The Los Angeles Dodgers could make no moves in the 2025 offseason and likely still be the World Series favorite.
The two-time defending champions were pushed to the brink of elimination in Game 7 of this year's Fall Classic against the Toronto Blue Jays, but they still found a way to ride their ultra-talented roster to another title. In 2026, the Dodgers will again have Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow anchoring the rotation, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith among the stars in the lineup, and the game's biggest star, Shohei Ohtani, shining in both aspects.
However, the Dodgers have also made something clear in recent years: They will not grow complacent in pursuing championships and winning. L.A. Showed plenty of flaws in 2025 despite going for back-to-back World Series titles.
Who could the Dodgers add to fill some holes in their 2026 roster, when they'll be going for a three-peat? Here are 6 top free agent targets for Los Angeles this offseason.
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6. Devin Williams, RP/CL
- 2025 stats: 67 games, 18 saves, 62.0 IP, 33 ER, 45 H, 25 BB, 90 SO, 4.79 ERA, 1.129 WHIP
If there even are any glaring needs for the two-time defending World Series champions, one of them is right-handed relief pitching. In 2024, the Dodgers signed Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott, then brought back Blake Treinen. Their bullpen was expected to be a strength — but flash forward to the World Series, and Dave Roberts was getting every last pitch he could get out of his talented starting pitchers, even in relief.
Left-handed relief pitching isn't much of a weakness for L.A., which can bring back Scott, Justin Wrobleski, Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda and Jack Dreyer in 2026. As for right-handers, Yates and Michael Kopech are hitting the open market, Blake Treinen had a rough 2025 season and Evan Phillips likely won't play in the 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Roberts will need more trusted right-handed arms out of his bullpen next year, although the electric Roki Sasaki proved in the postseason he can fill the closer role. Still, one free agent option could be Devin Williams, who spent the 2025 season with the New York Yankees.
Williams' 4.79 ERA in 2025 was his worst since his 2019 rookie season. But there are reasons to believe he'd be a bounce-back candidate, a potentially cheaper option among free agent right-handed relievers — not that the Dodgers are shy to spend. At his best, Williams has made two All-Star teams, including a 36-save 2023 season in Milwaukee with 87 strikeouts in 58.2 innings.
While Williams isn't quite in the "elite" category of available relievers this offseason, he's proven before he can reach that category. Perhaps L.A. Takes a chance on him returning to dominant form as a leverage option in 2026.
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5. Munetaka Murakami, 1B/3B
- 2025 stats (between JPCL, JPEL): 69 games,.286/.392/.659, 1.051 OPS, 10 2Bs, 24 HRs, 52 RBIs, 5 SB, 38 BB, 71 SO
The Dodgers do not need an infielder, per se. Max Muncy, Tommy Edman, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman all remain strong options at their positions, key pieces of both World Series runs. However, with all of those players but Edman on the wrong side of 30, L.A. Could start thinking about its longer-term infield future, especially on the corners; Freeman is 36 and Muncy is 35.
Enter Japanese star Munetaka Murakami, who was officially posted for MLB teams earlier in November. The 25-year-old owns the single-season home run record for a Japanese player in Nippon Professional Baseball; he hit 56 in 2022. Murakami's slugging is what's set to draw interest on MLB's open market, despite some concerns over his strikeout rates and lack of defensive prowess.
The Dodgers have become the go-to destination for Japan's top talent. Shohei Ohtani chose the team in December 2023 as a free agent, leaving the Angels behind, then Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined him on a historic $325 million deal after coming over from Japan. In January 2025, flamethrower Roki Sasaki became the next high-profile Japanese star to join the Dodgers.
Even if they keep Murakami in a limited role in 2026, allowing him to take Muncy or Freeman's starting jobs by 2027, there's plenty of reasons to think the Dodgers will be in on the left-handed slugger. If there's an environment where Murakami could contribute as a power bat while still adjusting to MLB in 2026, it's with the Dodgers.
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4. Cody Bellinger, OF
- 2025 stats: 152 games,.272/.334/.480,.813 OPS, 25 2Bs, 29 HRs, 98 RBIs, 13 SB, 57 BB, 90 SO
Could a reunion be in the cards for the Dodgers? Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP in Los Angeles, departed from the franchise in 2023 on a downward trajectory, increasingly becoming a liability at the plate aside from his power. But in the three seasons since, Bellinger has set himself up for a nice payday as he hits the open market this offseason.
Between the Cubs in 2023 and 2024, then the Yankees in 2025, Bellinger has maintained his status as a strong outfield defender while cleaning up his swing; this past season, his WAR (5.1) and home run total (29) were his bests since his 2019 MVP season with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers' outfield, alongside the bullpen, is the second area they could use some improvements. Teoscar Hernandez's bat remains strong, but he's among the worst defensive right fielders in baseball. Michael Conforto is a free agent after a disappointing season in Dodger blue. And Andy Pages, despite some sparkling defense, struggled mightily at the plate at various points in 2025.
As strange as it sounds for such an elite team, the Dodgers do have a need for a stronger bat in the outfield. Not only would Bellinger fit that need, able to lock down a strong right field as Hernandez potentially moved to left, but he's a familiar face with Dodgers fans who has gotten his career back on track.
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3. Robert Suarez, RP/CL
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
- 2025 stats: 70 games, 40 saves, 69.2 IP, 23 ER, 47 H, 16 BB, 75 SO, 2.97 ERA, 0.904 WHIP
Returning to the right-handed relievers, there are two top dogs among the free-agent arms. Robert Suarez is one of them, having become one of the most reliable bullpen arms in MLB the past few seasons.
Suarez offers the swing-and-miss stuff the Dodgers lacked at points in the 2025 postseason, at least out of the bullpen. He'd make for a deadly 1-2 punch with Sasaki in the eighth and ninth inning.
Signing Suarez would also certainly feel good for L.A., which would be prying him away from their top NL West rival at the moment, the San Diego Padres. Out-bidding the Padres for Suarez's services would be just another financial power move in this golden era of Dodgers baseball.
Suarez, the only reliever with at least 75 saves since the beginning of 2024, is one of the best closers/late-inning arms the Dodgers could get their hands on. Maybe there's too much bad blood for him to join L.A., but he'd be a natural fit.
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2. Kyle Tucker, OF
- 2025 stats: 136 games,.266/.377/.464,.841 OPS, 25 2Bs, 22 HRs, 73 RBIs, 25 SB, 87 BB, 88 SO
Get ready for a 2027 MLB lockout if this pairing happens. Yes, the Dodgers already have a reputation for landing top free agents, and yes, they already have a lot of money on their books. Almost single-handedly, the franchise has been one of the leading culprits in the debate over whether MLB should have a salary cap. If they then proceeded to go out and sign Tucker, the best available player and bat on the free-agent market, there might be all-out chaos.
However, to ground things a bit, Tucker does make sense for the Dodgers. It's unlikely they'd give him the length of contract he might be seeking at 28 years old, already with plenty of stars to pay down the line, but Los Angeles would be a fit for the former Cub and Astro if he's willing to take a shorter-term deal that pays a lot, especially if he wants to join a title contender.
Tucker has quietly become one of the best all-around talents in baseball, a strong defender in the outfield who can hit for average or power, draw a walk and offer some speed. As mentioned with Bellinger, the Dodgers could really use a reliable outfield bat who's a plus defender, masking Teoscar Hernandez's struggles.
It would frustrate some other fanbases, but the Dodgers cannot be ruled out for the top free-agent bat available in Tucker. They've shown time and time again they'll open the checkbook to improve their team, and they have some needs for Tucker's services.
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1. Edwin Diaz, RP/CL
- 2025 stats: 62 games, 28 saves, 66.1 IP, 12 ER, 37 H, 21 BB, 98 SO, 1.63 ERA, 0.874 WHIP
If the Dodgers aren't all-in on spending a massive amount on a lineup addition, they should use that money on the bullpen, which was a weakness in 2025. No right-handed arm on the open market is going to command a bigger contract than Edwin Diaz.
The 31-year-old stumbled a bit in 2024, then bounced right back for the New York Mets in 2025 with his third All-Star bid, 28 saves and 98 strikeouts. There aren't many better relievers in baseball, let alone right-handed options — and Diaz would instantly become the top high-leverage option for a Dodgers team that will surely be contending for a lot of wins in 2026.
Recently named the NL Reliever of the Year for the second time, Diaz has said there's a chance he doesn't return to the Mets next year. Realistically, the Dodgers can give him everything he'd want: a winning team, the established closer role and a hefty contract.
The Dodgers have become baseball's premiere team in pursuing elite talent to fill their needs. This offseason, a trusted bullpen arm is their top need, and there's no better option out there than Diaz.
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