Four Key Takeaways From Dodgers Exit Interviews Ahead of Offseason
In the season’s final official media availability, Los Angeles Dodgers leadership, Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes, answered questions on several pressing topics.
For the first time in two years, the Dodgers were eliminated in the NLCS, failing to reach the World Series and bring home the trophy.
In an unfamiliar setting, both Gomes and Friedman took the microphone without a title to celebrate, but to discuss how the team can be built for 2027.
May 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Gomes, left, talks with manager Dave Roberts (30) prior to the game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Dodgers Nation was in attendance, and here are the four major reveals from the press conference:
The Dodgers are confident that Ohtani is fine
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani battled injuries over the last few months of the season, including the postseason. He had a neck problem, along with a left knee and right arm injury.
They developed from his pitching workload in the first half, and his second half suffered, with him missing time on the injured list and then struggling at the plate.
Concerns remain about his ability to pitch going forward, or whether he should pitch at all, but Dodgers president of basketball operations Andrew Friedman strongly believes Ohtani will pitch in some capacity.
“This is unprecedented, what he’s doing,” Friedman said to the media, including Dodgers Nation. “So obviously for us it’s unprecedented. We don’t have any experience to draw from. We can’t go look at how other situations have played out to try to learn from the good and the bad. We have to all just figure it out together.
“And I’m not only expecting him to pitch; we’re excited about him pitching. So now it’s about: How do we do that? How do we manage through a long season and have him at his best going into October? That’s a challenge.”
Not only will he pitch, but Ohtani also won’t need surgery, letting him focus on rest and recovery over the offseason.
The Dodgers can spend
Owner Mark Walter is still under investigation for his financial dealings, and doubts have naturally surfaced about his ability to invest in the Dodgers, but Dodgers leadership says nothing of note is changing.
“It’s been business as usual for us,” Friedman said. “We talked to Mark after we lost, and he was obviously really disappointed. But so much of his focus was on, ‘OK, what can we do?”
The extent of their spending remains to be seen, but the team will certainly exhaust all options.
Tarik Skubal will be a target
As no surprise, the Dodgers, a team with money to spend, will be in the market for the best free-agent player: Tarik Skubal.
LA saw firsthand how elite he can be, and while he didn’t show his best, Skubal was very good with the Dodgers.
He is set to break the record for the most money given to a pitcher, and reports say around six teams are already in the market.
Aug 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) takes the field in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images
One of those teams will be the Dodgers.
“We have a tremendous amount of respect for him on and off the field. … He’s put himself in this position to go out and be a free agent. And for us, it’s, continue to talk to [Scott Boras, Skubal’s agent],” Friedman said.
“But he and his family have to make a choice over where they want to spend the next X number of years, and obviously we wish him nothing but the best.”
More prospects coming in the pipeline
Friedman highlighted the farm system when asked about the age of the current roster, suggesting free agency and trades may not be the only way the team gets younger.
“……when you couple the core talent that we have at the major league level with the position-player strengths that we have in our farm system, that’s what makes us excited, is the art of how to onboard some of these young, talented minor league players,” Friedman said.
The Dodgers don’t lack prospects and capable players to raise the team’s ceiling, and after Josue De Paula’s success in 2026, more should come through in 2027.
Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.