The 2026 Los Angeles Dodgers, like the two World Series championship teams that preceded them, were built to run it back, year after year. Not everyone will be back, however, including some or all of these five players:
1. Miguel Rojas
Rojas, 37, is the only sure thing on this list, as he officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball after Thursday's Game 4 loss. Rojas was a productive hitter against lefties and a valuable utility infielder in 2026, but will now transition into coaching, where he hopes to remain with the Dodgers organization.
2. Tarik Skubal
Skubal, who lost Game 1 of the NLCS and was lined up to pitch Game 5 if necessary, will be the most prized free agent of the offseason. The Dodgers could use the services of the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 regular season starts after he was acquired via trade from the Detroit Tigers, and only three runs in two postseason starts. Twenty-nine other teams could use him, too.
3. Evan Phillips
Phillips is a free agent. The 32-year-old right-hander has spent the last six seasons in Los Angeles, fashioning a 2.36 ERA in 232 games. He wasn't invincible in the postseason, but Phillips didn't allow any runs in his five appearances. If healthy, Phillips can expect a raise on his $6.5 million salary in 2026.
4. Kiké Hernández
The Dodgers' all-time career leader in postseason games played, Hernández has always meant more to the organization than the sum of his stats. At 35, he might retire. He might also wait out the lockout — expected to commence once the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires Dec. 1 — and decide if he has another season left. The Dodgers probably don't have to worry about Hernández signing elsewhere. With one hit in 14 postseason at-bats, it's worth wondering if the magic has run its course.
5. Alex Vesia
The dependable left-hander will be in demand as a free agent for the first time. It's hard to imagine the Dodgers' bullpen without Vesia, who pitched 372 regular season games since 2021, plus another 30 in the postseason. Vesia's ascent into one of the game's most dependable left-handed relief pitchers during that span should make him in demand on the open market.
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