2025-26 MLB Offseason Recap: Los Angeles Dodgers

We end off our 2025-26 offseason recaps with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers didn’t seek to “run it back” over the winter, as Los Angeles remained one of the most active teams during this past offseason. And, the Dodgers came away with more superstars to add for the team’s quest for a third straight championship.

Additions

• RP Jake Cousins
• RP Edwin Diaz
• INF Santiago Espinal
• OF Kyle Tucker

While the Dodgers didn’t make many additions on paper, the ones that the reigning World Series champions did make were quite noisy.

One of Los Angeles’ weaknesses heading into the winter was a true, dominant high-leverage reliever who could shut doors either in the seventh, eighth, or ninth inning. The hope was that Tanner Scott could do that after he signed with the Dodgers last year. However, his first season in LA didn’t go well.

Now, the Dodgers have that reliever with Edwin Diaz. Diaz, a two-time NL Reliever of the Year with the Mets. It’s hard to find a better reliever than Diaz, who can overwhelm with a power four-seamer from his sidearm delivery. But he can also flip hitters around and beat them with a hard slider, too.

One of the best strikeout relievers in the game, Diaz can control the game like very few can. Now, he’ll look to win his first World Series title.

The other marquee pickup was superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker. The Dodgers paid handsomely for Tucker; the All-Star took a four-year deal worth $240MM. It’s a lavish one, particularly so given that the Dodgers already had a deep offense.

But given that the Dodgers are in a win-now mode, trying to make the most of Shohei Ohtani‘s prime, the appeal of winning another World Series title outweighs the pending luxury tax penalties that the team’s ownership will have to pay to keep this team together.

Aside from those, the Dodgers added utility infielder Santiago Espinal for depth, important since the team will be without Enrique Hernandez to start 2026. Plus, the Dodgers picked up former Yankees reliever Jake Cousins just before Opening Day.

Losses

• OF Michael Conforto
• OF Justin Dean
• SP Clayton Kershaw
• RP Michael Kopech
• C Ben Rortvedt
• OF Esteury Ruiz
• RP Kirby Yates

The pickup of Tucker serves as an upgrade from Michael Conforto. Conforto didn’t work out as hoped in Los Angeles, as the veteran outfielder slashed .199/.305/.333 in SoCal.

Additionally, Clayton Kershaw’s Major League career ended with his third World Series title in 2025. Now, Kershaw’s off to a career in television, and likely, a Hall of Fame induction in the near future.

Overview

There’s not much to add here in this part of the article.

The Dodgers were already the likely World Series favorites for 2026 once 2025 ended. But after the additions made over the winter, those only made Los Angeles even more of a favorite.

Now, the question is whether with arguably the best team this franchise has built in recent years, the Dodgers can complete the “three-peat” in 2026.