The Los Angeles Dodgers face a pivotal offseason after falling short of another World Series championship.
Following their National League Championship Series elimination, the franchise must decide how to address an aging roster while keeping its championship window open. Several key players are approaching free agency, and the front office faces difficult decisions about which pieces to retain.
The immediate challenge is figuring out how to respond to a disappointing finish after building a roster capable of winning it all.
“For the first time in three years, the Dodgers’ winter has begun with a quiet period,” Jack Harris wrote for the New York Post. “They didn’t reach the World Series this fall. Which means they have some time to sit back and take stock of their roster before the offseason kicks into gear.”
One of the biggest decisions involves Tarik Skubal, the two-time Cy Young Award ace acquired at the trade deadline who is now positioned to test free agency. And shortly after Los Angeles’ season ended, one of its highest-paid stars made his feelings about Skubal’s future clear.
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Blake Snell, who signed a five-year, $182 million contract with Los Angeles ahead of the 2025 season, made a very concise recruiting pitch to Skubal immediately after the Dodgers were eliminated.
“Blake Snell made his pitch to Tarik Skubal as soon as the Dodgers were eliminated,” Dodgers Nation reported. “His message, in his words: ‘Don’t leave.’”
The message reflects the relationship the two left-handed pitchers developed during Skubal’s brief stint in Los Angeles. The Dodgers acquired Skubal at the trade deadline to strengthen their championship push, surrendering significant prospect capital for a chance to win another title.
Skubal’s future remains uncertain, however, and his immediate reaction to the elimination offered little clarity about whether he would return.
“It was an honor and a privilege to be here and compete with these guys, and to wear L.A. across your hat and across your chest,” Skubal said, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Maddie Lee. “It’s something that I took a lot of pride in. And, obviously, didn’t end the way that I wanted it to. But that’s life. That’s baseball. I had a ton of fun here, and I loved competing with these guys.”
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Skubal’s availability presents Los Angeles with a major opportunity, but retaining him could require a record-setting investment. He is widely expected to surpass Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325 million record contract guarantee for a pitcher.
Snell’s message makes the Dodgers’ preference clear, but the decision ultimately rests with Skubal and the competing offers he receives. Los Angeles must determine whether committing substantial resources to its former deadline acquisition is the best way to address its roster needs.
After falling short of a third consecutive championship, the Dodgers have plenty of questions to answer. Bringing Skubal back could be one of the most consequential decisions of their offseason.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com