Sunday, October 18, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

Thursday, the Milwaukee Brewers eliminated the Los Angeles Dodgers from the postseason.

Dreams of achieving a three-peat are gone. Though disappointed, I realized it was one hell of a ride, watching my favorite team for the last three years. I will never forget it. And I know the Dodgers will delight me in 2027 if baseball is played.

Dave Roberts said it best. Sometimes in baseball, you must tip your hat to the opponent. The Brewers, with the best record in baseball during the 2026 regular season, simply outplayed the Dodgers in the NLCS. They are a team on a mission to win their first World Series, and I am rooting for them.

The media expect the Dodgers to make some changes before they play next. They have several free agents, namely Tarik Skubal, Alex Vesia, and Evan Phillips, but their core remains the same. Although people think the Dodgers need to get younger, I disagree. I know Andrew Friedman will make changes that will make the team younger naturally, but he won’t trade away his future Hall of Famers for the sake of getting younger. If he did, I would lose respect for him.

It has become obvious to me that the Dodgers must have a more dynamic offense. They can’t rely on the home run to score. They must have better foot speed than in 2026, putting pressure on the opposing pitcher when a Dodger reaches base and helping them manufacture runs.

The Dodgers need a new left fielder and a regular second baseman. Teoscar Hernández has been a good Dodger, but his defensive shortcomings and declining offensive production make Hernández a trade possibility. The Dodgers have either Josue De Paula or James Tibbs III waiting for an opportunity to play in the major leagues. During September, De Paula proved he belonged with his amazing quality at-bats. Tibbs led the Oklahoma City Comets to a championship, and he deserves an opportunity.

Although Tommy Edman is an excellent player, he isn’t an everyday player. With Miguel Rojas retiring and Kiké Hernández probably not returning, the Dodgers need a super utility player, and Edman fits the job perfectly with his ability to play multiple positions. The Dodgers need to decide whether they want Alex Freeland or Hyeseong Kim, who struggled mightily after his demotion to Oklahoma City, to play second base, or do they want to go outside the organization to find a second baseman.

Although the Brewers scored against the Dodgers’ pitching staff, the Dodgers don’t need to change their pitching. I would re-sign Skubal, Vesia, and Phillips. Of course, Friedman can find an underrated right-handed reliever.

The Dodgers need Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman to be healthy for next season. Ohtani doesn’t know if he needs offseason surgery to be healthy in 2027. However, he is adamant that he will pitch in 2027.

Although it is disappointing for the Dodgers and their fans that they aren’t participating in the World Series, they gave us a memorable season when they won 100 games. Now, the Dodgers’ focus shifts to the 2027 season.