Friday, November 14

Welcome back to the Dodgers Beat newsletter! The offseason is here, so this will be back in your inbox every Friday to bring you the latest on the back-to-back World Series champions. Let's get into it …

The Dodgers are in as good a spot as a reigning champion could hope to be. Their core remains intact, and their deep farm system should have them in good shape for years to come.

That doesn't mean they're going to rest on their laurels. The Dodgers have already boldly stated their intent to keep the good times rolling in Los Angeles by going for a three-peat, and they'll put themselves in the best position to do so this offseason.

Here are five key questions facing the Dodgers:

1. How can they improve the bullpen?

The Dodgers leaned on their bullpen for more innings (657 2/3) than any other team, but their relievers combined for a 4.27 ERA and 27 blown saves, tied with the Phillies for the seventh most in the Majors. Part of the problem was that offseason additions Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates did not pan out, and Blake Treinen had a difficult year as well.

Treinen and Scott will be back, and the latter has three more years remaining on his contract. The Dodgers are optimistic that Scott will rebound and become a viable option to close games moving forward, but it would be unsurprising if they seek another leverage arm this offseason.

There are intriguing free agents, such as Devin Williams and Pete Fairbanks, who could be good fits for the Dodgers. They will also have Brusdar Graterol back after he missed 2025 due to shoulder surgery -- and Brock Stewart and Evan Phillips will return from injury at some point -- but there could be other internal reinforcements.

2. How will they handle a surplus of starters?

The Dodgers ended last season with a six-man rotation, and it would follow that they'll do the same next season. That leaves them with some decisions to make.

The rotation locks are Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani. That leaves at least four pitchers in the mix for the final two spots: Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone and River Ryan. The latter two missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from major surgeries and should be ready in time for Spring Training.

Major League pitching is a valuable commodity, so any of the pitchers on the 40-man roster with unclear roles could be potential trade chips. Then again, the Dodgers have needed every bit of their pitching depth while dealing with injuries over the past two seasons. It's also a possibility that the starters who do not make the rotation could shift to relief, another way of addressing the bullpen.

3. How does Dalton Rushing fit on the roster?

There may be some clarity on how the Dodgers will approach their catching situation next year after the Reds claimed Ben Rortvedt off waivers on Wednesday, but it will be interesting to see how they handle Rushing.

Rushing was the Dodgers' top prospect when he made his Major League debut in May, and he hit .204 with a .582 OPS in 53 games, starting behind the plate roughly twice per week to spell Will Smith. He received high praise for his defense, but the organization has always believed in his bat. And he was not able to get in a rhythm offensively in a backup role.

It's unclear if there is a path to getting Rushing the at-bats he needs next year, and his performance this past season did not force the issue. The 25-year-old plays a premium position and has a strong offensive track record in the Minors, so he could potentially fetch some value on the trade market if the Dodgers can't figure out a role for him.

4. Do they need another outfielder?

The Dodgers still have two-thirds of their starting outfield intact in Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages, as well as Alex Call and Tommy Edman to round out the group. Edman's ability to play center field was compromised for much of this year due to a nagging right ankle, which he's set to have surgery on next week.

The Dodgers are hopeful that Edman will be ready in time for Spring Training, but even if that is the case, they could look to add another starting-caliber outfielder. This past season, Hernández regressed and Pages' production dropped off in the second half. Edman being able to play center would give the team more options, but given the state of the roster, he might be of more use at second base.

Internally, Ryan Ward figures to get some runway next year after being added to the 40-man roster. If the Dodgers opt to look externally for outfield help, they may be better suited to seek shorter-term deals or explore the trade market.

5. How soon are the top prospects coming?

The Dodgers' top two prospects are outfielders Josue De Paula (MLB No. 13) and Zyhir Hope (No. 20). Both just 20 years old, they finished this past season with Double-A Tulsa.

Per MLB Pipeline, De Paula is projected to reach the Majors at some point in 2026, and Hope in '27. But if either takes a big step forward, it's possible that they could impact the Dodgers sooner than expected. 

Regardless, De Paula and Hope are close enough that they should be part of the calculus as the Dodgers consider how best to construct their outfield in the short term and the long term.

Shohei Ohtani is in rarefied air with his fourth MVP Award. More >>

From playing on baseball's biggest stage to taking the actual stage for the MLB Awards, Mookie Betts does it all. More >>

Elsewhere in the NL West, the Padres' ownership group is exploring options, including a possible sale of the team. More >>

For any Reddit users out there, keep an eye on r/Dodgers next week. I'm planning on doing an AMA on the subreddit on Thursday and would love to answer any questions you may have about this past season and the offseason ahead. 

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