4 offseason decisions the LA Dodgers already need to be thinking about for 2026

Just because the Los Angeles Dodgers are primed for a postseason run doesn't mean that they shouldn't keep an eye on the future and start plotting out their offseason course. What they had hoped to be a waltz to the division crown turned out to be anything but, and Andrew Friedman and company would be wise to start planning now to make sure future endeavors go much more smoothly.

While it's clear that some members of the 2025 team are in their final days, what path the Dodgers take to replace them is what they need to begin planning for now. In other cases, they'll have to make tough decisions about who to keep and who to move on from, as well as considering shifting roles for some of the returning players.

With so many moving parts, Los Angeles needs to be proactive so that they can strike with conviction once the hot stove season is upon us.

Four key offseason decisions the Dodgers need to begin thinking about now

4. Whether or not to pick up Max Muncy's option

The Dodgers hold a relatively affordable $10 million club option on Muncy's contract for 2026. At that price, retaining the powerful left-handed hitter to man the hot corner should be a no-brainer, right? Not so fast.

Muncy has been an important bat in the middle of the Dodgers' lineup thanks to his power and patience, as evidenced by his .229 ISO and 16.6% walk rate. There's just one problem: Muncy hasn't been able to stay healthy, with injuries limiting his availability substantially the past two seasons.

Turning 35 last month will do nothing to help his durability moving forward, and the free agent market will present a couple of potential upgrades in the form of the defensively superior Alex Bregman and the exceedingly powerful Eugenio Suarez.

Either option would be more costly than the price to simply retain Muncy, and it's not entirely clear that they would be significant upgrades. It's all very close, though, and a lot will come down to whether or not LA truly believes Muncy can put his injury woes behind him.

3. Solving the Roki Sasaki conundrum

The Dodgers might not have invested much in terms of capital in Roki Sasaki, but they do have a pretty large emotional investment in the struggling phenom working out stateside. Not only were they, along with the rest of the baseball world, tantalized by his potential, but they will need him to succeed in order to extend their dominance in the Asian market. A flop here simply wouldn't be a good look, despite their other successes.

During his debut season, Sasaki has struggled to maintain the elite level of velocity he displayed in Japan. Predictability in his pitch mix and control issues have led to an extremely high amount of traffic on the bases.

The solution to those problems might be moving Sasaki to the bullpen, something that has already happened during his minor-league rehab stint and pre-October return to the bigs. There, Sasaki can air it out, thus fixing his velocity issues while also simplifying his repertoire, which ultimately would improve his command as well.

We should get a chance to see what Roki Sasaki the reliever looks like this October, and while the hope should still be that he has a long-term future in the rotation, the Dodgers will need to decide if perhaps it is best to give him a reset in 2026 as a member of the bullpen.

Of course, the bullpen isn't the only pathway for 2026. The Dodgers could have a place for him in the rotation if they believe that he'll be better equipped to handle the transition from the NPB to the MLB in Year 2, or they could opt to keep him down at Oklahoma City and slow-play his return to the big league club.

A lot of how the Dodgers attack the rest of the holes on the pitching staff will depend on how they view Sasaki's role in 2026. Therefore, coming to a decisive conclusion sooner rather than later is paramount.

2. Fixing the Bullpen

Going into the season, the Dodgers looked to have an all-time great bullpen, headlined by their three-headed closer monster that featured Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, and Kirby Yates. Now, with the season winding down, nothing could be further from the truth.

The club has to have buyer's remorse on Scott and his 4.91 ERA on the season. Meanwhile, injuries and ineffectiveness have made it so that Treinen wasn't a lock for the postseason roster, and Yates is surely a goner after putting up a 5.23 ERA in 41.1 innings this year.

Meanwhile, Michael Kopech likely won't return after an injury-riddled campaign, and Los Angeles will need to add several impact arms to right the ship. Figuring out where to find those arms will be a top priority, so as not to have repeated bullpen meltdowns again in 2026.

1. Finding a New Left Fielder

For $17 million, the Dodgers received very little out of Michael Conforto. The 32-year-old outfielder put up by far the worst season of his career, and was brutal both at the plate and in the field all season. Moving on from him is the easy decision, but how to proceed moving forward will be the real question.

The outfield market will be an interesting one this offseason. Kyle Tucker will be the grand prize, and it wouldn't surprise anyone to see the Dodgers sniff around the Cubs star and offer him a mega-deal after being spurned by Juan Soto last offseason.

Should they decide to take a more economical approach, there are several intriguing options that will be on the market, though they all come with caveats. An alternative could be turning to the trade market to find a fit. With so many choices, it would make sense to start making a shortlist now.