After their earliest postseason exit in three years, the Los Angeles Dodgers head into the offseason facing uncertainty over next year.
asserted
Dodgers → head → year
Shohei Ohtani was dogged by injuries to his left knee and right biceps over the second half and into the playoffs that rendered him ineffective at the plate.
asserted
him → dog → plate
The two-way superstar also didn’t pitch after the All-Star break.
asserted
superstar → pitch → break
Whether Ohtani needs offseason surgery remains to be seen, although he acknowledged it’s possible after Thursday’s loss to the Brewers that completed Milwaukee’s sweep of the NL Championship Series.
asserted
that → need → Series
If he does, would the recovery bleed into the start of next season?
asserted
recovery → do → season
A potential MLB lockout is looming with the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1.
asserted
agreement → loom → Dec.
Team owners have proposed a salary cap — something the sport has never had — and the players’ union has adamantly rejected the idea.
asserted
union → propose → idea
A work stoppage would give Ohtani extra time to heal, although during such time the Dodgers would be cut off from communicating with any player, leaving Ohtani to rehab either from possible surgery or from his injuries on his own.
asserted
Dodgers → give → own
Communication between Ohtani and the team on his health during the season was “awesome,” Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, said last month, but he added: “The fully sharing exactly how he’s feeling, maybe not so awesome.”
asserted
he → say → operations
Ohtani said he plans to resume pitching next year, when he’ll turn 33 in July.
asserted
he → say → July
He’s already had two Tommy John surgeries.
asserted
He → have → surgeries
“What he’s doing is unprecedented, and it takes a real toll,” Friedman said.
asserted
Friedman → do → toll
“And as you get older, I think us just being very dialed is going to be really important.”
asserted
being → get → ?
Roster turnover is likely, even without big changes in MLB spending rules
The Dodgers had baseball’s second-highest opening day payroll this year at $323.3 million, behind the New York Mets at $358.4 million.
asserted
Dodgers → have → million
If a salary cap were to be imposed, the Dodgers’ spending would be constrained when play resumes.
asserted
play → impose → ?
Some of the roster could look different next year, too, with nine players set to become free agents after the World Series, led by two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who is expected to command a huge deal.
uncertain
who → look → deal
The Dodgers acquired Skubal from Detroit just before the trade deadline in August.
asserted
Dodgers → acquire → August
Skubal didn’t want to discuss his future Thursday, although he expressed enthusiasm for the organization, his teammates and the fans.
asserted
he → want → organization
As expected, Rojas announced his retirement Thursday, saying, “This is it, guys.
asserted
This → expect → retirement
That was my last game played.”
asserted
That → play → ?
He’ll still be around, though, to work in a player development role.
asserted
He → work → role
Dodgers add a bit of youth with De Paula
The Dodgers got a glimpse of the future when they promoted Josue De Paula directly from Double-A to the majors in September.
asserted
they → add → September
His energy and at-bats at designated hitter during Ohtani’s stint on the injured list made an impression, and the 21-year-old was added to the postseason roster as a pinch-hitter.
asserted
old → designate → hitter
The team will look to De Paula to further improve as an outfielder in 2027, although finding playing time for him will be challenging given the trio of veteran starters: Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages and Kyle Tucker.
asserted
finding → look → starters
De Paula is also blocked at DH by Ohtani.
asserted
Paula → block → Ohtani
“I think the experience he got being up here and watching what our guys do on a daily basis just helped connect some dots for him,” Friedman said.
asserted
Friedman → think → him
“And so, physically, he is capable of being a good corner outfielder, and we’re going to continue to tap into that.”
asserted
we → go → that
Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Ohtani, Tucker, Max Muncy and Will Smith will remain the Dodgers’ veteran core.
asserted
Betts → remain → ?
But some supporting players could be offloaded, like Kiké Hernández.
uncertain
players → support → Hernández
Playing on a one-year deal, the 35-year-old was limited to 41 games while recovering from injuries and he didn’t provide his usual postseason pop.
asserted
he → play → pop
Manager Dave Roberts refused to blame an aging lineup for getting swept by the Brewers, whose 103 regular-season wins were three more than the Dodgers.
asserted
wins → refuse → Dodgers
“We got beat,” he said.
asserted
he → beat → ?
“There’s no because we’re too old or whatever.
asserted
we → ’ → ?
Every facet of the game, if you kind of unpack it, we were bested.”
asserted
we → unpack → it
He is facing multiple federal investigations into his business empire for possible financial improprieties involving insurance companies he controls.
asserted
he → face → companies
Walter has denied any wrongdoing.
asserted
Walter → deny → wrongdoing
Since August, he sold his controlling interest in the Los Angeles Lakers and last month he unloaded his share in Chelsea of the Premier League.
asserted
he → sell → League
The Aporia
