{
  "id": 14867131,
  "title": "Dodgers Have 9 Players Hitting Free Agency After Season Ends",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/dodgers-have-9-players-hitting-free-agency-after-season-ends",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T04:24:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/dodgers-9-players-hitting-free-042407975.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2026 season has concluded, and nine of their players are now entering free agency. On Thursday, October 15th, the team lost to the Milwaukee Brewers in a 6-4 defeat, suffering a sweeping 0-4 in a seven-game series. This setback has effectively ended the Dodgers' hopes of a three-peat, pushing the team to revamp for the upcoming 2027 season. Here are the players who will be free agents after this season:\n\n1. Position players:\n- Kike Hernandez, a fan-favorite utility player, has signed short-term deals over the past few years but has struggled this year, including in the postseason. Despite his leadership and exceptional glove skills, his future with the Dodgers remains uncertain.\n- Miguel Rojas, after a series of indecisive moments, has announced his retirement and plans to transition into an organizational role with the Dodgers. His decision marks the end of an era for the team.\n\n2. Pitchers:\n- Tarik Skubal, the Dodgers' biggest free agent with a $400 million contract, is a two-time Cy Young Award winner in his prime. He remains in elite form, and while the Dodgers may pursue him, he will face competition from other interested teams.\n- Alex Vesia, the reliable left-hander, is also a free agent. His market uncertainty remains, as he had a strong year, but the Dodgers could potentially re-sign him given his market value and recent performance.\n- Kris Bubic, added at the trade deadline, was a successful regular-season bullpen rental, but his performance in the postseason was inconsistent. Given his starter-level upside, he is likely to depart for a solid deal elsewhere.\n- Eric Lauer, who was a revelation for the Dodgers, rebuilt his career with Los Angeles. Lauer pitched well as a starter and reliever, tightening his arsenal and limiting runs. However, his uncertain market may lead him to sign elsewhere.\n- Evan Phillips, one of the Dodgers' most consistent relievers, is an injury-prone pitcher. His limited market may force the Dodgers to keep him in the background, while another team may swoop in to take advantage of his services.\n- Blake Treinen, sidelined for the season due to a right shoulder injury, may require surgery, which could affect his signability. At 38 years old, it remains to be seen if the Dodgers would be better off pursuing other options.\n- Brusdar Graterol, who has not pitched in over two years, has doubts about his big-league future unless he regains his health. At 28 years old, his medical status and interest from other organizations will determine his market.",
  "summary": "The Los Angeles Dodgers' season is over, meaning nine players are officially entering free agency and may not return next year.",
  "key_points": [
    "Nine Dodgers players enter free agency after 2026 season",
    "Tarik Skubal, a two-time Cy Young winner, faces competition from other teams",
    "Kris Bubic, added at trade deadline, likely to depart for a solid deal elsewhere"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Losing a core group of veterans and high-value pitching talent forces the franchise into a massive roster overhaul to recover from their failed championship pursuit.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}