After two World Series championships, it would be understandable if president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and the rest of the team’s front office were content to bring back largely the same roster in 2026. Many signs point to them doing just that, as comments from team personnel have acknowledged the club’s aging roster and the importance of bringing some younger players for the sake of the team’s long-term viability. Clayton Kershaw is retired. Freddie Vrijman plays this year at the age of 36. Mookie Betts enters his age-33 season after the worst season of his Hall of Fame career. Even younger members of the team’s core, such as Ohtani (31), Snell (33), Glasnow (32) and Will Smith (31) are all currently on the wrong side of 30.
With many of the core veterans still under contracts beyond their respective top levels for years to come, even the mighty Dodgers should think twice about adding another long-term, nine-figure contract to the books. At the start of the offseason, many assumed Los Angeles would once again be a top player in the market for winter’s stars, as Kyle Tucker And Bo Bichette. However, as the offseason dragged on, it quickly became clear that LA was not interested in entering the market for a top free agent as they have done in the past.
The team has some exciting prospects to reach the majors in the coming years. Infielder Alex Vrijland is arguably already ready for the MLB, and signing an infielder like Bichette could lock him down in the long run. Excellent outfield prospects Zyhir Hope And José de Paula are further away from the majors but could debut later this year and are both consensus top-50 prospects in the sport. Even though the team’s expected outfield lacks much impact (with Teoscar Hernández And Andy Pages set to take on regular roles in addition to a combination of Tommy Edman, Alex BellAnd Hyeseong Kim), it’s easy to see why the team might hesitate to sign Tucker to a huge contract.
All of these considerations still apply to the Dodgers, but that hasn’t stopped them from popping up in the rumor mill in player markets more often as the offseason progresses. Tucker remains available on the market and has a relatively small number of suitors outside of LA, with the Blue Jays and Mets being the other teams most often linked to him. Bichette’s market has risen in recent days with the Phillies, Red Sox and Blue Jays among the teams involved at some level, while the Mets and Yankees are two of the few remaining realistic landing spots for Cody Bellinger.
It appears the Dodgers remain on the periphery of all three of these markets, and appear ready to pounce if any of them are willing to sign a shorter-term deal at a high average annual value. Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but the likelihood of such a deal increases as Spring Training approaches. The Phillies, for example, would have to do quite a bit of maneuvering to fit Bichette into the roster and budget plans. These figures include trade Alec Bohmwhich could be difficult to pull off late in the offseason, once teams have largely finalized their rosters. Meanwhile, a team like the Red Sox or Yankees could take themselves out of the market for offensive help by trading for a bat like Isaac Paredes or Brendan Donovan.
If a star free agent doesn’t have a large long-term market and must focus on a shorter deal, the Dodgers appear very well positioned to have a shot. Edman’s positional flexibility would allow the Dodgers to accommodate an addition to their infield or outfield on short notice, with the super utility man getting regular reps on the grass if Bichette is brought in or handling the keystone role if Bellinger or Tucker join the organization. Plus, it’s hard to imagine a more attractive club to spend a year with than LA, given the team’s star power and winning culture. Helping the Dodgers to a three-peat with a strong 2026 campaign would be exactly the kind of profile booster a star free agent like Tucker or Bichette would hope for with a cushion contract.
What do MLBTR readers think? Will the Dodgers swoop in and snag one of the remaining top prospects in free agency, or will they enter 2026 with more or less the same roster that won them the World Series last year? Have your say in the poll below:
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