The World Series is winding down, but the real fireworks are about to start, and not the good kind. Get ready, because MLB’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on December 1, and the owners are ready to lock out the players the second it does. This isn’t just a threat, it’s a certainty, and Commissioner Rob Manfred even called it “a positive” back in 2025. Yeah, you heard that right: “In a bizarre way, it’s actually a positive.”
Free Agency Frenzy and Dodgers’ Offseason Moves
Once the World Series trophy is handed out, the floodgates open. The very first day after the Fall Classic, 6 a.m. PT to be exact, players with at least six years of big league service time , plus a few international free agents , become official free agents. And the Dodgers are set to see a ton of talent hit the market. We’re talking Tarik Skubal, Eric Lauer, Kris Bubic, Kiké Hernández, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, and the retiring Miguel Rojas. That’s a huge chunk of their roster.
Teams then enter a “quiet period,” but just five days after the World Series, that silence breaks. At 2 p.m. PT, free agents are officially allowed to sign with new teams, though they could always re-up with their old squad anytime. This is also the deadline for teams to extend a qualifying offer. Don’t expect any Dodgers to get one, though. Tarik Skubal was the only real candidate, but because he was traded mid-season, he’s not eligible. It’s wild how those rules can handcuff a team, isn’t it?
Roster Shuffles and Rule 5 Decisions Loom
Later in November, things get even more interesting for general managers. The MLB owners are meeting in New York City from November 17-19. On Tuesday, November 17, teams have to file their reserve lists, meaning they’ll add prospects to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. For the Dodgers, pitchers Christian Zazueta, Jackson Ferris, and Adam Serwinowski, along with infielder Jake Gelof, are all newly eligible and could make the jump.
That same day, November 17, also marks the 1 p.m. PT deadline for any players who received a qualifying offer to accept or reject it. Then, on Friday, November 20, we hit the tender deadline. This is where teams decide whether to offer contracts to their arbitration-eligible players. If a player is on the roster bubble, injured, or out of options, they might get non-tendered and become a free agent. Landon Knack, who burned through his options from 2024-26, is a prime example of someone who could be in that position. Last year, Evan Phillips and Nick Frasso were non-tendered, and Phillips, who was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, actually re-signed with the Dodgers later in February. It’s a high-stakes game of chess, for sure.
Get Ready For Another Lockout
But all these dates feel secondary to the giant elephant in the room: the collective bargaining agreement. It expires Tuesday, December 1 at 8:59 p.m. PT, and MLB owners are ready to lock out the players the very next moment. Commissioner Rob Manfred, talking about this back in 2025, made it clear. He sees the leverage in an offseason lockout, believing it’s how the bargaining process under the NLRA actually works. We’ve been here before. The 2021-22 lockout dragged on until March 10, delaying the regular season by two whole weeks.
And speaking of delays, the MLB Winter Meetings, set for December 7-9, are already expected to be canceled or at least postponed. That includes the MLB Draft lottery, which was scheduled for December 8. So, as the World Series ends, don’t just put your feet up. Get ready for a tense, frustrating offseason as the owners and players duke it out, with the real possibility of a delayed start to next year. This is going to be a long winter.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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