The Dodgers’ two biggest needs this offseason were bullpen help and outfield production, and they went and signed the two best free agents at those positions in Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker, each contract setting records for average annual value.
With Tucker the lineup looks much deeper, and can be considered stacked even for a Dodgers team that has finished first or second in the National League in both runs scored and wRC+ in each of the last eight seasons.
But after signing Tucker, what moves remain
for the Dodgers, with pitchers and catchers having their first workout at Camelback Ranch on February 13?
“There’s some things, but I think in terms of more seismic changes, It feels pretty well set,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at Tucker’s introductory press conference last week. “There are still a few things we’re kicking around, and conversations that have been going for a bit that we’re going to continue to look at, try to enhance and build up depth.”
Let’s take a look at the current roster to see where some of those depth needs might arise.
Position players
Lineup locks (9): Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, Tommy Edman, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Kyle Tucker
Bench locks (3): Miguel Rojas, Andy Ibáñez, Dalton Rushing
Depth with options (4): LF/RF Alex Call, 2B/SS/CF Hyeseong Kim, SS/3B/2B Alex Freeland, LF/RF/1B Ryan Ward
The caveat here is we aren’t yet sure of Tommy Edman’s readiness at the start of the season after his November right ankle surgery. There’s room for one more position player on the active roster, and someone who can play the outfield will almost certainly fill that spot. Alex Call is probably the in-house favorite at the moment, but there’s always room for yet another reunion with Kiké Hernández, who is coming off left elbow surgery of his own.
Pitchers
Rotation locks (5+1): Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki
Bullpen locks & can’t be sent down (6): Edwin Díaz, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda, Brusdar Graterol
Injured list (1): Brock Stewart
Starting depth (5): Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, Landon Knack
Right-handed reliever depth (5): Will Klein, Edgardo Henriquez, Kyle Hurt, Bobby Miller, Paul Gervase
Left-handed reliever depth (2): Jack Dreyer, Ronan Kopp
Graterol had shoulder surgery after the 2024 season and did not pitch in 2025, so his readiness for the start of 2026 is at least somewhat in question, though he’s expected to be ready to go at the start of spring training. The Dodgers will have at least two and maybe three active roster spots to fill on the pitching side.
Gavin Stone and River Ryan are intriguing rotation options after coming off major surgeries and not pitching at all last year.
Ben Casparius and Justin Wrobleski have gotten extended roster runs in hybrid roles. Jack Dreyer was active for all of last season. With Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, and Anthony Banda, the Dodgers already have three left-handers in the bullpen. Do they add another for a half-southpaw pen?
The point here is, at the moment, the Dodgers have functional depth, with so many pitchers who could be optioned if needed, and two potential roster spots that can used for swapping as needed. Adding another reliever wouldn’t be much of a surprise, even if it limits that depth somewhat.
In somewhat the same mold as a Kiké Hernández return, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if the Dodgers find a way to bring back Evan Phillips, who will miss the first half or so of this season after Tommy John surgery last June. But that would be more for later in the season, and wouldn’t necessarily preclude adding another reliever as well.
