It’s no surprise that the Dodgers are already setting their three-peat plans in motion. But is the third time the charm, or an even bigger challenge? Jack Harris at the Los Angeles Times says it’ll be a long road again, especially given how tough these last two World Series wins have been on the team.
Tommy Edman is on his way to ankle surgery, and Kiké Hernández has already had elbow surgery that’s keeping him out of the World Baseball Classic next year. While no one else seems headed for procedures
of any kind, it’s a clear reminder of the toll a World Series campaign can take on a team.
“That’s an extra month to a month and a half that you don’t get to rest and recover, and that you’re pushing beyond what you normally do,” third baseman Max Muncy said during this year’s playoffs. “The stress — both mental, physical, emotional — it’s just on a whole ‘nother level.”
Thankfully, the Dodgers have good depth, especially around the starting rotation. All four of the team’s top starters threw more than 20 postseason innings and worked on either short rest or from the bullpen, Harris points out—but they also have enough capacity to field a six-man rotation and then some. When it comes to the rest of the team, there’s no denying L.A.’s stars are getting older, and new backup players will likely play a big role alongside strategic load management.
Then there’s the added wrinkle of the World Baseball Classic, scheduled to begin in March. Nine current Dodgers participated in 2023, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki for the winning Japanese team. The WBC is a huge deal in Japan, so sitting this one out in favor of more rest for a World Series run could be tricky.
Time will tell how the Dodgers handle all of these factors as they prepare for 2026, but they’re definitely preparing—and that’s championship mentality for you.
Dodgers Notes
Jim Bowden at The Athletic outlines a position-by-position plan for the Dodgers as they head into what should be a busy winter, highlighting the team’s needs in the outfield and bullpen.
Dodgers announcer Joe Davis was on the Awful Announcing podcast last week discussing the delicate balance of being both the Dodgers’ home announcer and a national broadcaster. “Dodger fans are going to be upset that I get excited for the other team. The other team’s going to be upset I’m the Dodger guy,” Davis said of his World Series role. “And I get it.”
MLB players could make appearances in the 2028 Olympics based on a new schedule change, writes Bill Shaikin at the Los Angeles Times. The Olympic competition is now scheduled to begin on July 13, before the opening ceremony but after the All-Star Game.
