The Dodgers head into the offseason with their planned 2026 lineup all signed for 2027 as well. Then again they had those nine players all start in the same game only three times this season — September 23 vs. the Padres, NLDS Game 1 against the Braves, and NLCS Game 2 against the Brewers.
Timing of injuries were the culprit here, with Tommy Edman recovering from ankle surgery and not making his season debut until June 17. By then, catcher Will Smith was two weeks into a injured-list stint that would last three months. By the time he returned in September, Shohei Ohtani was resting before his own IL stint.
Then again, that’s what happens when, as Teoscar Hernández jokingly noted before the Dodgers celebrated their Division Series triumph, “We’re dinosaurs.”
Eight of the nine regulars from the 2026 team will have an age that starts with a three during the 2027 season, everyone but center fielder Andy Pages.
Dodgers regulars
- Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, age 32 next season
- Catcher Will Smith, 32
- First baseman Freddie Freeman, 37
- Infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman, 32
- Shortstop Mookie Betts, 34
- Third baseman Max Muncy, 36
- Left fielder Teoscar Hernández, 34
- Center fielder Andy Pages, 26
- Right fielder Kyle Tucker, 30
Others on the 40-man roster
- Catcher Dalton Rushing, 26
- Outfielder Josue De Paula, 22
- Infielder Alex Freeland, 25
- Outfielder Alex Call, 32
- Infielder/outfielder/pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim, 28
- Catcher Hunter Feduccia, 30
- Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, 27
De Paula has played outfield throughout his stellar minor league run, but the Dodgers only called him up when Ohtani went on the injured list, giving him a runway at designated hitter. He only played two games and six total innings in left field during his first 11-game stint in the majors.
“He handled himself and did as well as he could possibly do. Right now we view him as a DH, and Shohei’s back and going to take the DH at-bats,” Dodgers president of operations Andrew Friedman said on September 23, when De Paula was optioned back to the minors. “The improvement that Josue had in the outfield from ‘25 to ‘26 is real, and for us it’s about taking another big step going into ‘27. He’s got the tools and ability to do it. I think he worked really hard going into this year and had real improvement. The experience he being got up here and watching what our guys do on a daily basis connected some dots for him.”
Obviously the Dodgers would ideally love for De Paula to step right into left field. But whether he makes the defensive improvements necessary to do so, and whether the team makes the roster move(s) needed to clear playing time for him are the next two obstacles to hurdle.
Hernández with one year and $21 million remaining on his deal logically is the player most likely to be traded to open up a spot for De Paula.
But other than that, what avenues remain to augment and improve this position player group that otherwise isn’t getting any younger? Do they acquire a second baseman and move Edman to more of a semi-regular utility role? Free agents at the position include Jazz Chisholm and Brandon Lowe. A trade for the Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte and his five years, $87.5 million remaining on his contract would be hoping that a change of scenery could turn things around, but then again Marte will be 33 next year and wouldn’t help the team get any younger.
Assuming the Dodgers wouldn’t keep De Paula on the active roster unless he’s playing at least semi-regularly, the current roster configuration has a likely bench of Rushing as the backup catcher, Freeland and Kim as the utility infielders, plus Call as the fourth outfielder. Safe to figure that improvements will be made to improve this group as well.
I’m also skeptical they last too long into the offseason with four catchers on the 40-man roster. Having a third catcher with an option year remaining in Feduccia is a nice luxury to have, especially given his experience with the staff. But don’t be surprised if they try to sneak Alfonzo through waivers this fall like last offseason’s Ben Rortvedt travels.
Today’s question is what roster move(s) would you make this winter to improve the Dodgers’ position player group?