Life moves fast when you play a month longer than most other teams. The Dodgers have not been shy about their intentions to take home another Commissioner’s Trophy next year, and that means they can’t take too long to catch their breath in November. Freddie Freeman may have said it best after Monday’s World Series parade.
“Job in 2024, done. Job in 2025, done,” he said. “Job in 2026 — starts now.”
Here’s a guide to the Dodgers’ offseason:
Which players are free agents?
OF Michael Conforto, LHP Andrew Heaney, INF/OF Kiké Hernández, LHP Clayton Kershaw, RHP Michael Kopech, INF Miguel Rojas and RHP Kirby Yates.
Which contract options did the Dodgers exercise?
Max Muncy ($10 million) and Alex Vesia ($3.55 million) had club options, and both were exercised ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
Who might be a non-tender candidate, and when do the Dodgers have to make that decision?
Non-tender candidates are typically players who are due to get a raise in arbitration that the club feels exceeds their value on the field. The Dodgers have six arbitration-eligible players on the 40-man roster: LHP Anthony Banda, OF Alex Call, RHP Brusdar Graterol, RHP Evan Phillips, C Ben Rortvedt and RHP Brock Stewart.
The pitchers who are expected to miss the beginning of the season — Phillips and Stewart — could be non-tender candidates. Rortvedt is out of Minor League options and could be non-tendered if the Dodgers see Dalton Rushing as their primary backup catcher.
Who needs to be added to the 40-man roster this winter to avoid the Rule 5 Draft, and do the Dodgers have a crunch for roster spots?
In order to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft, players who signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to the 40-man roster within five seasons, and players who signed at age 19 or older need to be added within four seasons. That only applies to one Dodgers prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 list, shortstop Noah Miller (No. 25).
The team selected two Rule 5-eligible players to the 40-man roster on Thursday: outfielder Ryan Ward and left-hander Robinson Ortiz. Last year, the Dodgers only protected lefty Jack Dreyer — then an unranked prospect — and he wound up becoming a huge part of the big league bullpen.
What kind of help do the Dodgers need, and will they be active in free agency?
After experiencing peak bullpen volatility this past season, the Dodgers could look to bolster this group. They’ll have some interesting decisions on their hands, as several pitchers who missed the 2025 season due to injury should be ready in time for Spring Training. There will be a surplus of starters — could any of them shift to relief?
With the departure of Conforto, there is also a need in the outfield. In theory, the Dodgers have the pieces they need there, but this group has some uncertainty after 2025. Teoscar Hernández regressed. Andy Pages started cold, got red-hot, then finished cold. Tommy Edman’s ankle didn’t hold up well enough for him to play center field. Call didn’t receive a lot of playing time after being traded from the Nationals.
Even on the heels of their previous two offseasons, the Dodgers wouldn’t seem to be restricted in free-agent spending. But given the state of their 40-man roster, it could make sense to look for upgrades on the trade market.
Who might the Dodgers be willing to trade?
The Dodgers have a lot of pitching depth floating between Triple-A and the Majors. One problem here: They ended up needing just about every pitcher they had to win back-to-back championships because of the injuries they dealt with during the regular season.
Still, MLB-ready pitching is a valuable commodity and would appear to be some of the team’s best potential trade chips. The farm system is also rich in outfielders, most of whom are a couple years away from the Majors.
