the again finish of video games.”
It might nonetheless be a shock if the Dodgers don’t swing some notable addition to the bullpen. The depth of choices on the free-agent market (particularly in gamers similar to Williams and Fairbanks, who’ve been commerce targets of the staff the previous couple years) ought to make discovering an acquisition there a extra possible endeavor.
But, Gomes insisted {that a} prime reliever is much less of a necessity and extra of a “nice-to-have.”
Actually, that figures to be the theme of the Dodgers’ complete offseason: Trying to find upgrades on phrases they like, with out feeling pressured to make one other wave of top-dollar acquisitions.
