Dodgers Plan a Familiar Spending Approach for the 2027 Offseason

The Dodgers’ 2027 offseason may hinge on one exceptional pitcher. After Milwaukee swept Los Angeles out of the playoffs, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman says the club’s financial approach remains “business as usual,” leaving open the possibility of another major bid for Tarik Skubal.

Spending plans remain steady

Friedman told reporters Wednesday that owner Mark Walter was already asking about the next roster after the postseason loss. “We talked to Mark after we lost, and he was obviously really disappointed,” Friedman said. “But so much of his focus was on, OK, what can we do? What are our plans? What are our thoughts for the offseason? And our brains weren’t quite there yet, but so much of his focus was how do we put ourselves in the best position to win in ’27?”

That message follows comments from Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten in August, when he said Walter had no plans to sell the team and argued that the club could stand on its own financially. Those reassurances came after reports that federal inquiries were examining investments and loans made by insurance businesses Walter owns. He has sold interests in several other sports franchises, including the Lakers.

The club’s spending plans could eventually face a wider constraint: a possible overhaul of baseball’s economic system in the next collective bargaining agreement. For now, Friedman’s comments point to continuity. The Dodgers have led the sport in spending in recent years, and their payroll projections remain well above the rest of the field.

Skubal is the offseason’s defining target

Skubal stands apart from a free agent class with few other clear stars. The left-hander and agent Scott Boras are positioned to challenge both the $325 million record guarantee for a pitcher and the $43.333 million record average annual value. A deal above $400 million is a plausible outcome.

Los Angeles already has a deep rotation. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and Shohei Ohtani headline the group, with Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone among the other options. The Dodgers don’t need another starter to field one of baseball’s strongest rotations, but their resources allow them to pursue an elite arm for the postseason.

That priority helps explain why the club has tolerated workload and injury concerns around Snell and Glasnow: it can build depth and focus on peak talent for October. Skubal would fit that strategy, while the rest of the market’s larger supply of mid-tier starters may hold less appeal. The Dodgers have less need for innings-eaters than a team relying on its rotation to carry a full regular season.

A mostly set lineup leaves few obvious upgrades

Seven lineup spots appear spoken for by Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, Will Smith, Max Muncy and Andy Pages. Teoscar Hernández is entering the final year of his three-year contract, and the Dodgers could consider moving on; top prospect Josue De Paula could take over in left field if they do.

Second base is the clearest opening for an outside addition. Tommy Edman, Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim offer internal options, but Los Angeles could pursue another impact bat, such as Brandon Lowe. Beyond that position, the club’s established core leaves little pressure to chase a hitter in a class full of question marks.

The bullpen may require more attention if Skubal isn’t the centerpiece. Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips are approaching free agency, and multi-year deals of two or three seasons could keep either reliever in Los Angeles.

Payroll remains high, with labor talks a variable

MLB Trade Rumors’ Payroll Tracker, with estimates from contributor Ethan Hullihen, puts the Dodgers’ competitive balance tax payroll at about $430.7 million this season. The projection for next year is roughly $388 million, including estimated salaries for a relatively small arbitration group.

A salary cap negotiated in the next labor agreement would put more pressure on Los Angeles than on any other club to bring payroll down. Any such change would likely include a multi-year transition for the biggest spenders. Until that possibility becomes concrete, the Dodgers appear ready to keep building around their current financial model — with Skubal the one move capable of defining the winter.