Dodgers' offseason labeled "business as usual" despite owner’s financial probes
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the team will maintain its spending approach next season, while owner Mark Walter faces federal inquiries into his other business interests.
Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters that the franchise will treat the upcoming offseason as “business as usual” from a financial standpoint, even as federal inquiries examine investments and loans tied to owner Mark Walter’s insurance companies. Friedman said the focus remains on positioning the team to compete for a championship in 2027.
Walter, who has recently sold stakes in other sports properties such as the Los Angeles Lakers, has reassured the organization that he does not intend to sell the baseball club. Dodgers chief executive officer Stan Kasten previously stated that the Dodgers “stand on their own pretty well,” downplaying any potential payroll impact from Walter’s non-baseball ventures.
The primary roster question centers on retaining pitcher Tarik Skubal, whose free-agent market could set new records for total guarantee and annual value, according to his agent Scott Boras. While the Dodgers have a deep pool of talent—including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Shohei Ohtani and several young arms—the club may still pursue Skubal to solidify its rotation.
On the offensive side, the lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, Will Smith, Max Muncy and Andy Pages appears largely set. The organization could consider moving on from Teoscar Hernández and promoting top prospect Josue De Paula in left field, while evaluating options at second base.
If Skubal departs, the offseason could be relatively quiet, with the main area of attention being the bullpen as Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips approach free agency.
"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?"