Nine Free Agents Hit the Market; Skubal, Phillips Lead Group

Our front office faces one of its most critical offseason decisions with nine players entering free agency, led by Tarik Skubal and Evan Phillips. The left-handed starter established himself as a legitimate rotation anchor during 2026, and his free agent value has climbed significantly. Phillips provided reliable high-leverage bullpen work and will draw interest on the open market.

Miguel Rojas announced his retirement rather than testing free agency, removing a veteran shortstop from the pool but keeping his institutional knowledge potentially available to the organization. The nine free agents represent the framework Friedman must navigate when deciding which established contributors to retain and where to allocate resources for 2027 championship construction.

Skubal’s retention looms as the most critical decision. Mark Walter and our front office will need to commit aggressively if we want to keep him as our rotation anchor heading into next season. His departure would create a significant hole in our starting pitching, something we can’t afford to ignore when we’re already evaluating how to improve an aging core that collapsed in the NLCS.

Source(s): Staff at Dodger Blue | First reported: October 29, 2026 1:00 PM UTC

Friedman: We Feel ‘Really Good’ About Current Roster

At his end-of-year press conference, Andrew Friedman pushed back against panic narratives following our NLCS collapse, saying the Dodgers feel “really good” about our existing core even without major roster additions. That’s a bold stance given how badly we got swept in October, but it signals Friedman’s conviction in the veteran foundation we’ve built.

Friedman acknowledged the front office will “look into how to improve,” which suggests targeted upgrades rather than wholesale reconstruction. His public confidence in our current contributors validates that despite our postseason failure, he believes the pieces are in place to compete at championship levels if we execute properly in 2027.

The question is whether that confidence translates into action. We have nine free agents to sort through, a nine-figure payroll commitment to manage, and genuine questions about whether our aging core can deliver when the pressure matters most. Friedman’s optimism needs to be backed by smart, decisive moves this winter—not just faith in last year’s roster.

Source(s): Staff at Dodger Blue | First reported: October 29, 2026 3:25 PM UTC

Ohtani Falls to Crow-Armstrong in Players Choice Awards

Shohei Ohtani was a finalist for two 2026 Players Choice Awards—the National League Outstanding Player honor and the MLB Player of the Year Award—but lost both to the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong, per Dodger Blue. It’s a stinging sweep, but Ohtani’s recognition as a finalist validates that he’s still performing at an elite level despite our organizational collapse.

Individual excellence and team failure coexist. Ohtani put up a tremendous season and earned industry-wide recognition from fellow players. The fact that he came up short to an emerging talent like Crow-Armstrong shouldn’t diminish what he accomplished or his value to our 2027 plans.

What matters now is whether Ohtani can parlay this individual excellence into team success when we need it most. He’s positioned exactly where elite contributors must operate when championship infrastructure demands execution. If Friedman is right that we feel “really good” about our core, then Ohtani needs to validate that confidence when October arrives next year.

Source(s): Staff at Dodger Blue | First reported: October 28, 2026 5:20 PM UTC

40-Man Roster Set for Offseason Planning

Eric Stephen at Yahoo Sports reported on our 40-man roster configuration heading into the 2026-27 offseason. This roster represents the organizational boundary between major league contributors and our minor league development infrastructure—the framework within which Friedman must operate when constructing our 2027 roster.

Our current 40-man includes established stars like Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Shohei Ohtani alongside emerging prospects and depth contributors whose development trajectories will determine whether our competitive window remains viable. This roster composition directly impacts how Friedman navigates free agency and which emerging talent gets expanded opportunities when we need contributors.

The composition reflects years of front office planning and reflects where we are organizationally. Whether this foundation positions us for sustained excellence in 2027 depends on how smartly we use it.

Source(s): Eric Stephen at Yahoo Sports | First reported: October 29, 2026 2:23 PM UTC

Transactions

• LHP Tarik Skubal elected free agency
• RHP Evan Phillips elected free agency
• LHP Kris Bubic elected free agency
• LHP Eric Lauer elected free agency
• RHP Brusdar Graterol elected free agency
• CF Enrique Hernández elected free agency
• RHP Blake Treinen elected free agency
• LHP Alex Vesia elected free agency
• SS Miguel Rojas elected free agency (subsequently retired)