Perry Named Dodgers COO; Replaces Wolfe

The Dodgers hired Caroline Perry, the San Diego Padres’ chief operating officer, to replace Bob Wolfe following his retirement, per Fabian Ardaya at The New York Times and staff at the Los Angeles Times. Perry brings substantial front office experience and immediately inherits responsibility for managing our organizational infrastructure during a critical offseason when operational stability matters enormously. Her hire signals that Andrew Friedman values her track record managing complex baseball operations and budgetary constraints.

Perry’s decision to leave the Padres for the Dodgers underscores our franchise’s competitive advantage in attracting elite-level operations talent. She’s presumably making more money and joining an organization with superior resources and championship infrastructure. Wolfe’s transition to advisory status rather than complete departure suggests he’ll remain available for consultation, which provides continuity during Perry’s integration into our organizational framework. Her ability to execute seamlessly across departments—coordinating with baseball operations, player development, and international scouting—will be essential as we negotiate with Skubal, manage multiple arbitration cases, and navigate potential lockout complications.

For the Dodgers, Perry’s appointment resolves the operational leadership vacuum created by Wolfe’s departure and positions us exactly where we can maintain institutional continuity during compressed offseason decision-making. Whether her Padres experience transfers directly into managing Dodgers operations at elite capacity will depend on how quickly she integrates into our culture and whether she can support Friedman’s front office execution when maximum-stakes negotiations demand seamless coordination.

Source(s): Fabian Ardaya (The New York Times), Los Angeles Times staff | First reported: November 2, 2026, 9:41 PM UTC

Skubal Free Agency Intensifies; New Big-Market Contender Enters Bidding

A new big-market contender has emerged as a serious player pursuing Tarik Skubal, reportedly wanting the elite left-handed pitcher “badly” as free agency approaches, per Jeff Passan at the New York Post. This development adds urgency to our offseason because Skubal represents exactly the type of transformational starting pitcher capable of anchoring a championship rotation for five-plus years. The emergence of another aggressive suitor suggests the bidding could escalate beyond initial projections, and it positions Skubal where his market value might reach historic levels if multiple well-financed organizations view him as a World Series centerpiece.

We cannot allow ourselves to be priced out of retaining one of our most elite contributors. Friedman and Mark Walter need to position us where we’re prepared to move decisively if Skubal’s compensation reaches competitive levels and where we prioritize his retention over other free agency targets. We collapsed partly in our NLCS because our pitching depth wasn’t sufficient to overcome offensive inconsistency. Skubal carries the elite-level rotation talent capable of fundamentally altering our 2027 championship trajectory. Whether we retain him or whether another organization outbids us will carry direct consequences for how we enter next season and whether our rotation has championship potential or whether we’re forced pivoting toward alternative acquisitions that might not provide the same performance when October pressure arrives.

Source(s): Jeff Passan (New York Post) | First reported: November 2, 2026, 6:01 PM UTC

Wolfe Retires; Newhan Passes; Lockout Looms

Bob Wolfe’s retirement as Dodgers COO has been confirmed, per Eric Stephen at Yahoo Sports. The story also brought news of the passing of Ross Newhan, the legendary Los Angeles Times beat writer who covered the Dodgers for decades and documented some of the franchise’s most significant moments. An MLB lockout threat has also emerged as a looming complication heading into the offseason, potentially creating uncertainty around free agency negotiations and organizational planning precisely when roster construction and player acquisitions demand acceleration.

Newhan’s passing represents a genuine loss for our organization and the broader baseball community. He spent his career documenting franchise history with journalistic integrity and deep baseball knowledge, capturing everything from our championship runs to our disappointments. His work helped define how the baseball community understood our organizational evolution and set a standard for thoughtful, informed baseball journalism that elevated the conversation around our team and the sport broadly.

The emerging lockout threat carries direct implications for our offseason planning and our ability to execute roster moves decisively. If labor negotiations collapse, our front office’s window to negotiate free agency, explore trades, and finalize roster construction narrows significantly. We need to retain Skubal, address our bullpen depth, and potentially add bench contributors if opportunities emerge. A lockout creates operational uncertainty that makes negotiations more complex and potentially more expensive if our front office must accelerate deal-making before labor strife interrupts the process. Friedman must position us where we’re prepared to move decisively if the offseason window contracts.

Source(s): Eric Stephen (Yahoo Sports) | First reported: November 2, 2026, 1:06 PM UTC

Walter Addresses Fans; Appreciates Their Support After Collapse

Mark Walter addressed Dodgers fans following our NLCS collapse, expressing appreciation for their support despite a disappointing 2026 season that fell far short of championship expectations, per Dodger Blue. Walter’s public statement arrives at a moment when organizational accountability and front office transparency carry direct significance for how our fanbase processes our postseason disappointment and how we position ourselves for 2027 redemption.

His willingness to engage with fans matters because it comes from the franchise’s controlling owner rather than from management or our on-field leadership. When ownership speaks directly to fans, it signals organizational seriousness about accountability and about the reality that championship expectations create legitimate frustration when resources and roster construction don’t translate into October success. Walter invested massive resources into this roster and pursued free agents aggressively, yet we lost in the NLCS to the Brewers—a team with a bottom-half payroll that executed better when it mattered most. That failure stings for Walter personally because it represents a return on investment that didn’t materialize despite his willingness to spend at elite levels.

For the Dodgers, Walter’s public statement helps stabilize fan morale during a difficult period. It signals recognition of our disappointment and commitment to organizational improvement heading into 2027. Whether his appreciation translates into decisive action on Skubal and other roster priorities will determine whether fans’ frustration shifts into optimism or whether skepticism about our organizational direction persists into the new season.

Source(s): Dodger Blue staff | First reported: November 2, 2026, 6:15 PM UTC

2027 Arbitration Projections: Pages, Stewart, Sheehan Face Process

The Dodgers entered the offseason with nine players reaching free agency and six others eligible for salary arbitration in 2027, per Dodger Blue. Among those set to go through arbitration are Andy Pages, Brock Stewart, Emmet Sheehan, Alex Call, Jake Cousins, and Gavin Stone. These arbitration eligibility decisions will shape our 2027 roster construction and our salary cap flexibility when the offseason negotiating process unfolds.

Andy Pages made significant strides this season, emerging from prospect status to deliver postseason impact and earning Gold Glove finalist recognition at center field. His arbitration eligibility signals his progression from pre-arbitration salary levels to compensation determined by formal arbitration process. His case will likely center on his defensive excellence, postseason performance, and emergence as a core contributor. Brock Stewart also faces arbitration eligibility after competing within our pitching rotation. His arbitration hearing will center on his pitching performance and role within our framework.

The arbitration eligibility of multiple contributors creates operational complexity for our front office when we’re simultaneously navigating free agency decisions, potential trades, and budget constraints. Friedman will need to evaluate whether retaining each arbitration-eligible player at projected salary levels makes organizational sense or whether we should trade contributors before hearings occur and potentially exceed our budget allocations. Pages’ Gold Glove candidacy and postseason performance likely position him as someone we want to retain through arbitration.

Source(s): Dodger Blue staff | First reported: November 2, 2026, 4:10 PM UTC

World Series Ratings Strong; MLB Needs Dodgers in Finals

The 2026 World Series between the Brewers and Rays delivered strong television ratings despite the Dodgers’ absence from the championship matchup, per Dodger Blue. The ratings data underscores an interesting dynamic: even without us competing for a title, the championship series drew viewers and generated robust broadcast metrics. But the story beneath the surface reveals something deeper about MLB’s economic structure and the outsized importance our organization carries to baseball’s overall television revenue and media reach.

Our NLCS collapse didn’t just cost us a World Series appearance—it removed the most valuable franchise from baseball’s most important broadcast stage. The Dodgers drive viewership numbers that directly translate into television contracts, advertising revenue, and streaming metrics that fund the entire sport’s economic infrastructure. We’ve invested massive resources into building a championship-caliber roster and positioned ourselves as baseball’s most marketable franchise. When we’re competing for championships, broadcast partners win. When we collapse in the NLCS, the entire sport’s revenue stream contracts.

For the Dodgers, these ratings conversations carry direct implications for how we’re positioned heading into 2027. MLB and television partners need us to succeed because our success drives viewership and revenue that ripple across the entire sport. Our responsibility extends beyond championship ambition. We carry economic weight that positions us exactly where our organizational performance impacts baseball’s entire financial ecosystem when championship execution demands breakthrough performance heading into next season.

Source(s): Dodger Blue staff | First reported: November 2, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC

Ohtani MVP Finalist; Crow-Armstrong Favored

Shohei Ohtani was named a finalist for the 2026 National League MVP Award, competing against Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brewers’ Brice Turang, per Dodger Blue. The MVP voting recognizes Ohtani’s continued presence as one of baseball’s most significant contributors despite a down season by his standards. His inclusion as a finalist validates that even during a year when injuries and inconsistency limited his impact, he remains positioned where baseball’s voting community recognizes his elite-level talent.

Shohei Ohtani endured a frustrating 2026 campaign where injuries limited his availability and where his offensive output didn’t match the historic standard he established during his first Dodgers seasons. Yet his MVP finalist status validates that his talent remains recognized at the highest levels despite disappointing production. Crow-Armstrong’s positioning as the MVP favorite underscores that the Cubs’ young star carried slightly more weight with voters, a reminder that other organizations are producing elite results while we navigate postseason disappointment.

We cannot afford another season where Ohtani operates below his historical baseline. We need him to emerge as a legitimate World Series centerpiece when 2027 postseason pressure demands he executes at elite levels. His 2026 MVP finalist recognition carries significance rooted entirely in whether he can build on it during 2027 when championship necessity demands breakthrough offensive execution when maximum-stakes pressure arrives.

Source(s): Dodger Blue staff | First reported: November 3, 2026, 12:25 AM UTC

Walter Won’t Sell Dodgers, But Track Record Raises Questions

Mark Walter has repeatedly stated publicly that he will not sell the Los Angeles Dodgers, per Neil Shaikin at the Los Angeles Times. But Walter’s track record with other major investments—specifically his changing plans regarding his Cadillac Formula One team stake—raises legitimate questions about whether his public commitments carry durable weight or whether his strategic positioning can shift when circumstances and market conditions change unexpectedly.

This distinction matters for our fanbase and front office because Walter’s ownership commitment directly impacts long-term organizational planning, front office stability, and our ability to attract premium free agents who need confidence that our ownership structure remains stable and committed to championship construction. Walter’s public insistence that the Dodgers won’t be sold carries weight because ownership stability represents a foundational requirement for building a sustainable championship organization. But his Formula One track record introduces credibility complexity where future circumstances could theoretically prompt reconsideration of his commitment.

We need Walter committed to this franchise for the long term. His repeated public statements suggest that’s his intention. His ownership commitment doesn’t appear under immediate threat. But Shaikin’s reporting appropriately raises the caveat that Walter’s commitment remains subject to the acknowledgment that his broader business portfolio could theoretically shift his calculus regarding Dodgers ownership.

Source(s): Neil Shaikin (Los Angeles Times) | First reported: November 3, 2026, 1:04 AM UTC

Transactions

• Activated RHP Ben Casparius from the 60-day injured list
• Activated RHP Jake Cousins from the 60-day injured list
• Activated RHP Gavin Stone from the 60-day injured list
• Activated RHP Will Klein from the 60-day injured list