A columnist argues the Dodgers need a minor renovation, not a teardown: more situational hitting, a younger roster, and no big free-agent signings. He thinks Freddie Freeman's decline will steepen, and he'd give Alex Freeland more playing time.
Offseason calendar is set: Dodgers free agents include Skubal, Bubic, Kiké Hernández, Phillips, Vesia, Treinen, Graterol and Lauer, plus retiring Rojas. None get a qualifying offer, and a Dec. 1 CBA expiration looms with a likely lockout. 🔒
10/26/2018: Max Muncy ended an 18-inning marathon against the Red Sox in Game 3 of the World Series with this walk-off home run.
MLB Trade Rumors (Dodgers): Rocco Baldelli Withdraws Name From Mariners’ Managerial Search
Teoscar Hernandez is floated as a Dodgers trade candidate, not a done deal. Since Opening Day 2025 he has hit .256/.308/.441 (105 wRC+) with 41 homers, well off his 2024 form. He has one year left on his three-year, $66MM deal. 📉
Freddie Freeman's 10th-inning walk-off grand slam beat the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium, turning a 1-run deficit into a win. A 92.2 mph fastball, a right-field pavilion landing, and instant Dodgers lore. ⚾
Andrew Friedman says the Dodgers knew their age curve was coming, with MLB's oldest position-player group at 30.9 years versus a 27.8 league average. He's betting on the veterans' work ethic and a deep farm system, though timing young players' arrival remains the tricky part. 🧓
Freddie Freeman is one of five MLB stars in the new "Avengers: Doomsday" preview that aired during the World Series. The scene is set at Ebbets Field, the Brooklyn Dodgers' old home, where Freeman watches Reed Richards' first pitch. It's a nice cameo after the Dodgers' NLCS sweep. 🎬
Even with a pending lockout, the Dodgers must set their Rule 5 protections by the Nov. 18 40-man deadline, though the draft itself may be canceled. Jackson Ferris and Christian Zazueta look like locks to be added. 🔒
Blake Snell isn't sweating the Dodgers' sweep by Milwaukee in the 2026 NLCS: "We're only getting better." Freddie Freeman echoed that, saying they were simply outplayed, not old. Snell wants 2027 to be his first healthy season in L.A. 🔧
10/25/1981: Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager hit back-to-back homers off Ron Guidry in the seventh inning of World Series Game 5.
Alex Vesia told the L.A. Times he hopes to re-sign with the Dodgers after six years in the organization. Spotrac pegs his value at two years, $14.2M, but the front office must decide whether a cheaper lefty replacement is out there. ⏳
Josue De Paula could take over more outfield time, which might shrink Teoscar Hernández's role or even prompt a trade. MLB is also monitoring owner Mark Walter amid a federal probe, and a one-of-one Ohtani card turned up. Youth movement, meet legal docket. ⚖️
Dodgers hitting philosophy is under the microscope against Milwaukee's. RVS, the hitting coach, still preaches launch-angle, pull-side power that helped win 3 titles, while the Brewers' Jason Lane teaches letting the ball travel deep and going the other way. 🔍
Dalton Rushing called his first full Dodgers season "unforgettable," thanking teammates for the "brotherhood and lessons learned." He hit .246/.328/.460 with 12 homers, then had right elbow surgery on Oct. 21 after an August UCL issue. 🔧
Andrew Friedman praised Tarik Skubal's seamless midseason fit and said the Dodgers will keep talking with Scott Boras. Whether L.A. chases the pitcher's record-level ask is unclear, with the next CBA and a possible salary cap in the mix. 🤔
Josue De Paula, the Dodgers' No. 4 overall prospect, hit .323 over 11 September games and walked twice in three postseason pinch-hit PAs. His glove is the question; GM Brandon Gomes wants him to become a complete outfielder. Bat's ready, glove's homework. 📝
Dodgers have no contract options for 2027 and, per the primer, no real qualifying offer decisions. Graterol, Hernandez, Phillips, Treinen and Vesia are the eligible five, and the $23.15M price tag makes this an easy pass. 🧾
Dodgers missed their three-peat, but 2027 looks stacked: Ohtani, Yamamoto, Betts, Tucker and Snell are all under contract. Commitments for 2027 total $362.25MM ($142.2MM deferred), with no option decisions pending. Deferrals doing heavy lifting. 💰
Mookie Betts says he lacks "words to describe" Miguel Rojas, calling him a "dad" figure who guided his shortstop transition. Rojas, retiring at 37 after a third straight Roy Campanella Award, moves into a Dodgers player-development front office role.
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