21 former Dodgers still available in free agency as offseason reaches 2026

Here we are in 2026. The Los Angeles Dodgers still feel like an unstoppable baseball corporation masquerading as a baseball team, and yet the rumor mill keeps pulling us back into the past.

Yes, nostalgia season is in full bloom, and suddenly half the remaining free-agent market looks like a Dodger Stadium alumni mixer.

Let’s take a look at a few of the familiar faces still out there — and explore whether any of them should actually return to Chavez Ravine.

21 former Dodgers still available in free agency as offseason reaches 2026

Kiké Hernández

Let’s just say it now: it would somehow be shocking if Kiké didn’t walk back into the Dodgers clubhouse at some point before Opening Day. He’s basically part-time utility man, part-clubhouse comedian, part-spiritual-mascot.

The bat? Fine. The defense? Versatile. The postseason pedigree? Elite. The vibes? Immaculate.

And with the Dodgers forever needing a Swiss army knife-type, this is a marriage that never really ends. It just pauses occasionally so he can pretend to try on another jersey (or at least make us wonder if he will). This one feels less like speculation and more like fate.

Cody Bellinger

Let’s be honest — the thought of Belli back in Dodger blue used to feel like a fever dream. But here we are, in a world where the Dodgers are sniffing around for outfield help, Bellinger rebuilt his swing (and his career) elsewhere, and the fan base is quietly whispering, "... what if?"

Peak Bellinger was a meteor. MVP. Defensive monster. Swing like a trebuchet. Then the injuries came, the whiffs piled up, and things got awkward. But now? Now he’s a stabilized veteran bat who actually makes contact.

Would it work emotionally? Yes. Would it work on the field? Also yes. Would the memes be glorious? Beyond measure.

A reunion makes at least some sense — and in Dodger land, sometimes that’s all it takes.

Justin Turner

Sure, he’s 41. Sure, the range isn’t what it once was. But the man can still hit against lefties and still leads like few others in the game. If there were a way to sign “veteran presence with playoff aura” to a one-year deal, Turner would have a lifetime contract.

A reunion would be romantic. Nostalgic. Comfort-food baseball. That being said, if JT wants to continue his playing career in 2026, it will almost certainly have to be somewhere other than Los Angeles.

The roster fit isn't really there for Turner in LA right now, but the heart fit absolutely is. Whether it's in 2026 or a few years down the line, we can all but guarantee that he will sign a one-day deal to officially retire as a Dodger.

Michael Conforto

Yeah … about this one.

The Dodgers did overpay for Conforto. And he was so rough in 2025 that he didn’t even make the World Series roster. It was one of those moves you squint at, shrug, and file under: “Even the Dodgers front office is human sometimes.”

Could Conforto come back? Technically, yes. Should he? Absolutely not.

There are just too many other options. Too many better fits. Too many reasons to move forward instead of revisiting regret. We wish him well. Somewhere else. Far away from the NLCS.

Tony Gonsolin

This one hurts. Tony Gonsolin was once penciled in as part of the Dodgers’ long-term rotation core. He had All-Star-level stretches. He had weapons. He had upside. And then came the injury carousel that never stopped spinning.

Gonsolin went unclaimed on waivers. He elected free agency. And suddenly a guy who once looked like a rotation staple is fighting for a career restart.

Would the Dodgers take a flier? Maybe. On a no-risk deal. Incentives. Depth move. Think “insurance policy,” not “rotation linchpin.” But the dream version of Gonsolin in Dodger blue? That chapter may already be closed.

Other free agents: Scott Alexander, Tommy Kahnle, Lou Trivino, Craig Kimbrel, Josh Sborz, Shelby Miller, Evan Phillips, Walker Buehler, Jose Ureña, Max Scherzer, Tyler Anderson, Jason Heyward, Manuel Margot, Chris Taylor, Alex Verdugo, Austin Barnes. Phillips will probably return. Anybody else? No shot. No. Shot.

The Dodgers' front office loves familiarity and trusted personalities, but this team is no longer chasing nostalgia. They're chasing rings –– again –– and the bar for "help us win right now" has never been higher.

Dodger fans are sentimental, but they’re also spoiled by success. So if any of these reunions happen, they’ll only work if they fit the ultimate mission: Win today. Win tomorrow. Win every season, forever.

Nostalgia is nice. But parades are better.