On this Friday morning edition of Dodgers Dougout Live, Doug McKain breaks down the Dodgers’ 2026 offseason, including Tarik Skubal’s free agency, a potential Elly De La Cruz blockbuster trade, the looming MLB lockout, and what went wrong for LA. Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/DODGERSNATION10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount Download the Fanatics Sports & Casino App now, the new all-in-one app for sports fans, bringing together ways to bet, trade, or play in one experience. Disclaimer: 21+ only. Availability differs by state. Terms apply. See app for details. Sportsbook: GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, CT call (888) 789-7777, MA call (800)-327-5050, NY call (877) 8-HOPENY, MD visit mdgamblinghelp.org. Markets: Event contract trading is offered by Morton St. Trading Investments, LLC, d/b/a Fanatics Markets, a CFTC-registered futures commission merchant and NFA member. Event contracts carry risk of total loss and changing prices. Not good for all investors. See app for important disclosures. Offseason Primer: The Dodgers could make a major trade this winter, per Katie Woo's speculative piece in The Athletic. They have only about a month to make big roster moves before a possible MLB lockout freezes everything. Tarik Skubal free agency: Tarik Skubal is the top free agent and could out-earn Yoshinobu Yamamoto's $325M deal. He can't receive a qualifying offer because he was traded mid-season. Sources say that Skubal loved his time with the Dodgers, and that a short, high-salary deal like Kyle Tucker's would need roughly $75M per year. The 2-time Cy Young winner would likely prefer a long-term deal. Why Re-Sign Tarik Skubal? Let's be real. The likelihood of Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell or Shohei Ohtani remaining healthy for a full season is highly questionable, and there are very few true aces are available. The main obstacle is Mark Walter's finances, since Walter allegedly owes about $20 billion. Trade idea: The team needs to get younger and find a shortstop so Mookie Betts can move to second base. Jim Bowden floated a James Wood or CJ Abrams package built around Josue De Paula and other top prospects. The preferred acquistion is of the Reds' Elly De La Cruz, who put up a 139 wRC+, hit 30 home runs and has elite defense, with three years of control. Bowden says the Reds could realistically trade him because his agent is Scott Boras and he turned down an extension. Trade De Paula? Should the Dodgers trade Josue De Paula for Elly De La Cruz? Prospects are more likely to bust than become stars, and De Paula is viewed as mostly a DH. Scared money don't make none. Offseason Calendar: - Nov 10-12: GM meetings in Las Vegas - Nov 17: Rule 5 protection deadline - Nov 17-19: owner meetings - Nov 20: non-tender deadline - Dec 1: the CBA expires, and a lockout begins Dec 2, freezing all moves - Zyhir Hope, Christian Zetta and Jackson Ferris are expected locks for the 40-man roster - No qualifying offers are expected for the Dodgers' free agents Lockout Upside: The lockout could help the Dodgers, since they can make big offers while other teams are uncertain about the new economic system. The big offseason questions are whether they sign Skubal and whether they trade to get younger. The Seventh Inning Stretch: DMAC doesn't expect the Brewers to repeat. Some big-market owners quietly favor a salary cap, since they feel pressured to pay for the biggest stars. And remember; money alone doesn't win titles. The Dodgers need to squeeze every ring out of this core. The Walk Off: Congratulations Dustin May, who just won a ring with the Brewers. Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet?https://www.youtube.com/@DodgersnationTV?sub_confirmation=1 Subscribe to our daily newsletter! ➡️ dodgersnation.com/subscribe Support us with our merch store! 👕 www.gearup.la Follow us on social media:https://instagram.com/dodgersnation https://twitter.com/dodgersnation https://facebook.com/dodgersnation https://www.tiktok.com/@dodgersnation Follow Doug McKain:https://twitter.com/DMAC_LA https://www.instagram.com/dmac_la https://www.tiktok.com/@DMAC_LA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
