The Commissioner’s Trophy isn’t headed back to Los Angeles this year, for the first time since 2023. Can you believe it? The back-to-back World Series champions, who added Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz and then traded for Tarik Skubal at the deadline, fell short of the three-peat. Now, the big question hanging over Chavez Ravine is how they rebound and position themselves as championship contenders again in 2027, especially with a potential lockout looming this winter.
The Three-Peat That Wasn’t
Man, they had all the pieces, right? After winning in 2024 and 2025, everyone expected the Dodgers to just cruise. But Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, those big additions, were straight-up major disappointments. Plus, it looked like the age of one of baseball’s oldest lineups really started to show this season. Tarik Skubal, the deadline acquisition, was generally very good, but the overall team just couldn’t seal the deal.
The Free Agent Carousel and Skubal’s Future
So, who’s actually hitting the open market for the Dodgers? It’s not as many big names as you might think. We’re talking pitchers like Tarik Skubal, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Kris Bubic, and Eric Lauer. Outfielder Kiké Hernandez and infielder Miguel Rojas are also free agents, but Rojas has already said he’s retiring after this season. Treinen even missed the postseason with an injury. The real head-scratcher here is Skubal. He was just traded for three months ago, and he’s easily the only “major name” among the free agents. Would the Dodgers drop serious cash to bring him back, especially since they don’t always re-sign those big-ticket deadline guys like Manny Machado, Max Scherzer, Corey Seager, or Trea Turner? Still, a return to L.A. is considered the most likely scenario for Skubal.
An Older Lineup Sticks Around, With Ohtani On Deck
Here’s the rub for the Dodgers: a team that won 100 games is largely intact for 2027. That sounds great on paper, but remember that “older lineup” problem? Yeah, those older pieces are all in line to be back next season. That means the front office has to get super creative if they want to make any meaningful offensive changes. The upcoming free agent class isn’t exactly stacked with high-level talent, and the best player available, Shohei Ohtani, is already on their roster! If Skubal does come back, that rotation looks largely set, especially if Ohtani is getting ready to pitch in 2027. But what about the bats? That’s the real challenge for them this offseason.
So, while they might not face a massive roster overhaul, the Dodgers have some serious work ahead of them. They need to figure out how to get younger at the plate and shake up that offense to avoid another early exit next year. This offseason is all about setting the stage for 2027, and whether they can truly rebound and reclaim their championship contender status.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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