Resetting the Dodgers’ 40-man roster as uncertain MLB offseason looms

Dustin Nosler 10/16/2026 Dodgers Analysis Leave A Comment

The quest for a 3-peat has come to an end earlier than the Dodgers and their fans had hoped. A drubbing at the hands of the National League champion Brewers brings the offseason 10 or so days sooner than expected.

Now, we look ahead to what promises to be one of the most uncertain offseasons in recent memory. Not because the Dodgers are old and need to get younger, but because of the expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and player’s union and the threat (promise, at this point) of said owners locking the players out. I’m sure we’ll write about that when it becomes reality, because no one really knows when baseball will begin in 2027.

Here’s how the Dodgers’ 40-man roster stands after the 2026 season.

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Free Agents (9)

All teams have an exclusive, 5-day negotiating window after the World Series. After that time, they’ll be free to sign anywhere.

The big name here is, obviously, Skubal. He seemed to fit right in with the Dodgers and they would be wise to retain the game’s best left-handed starting pitcher — CBA-dependent. Bubic was a gambit by the front office that has returned mixed results. He’d be a nice swingman-type, but he might have his sights set on returning to the rotation. It’s hard to believe Graterol is a free agent, but he is. It’s also hard to know if he’ll ever actually throw another pitch in the majors due to numerous injuries. Hernandez had one last October moment for the Dodgers, but they might be moving on from him. Lauer played his role pretty well when the Dodgers were dealing with lots of injuries to the rotation. Phillips was a bit rusty when he came back, but he looked like himself toward the end of the season and the playoffs. He’d be nice to retain, but his market could be sneaky strong. Rojas confirmed after last night’s loss that he’s retiring. Treinen suffered a setback in his rehab toward the end of the season and has likely thrown his last pitch as a Dodger. Vesia, who could have a similar market to Phillips (if not more), should be retained at almost any cost (and he won’t break anyone’s bank).

Under Contract (14)

This is the core of the team. It’s aging and expensive. The latter is much less a concern than the former.

Arbitration-eligible (6)

Note: All arbitration estimates are via MLB Trade Rumors.

No Arb3 or 4 guys this year. Stewart has shown flashes of being a strong 7th-inning guy and carries a cheap enough price. He might step into the Phillips role, if he’s not re-signed. Cousins is recovering from Tommy John surgery, but still could be roster fodder. With a number of young up-and-coming outfielders and Pages’ second consecutive strong season, Call could be a prime trade candidate. Pages and Sheehan will be tendered deals, while Stone could be a wild card going forward, but the Dodgers won’t non-tender him, either.

Pre-Arbitration/Minor Leagues (17)

The following players don’t have enough service time to be arbitration-eligible or don’t have long-term contracts. They’ll be making peanuts compared to everyone else above.

All guys making the MLB minimum or slightly higher. Some of them might not make it through the winter on the 40-man. No one really looks ticketed for the 60-day injured list, either. The only one could be Rushing, if he undergoes TJ surgery. Still, there are a lot of talented players here who are making peanuts, compared to everyone else. This is how you build a sustainable, championship-level roster.

Restricted List (1)

I’m always going to keep a spot for Tolesy.

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Here’s a breakdown of where the 40-man roster stands.

  • 17 Pre-Arbitration/Minor Leagues
  • 14 Under Contract
  • 6 Arbitration Eligible

As of now, the 40-man roster is at 37 players.

Players will be eligible for the 60-day injured list once Spring Training begins in February. The Dodgers may not have as many players eligible as in years past.

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Then, there are the Rule 5 Draft protections the Dodgers will have to make, all of whom cost 40-man roster spots.

Here are some of the players who are R5-eligible for the first time. All players who were previously eligible, still in the org and not added to the 40-man roster are also eligible.

Position Players

Pitchers

De Paula would have been on this list if he weren’t promoted in September. Zazueta, the org’s MiLB pitcher of the year, will be added. Ferris’ strong finish to the season with OKC probably lands him a spot on the 40-man roster. Then, if we’re using the three open spots, it comes down to guys like Copen, Fox, Gelof, Jang, Miller and Serwinowski. It’ll be interesting to see how the Dodgers view these guys and if current 40-man roster or arbitration-eligible players will be jettisoned to make room.

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It was a disappointing end to the season and almost feels like this version of the Dodgers ended with it. The future Hall of Famers are aging and their production is dipping. We knew this was coming, as it’s what comes for all baseball players. Even Ohtani wasn’t immune to it this year. But this is what the Dodgers signed up for. They knew when they signed 32-year-old Freeman to a 6-year deal, that years 5 and 6 wouldn’t be the same as 1 and 2. Same goes for Betts. Now, the front office has to adjust. No, they aren’t going to move off Betts or Freeman, but there are some other guys who almost certainly have played their last game for the Dodgers.

The pitching side seems to be in pretty good shape. It’s the position player-side that needs a bit of an overhaul — starters and bench players.

We’ll see what happens not just with the Dodgers’ offseason, but MLB’s offseason. It could be a long one.

About Dustin Nosler

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Dustin Nosler began writing about the Dodgers in July 2009 on his blog, Feelin' Kinda Blue, and co-hosted a weekly podcast with Jared Massey called Dugout Blues. He was a contributor/editor at The Hardball Times and True Blue LA. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in digital media. While at CSUS, he worked for the student-run newspaper The State Hornet for three years, culminating with a one-year term as editor-in-chief. He resides in Stockton, California.
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