Wednesday, October 21

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The Dodgers did not imagine that their offseason would begin quite so soon. Yet they were swept by the Brewers in the NL Championship Series, giving them more time than expected to prepare for the 2027 season.

There will be no three-peat this year, but that does not mean L.A.'s contention window is closed, as much of the team's core talent remains under contract for next season and beyond. But this offseason could be the beginning of a transition period for the Dodgers. This could be the time to retool with an eye on building a team that can not only win next year, but continue to win for the foreseeable future.

Here are five offseason questions facing the Dodgers:

How will they infuse youth into the roster?

The Dodgers' position-player group was the oldest in the Majors (30.9 years, on average), which may have caught up with them. Over the course of 14 consecutive trips to the postseason, L.A. has found ways to remain competitive while bringing in young talent to supplement its experienced veteran core, which is a fine balance to strike.

In some ways, that process has started. Dalton Rushing was the backup for starting catcher Will Smith last year. Alex Freeland could possibly take over the infield utility role vacated by Miguel Rojas, who has retired. But perhaps bigger moves are in store. For instance, could the Dodgers make room for top prospect Josue De Paula (MLB No. 4) to be their everyday left fielder by trading Teoscar Hernández? That may depend on just how committed the team is to getting younger.

How will they manage Shohei Ohtani?

For most of the first half, Ohtani looked to be on his way to authoring his finest two-way season yet. But a left knee injury took him off the mound in July, and a right biceps injury further compounded his health around the same time. The nagging injuries landed Ohtani on the 15-day IL in September, and he still didn't look like himself when he returned, slumping through most of the postseason.

There are lessons to be learned from 2026, with Ohtani intending to return as a full two-way player in '27. How much can proactivity on the Dodgers' part mitigate the toll that Ohtani's intense workload takes on his body? They were already running a six-man rotation and giving Ohtani extra rest as a pitcher when needed, but perhaps days off as a hitter could be needed as well.

Will they try to bring back Tarik Skubal?

When a superstar-caliber talent like Skubal is on the market, it is hard to count out the Dodgers. That's why they signed closer Edwin Díaz and right fielder Kyle Tucker last offseason. We have already seen how much L.A. was willing to give up for up to three months of Skubal; it's no big jump to imagine that they might be willing to commit a lot of resources to him in free agency.

But the Dodgers will not be alone in that regard, and other teams may have a bigger need for Skubal. Their top 2027 rotation options on the 40-man roster include Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski and Gavin Stone. But at the same time, no team can have enough pitching. Acquiring a starter was not an acute need when L.A. traded for Skubal at the Deadline; it was by the time the postseason came around and Ohtani was no longer a rotation option.

Should they upgrade up the middle?

The Dodgers got a .676 OPS out of their second basemen last season, the worst mark of any defensive position on the team. Of the six players who saw time there, three are not under contract for next year (Rojas, Kiké Hernández and Santiago Espinal). L.A. will have to decide if any of the other three -- Freeland, Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim -- is a viable everyday option at second base next year.

The free-agent market at second base does not have many clear fits for the Dodgers, especially when taking into consideration their need to get younger. They could explore trades, or they could commit to their internal options -- which would not be limited to the players currently on their 40-man roster.

Which prospects could make an impact next season?

There's a logistical way to look at this, as the Dodgers will need to protect certain prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. Among the most likely candidates to be added to the 40-man roster are right-hander Christian Zazueta (MLB No. 33, LAD No. 5) and left-handers Adam Serwinowski (LAD No. 14) and Jackson Ferris (LAD No. 17). All three could feasibly crack the big league pitching staff at some point next year, although neither Zazueta nor Serwinowski has pitched above the Double-A level.

Another interesting prospect to keep an eye on is Charles Davalan (MLB No. 79, LAD No. 6). He's one of many talented young outfielders in the Dodgers' system, but he's seeing time at second base for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. He has risen relatively quickly through the Minors since being drafted in 2025, and perhaps his versatility could pave a path to the big league club next year.

Now that the Dodgers' season is over, I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who read my coverage this year. Two seasons on the beat have flown by, and it has been so special because of how much you all care about your team. I'll still be writing this newsletter and other stories for MLB.com/Dodgers throughout the offseason, and I look forward to seeing what next year brings!

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