As they enter the 2026 season trying to three-peat as World Sequence champions, the Dodgers have bolstered their roster by addressing two areas of want: the bullpen and the outfield.
However even earlier than these massive additions, the Dodgers had been already poised to be even higher following some of the thrilling World Sequence ever performed.
Listed below are 4 causes the Dodgers could possibly be higher in 2026, earlier than even accounting for Díaz and Tucker:
Two-way Ohtani, full-time
Shohei Ohtani has received two World Sequence rings and two MVP Awards in two years with the Dodgers, however we nonetheless haven’t even seen the totality of what the two-way famous person can do for his membership throughout a full season as a hitter and a pitcher.
In 2024, Ohtani didn’t pitch in any respect as he recovered from elbow surgical procedure the prior 12 months. All he did was grow to be the primary participant in Main League historical past to hit 50 house runs (54) and steal 50 bases (59) in the identical season.
In 2025, Ohtani made his pitching debut for the Dodgers, nevertheless it wasn’t till June and he ended up making 14 begins in all with a 2.87 ERA and 33% strikeout charge. On the plate, he set a career-high with 55 homers.
With Spring Coaching only a few weeks away, the Dodgers can dream about what a full season of two-way Ohtani is perhaps like. Might Ohtani give Los Angeles 25 begins and 50-plus homers?
By now, we must always know that it could be silly to place something past Ohtani.
Mookie Betts entered final season as some of the persistently wonderful gamers within the recreation. However he produced the bottom OPS (.732) of any season in his 12-year MLB profession in 2025.
There may be loads of cause to count on a bounce-back marketing campaign from Betts in 2026. First, he went by means of some troublesome private trials in ’25, together with a extreme abdomen virus that induced him to lose round 15 kilos and the demise of his stepfather.
Past that, Betts was a lot better towards the top of the season. From Aug. 4 by means of the top of the common season, he hit .311/.369/.505 with 9 homers.
Defensively, Betts performed his first full season at shortstop after spending nearly all of his profession enjoying proper area. And he was wonderful, exhibiting nice vary (+6 outs above common, based on Statcast) and total defensive prowess — Betts, the truth is, was tied with the Rays’ Taylor Partitions for many defensive runs saved amongst Main League shortstops (+17).
It was becoming that Betts, in spite of everything he went by means of through the 12 months and his massive contributions down the stretch, started the 6-3 double play that clinched the World Sequence title for the Dodgers over the Blue Jays final fall.
If Betts is again to being Betts in 2026, it will likely be an enormous elevate for an already potent lineup.
Roki Sasaki was the Dodgers’ massive signing final offseason, however the star right-hander from Japan had bother adjusting to the Main Leagues after coming over from Nippon Skilled Baseball.
Sasaki then went on the injured checklist with a proper shoulder impingement in Might. Upon his return in late September, Sasaki was deployed out of the bullpen and seemed like a distinct pitcher. He turned in two scoreless outings to complete the common season after which posted a 0.84 ERA in aid through the playoffs.
With Sasaki anticipated to rejoin the rotation to start the 2026 marketing campaign, the boldness he constructed within the postseason final 12 months might very properly buoy him as he tries to translate it to success as a starter.
If Sasaki, who possesses a fastball that touches 100 mph together with a splitter and a slider, can try this, it might go a good distance towards making this Dodgers rotation one of the best in franchise historical past.
The ’pen must be mightier
The Dodgers’ most obvious weak point final season was its bullpen, which completed tied with the Phillies’ aid corps with a Twentieth-ranked 4.27 ERA. Thanks, partially, to Sasaki’s efficiency within the postseason, the defending champs obtained by means of it efficiently.
Signing Díaz is a big enhance to the again finish of the ’pen, however even previous to touchdown the three-time All-Star, there was cause to imagine that issues would enhance on this space, too. The Dodgers will look to one in every of their massive bullpen signings from final offseason — Tanner Scott — to be extra like himself in 2026.
Scott was an All-Star in 2024, when the left-hander posted a 1.75 ERA over 72 appearances for the Marlins and Padres. However he was sidelined for a few month with left elbow irritation in ’25, and it was later found that he was pitching by means of discomfort previous to that.
The outcome was a 4.74 ERA in 2025, together with an MLB-high 10 blown saves. If Scott can keep wholesome this 12 months, he might rebound and show that final season’s struggles had been an aberration. That might create fairly a late-inning 1-2 punch with Scott and Díaz.
The Dodgers may also look to a reinforcement coming back from damage. Proper-hander Brusdar Graterol, who has solely made 10 appearances since 2023 (together with the postseason), must be wholesome and able to go following restoration from labrum surgical procedure on his proper shoulder.
Graterol, 27, was a high-leverage weapon for the Dodgers previous to his damage points, and he owns a profession 2.69 ERA in 178 appearances with Los Angeles.
