Playing GM: 4 Moves To Complete the Los Angeles Dodgers Roster for 2026

After becoming the first team to repeat as World Series Champions since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000, the Los Angeles Dodgers can still get better this offseason. Despite their title last season, the Dodgers have a lot of areas they should address this winter.

One of their weaknesses, the bullpen, has already been addressed, as the Dodgers inked star closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year deal worth $69 million during the Winter Meetings. Spending money on relief arms hasn’t been a successful formula for the club recently, but this signing should change things.

Other than signing Díaz, the offseason has been uncharacteristically quiet for the Dodgers. Their only other pretty notable move was re-signing Miguel Rojas to a one-year deal, a contract that was much deserved considering his heroics in the World Series.

However, there are plenty of further moves to be made. Although the Dodgers’ payroll places them far above the luxury tax threshold, they’ve shown no signs of slowing down their spending. If they continue to dump money into the roster, anything is possible.

Let’s put ourselves in president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s shoes and consider four moves that make the most sense for the Dodgers as they look to become MLB’s next three-peat.

Editor’s Note: This piece was inspired by Peter Appel and Jack McMullen’s breakdown on the Dec. 23 episode of the Just Baseball show. This article will explain their key moves and offer some further analysis.

1. Trade for Steven Kwan

• Guardians get: SP Gavin Stone, OF Eduardo Quintero (JB No. 44 overall prospect)

• Dodgers get: OF Steven Kwan

When looking at the Dodgers’ roster, one of the issues that may not immediately jump off the page is their outfield. Despite having some bigger names like Tommy Edman, Andy Pages, and Teoscar Hernández holding down the three outfield positions, this group struggled to produce in 2025.

In fact, the Dodgers’ outfield wRC+ sat at just 94 in 2025, a number that placed them near the very bottom of the league. In fact, that mark sandwiched the Dodgers between the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles, two teams that finished with 87 or more losses.

If presented with the opportunity to upgrade the outfield this winter, most fans would likely expect the Dodgers to pursue major free agents like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. Early reports showed that the club could potentially be interested in either option, but this isn’t the route we’ll be taking.

One of the main narratives across the entire league this offseason has been the activity on the trade market, and this is a field the Dodgers could jump into themselves. Steven Kwan has reportedly been available for two offseasons now, and he’s the perfect candidate to address their lack of true outfield production in 2025.

Kwan took a step backward offensively during the 2025 season, but he was still a very productive player. In 156 games, he slashed .272/.330/.374 with 11 homers, while also posting a 99 wRC+ and a 3.2 fWAR. He played elite defense as well, posting 5 OAA and possessing one of the best arms in the sport.

Read more

MLB

Playing GM: 5 Moves to Complete the San Francisco Giants Roster for 2026

MLB

Playing GM: 4 Moves to Complete the Toronto Blue Jays Roster for 2026

Kwan immediately raises the bar of L.A.’s outfield trio, especially if he can return to his 2024 form, a year in which he was worth 4.2 fWAR and posted a wRC+ above 130. He’s a dynamic player who could allow Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and the rest of the Dodgers’ lineup to have more at-bats with runners on base.

To fit him into the lineup, Tommy Edman would likely shift to second base, with Kwan then taking over left field and Andy Pages shifting to center. In spite of Teoscar Hernández’s subpar defense in right field, this would allow the Dodgers to take a massive step forward in the outfield defensively.

While Kwan would be a significant upgrade, that means he’d also cost the Dodgers quite a haul in a trade. The headlining piece in our scenario is Eduardo Quintero, Just Baseball’s No. 44 prospect and one of the more exciting young outfielders in the minors.

This past season, as a 19-year-old, Quintero posted a wRC+ above 150 between Single-A and High-A. He slugged nearly 20 homers in this same span, rounding out a five-tool skill set.

In this scenario, the secondary piece heading back to the Guardians is Gavin Stone. Despite missing all of 2025 due to a shoulder injury, Stone is a very intriguing piece to get back. In 140 innings during his rookie campaign, Stone registered an ERA just over 3.50 with 116 strikeouts and a 2.1 fWAR.

Stone has incredible raw stuff on the mound, and with the Guardians’ pitching development lab, there’s a very good chance he could blossom into a front-of-the-line arm in Cleveland.

Kwan will be a hot commodity on the trade market, but the Dodgers have the pieces needed to get it done. If they’re truly willing to go all-in by using Stone and Quintero, this is a package that few teams could beat. This move is the exact type of blockbuster the Dodgers are known for.

2. Bolster the Bullpen by Trading for Bryan Abreu

• Astros get: RP Ben Casparius, SP Adam Serwinowski

• Dodgers get: RP Bryan Abreu

During the 2025 regular season, the Dodgers significantly struggled to get the most out of their bullpen. This was far from the expectation, as deals like Tanner Scott’s four-year, $72 million contract were expected to take their bullpen to the next level.

Although the emergence of Roki Sasaki helped keep this group from imploding during the postseason, this is an area the Dodgers desperately need to upgrade. As I previously mentioned, the Dodgers already got the ball rolling by inking Díaz to a three-year deal worth $69 million, but that isn’t enough.

The Dodgers could still use that one extra piece, and if they’re looking to find a significant weapon without overpaying on the free agent market, the best way to do it is through trade. The Houston Astros have the perfect candidate for this role in right-handed flamethrower Bryan Abreu.

In 71 innings this past season, Abreu struck out 105 batters, while pitching to a 2.28 ERA and racking up over 2.0 fWAR. For a reliever, this is all you could ask for and more, especially considering he only made $3.45 million in his second year of arbitration.

To acquire Abreu in this scenario, the Dodgers will have to part with two interesting arms: reliever Ben Casparius and starting pitcher Adam Serwinowski.

Casparius is a fairly interesting piece, despite his 4.64 ERA in 77.2 innings last season. He was elite at limiting hard contact, as his hard-hit rate of 31.9% placed him inside the 97th percentile. He’s an arm the Astros could develop and turn into a reliable bullpen piece.

Serwinowski is the piece of this deal that really stands out, as he has some truly untapped potential. He was traded from the Reds to the Dodgers at the 2025 deadline, and he put up solid numbers between both organizations.

In 111.2 innings, Serwinowski registered a 4.03 ERA, alongside 140 strikeouts and a 1.36 WHIP. He possesses a very good fastball/slider combination, something the Astros have done well developing in the past.

Similar to the Kwan trade, this deal has a chance to be a real win-win for both sides, while still pushing L.A. just a little bit closer to a three-peat. This is the perfect opportunity for the Dodgers to add the one last arm their bullpen needs without having to dip into the free agent market again.

3. Trade Anthony Banda for David Hamilton and Juan Valera

• Boston gets: RP Anthony Banda

• Dodgers get: SP Juan Valera, SS David Hamilton

If this offseason plays out as we suggest it could, the Dodgers will have to clear some space in their bullpen after bringing in Abreu and Díaz. The best way to do this is by selling high on Anthony Banda, a pitcher who completely changed his career after becoming a Los Angeles Dodger.

In 2025, Banda was one of the more reliable arms in a bullpen that was the complete opposite. Through 65 innings, he posted a 3.18 ERA with 61 strikeouts while doing a pretty good job of limiting home runs. Although some of the underlying numbers aren’t overly positive, Banda is a solid left-handed reliever.

When it comes to finding a suitor that could be a fit for Banda, the first team that immediately jumps out is the Boston Red Sox. They’re currently projected to have just two left-handed relievers, and they could benefit from adding another arm to the fold.

If this deal were to happen, the most intriguing piece we could see head back to the Dodgers is Juan Valera, a right-handed pitching prospect who might be a few tweaks away from being very good.

Valera struggled in 2025, posting a 5.45 ERA in 38 innings in High-A. However, he is still just 19 years old, and his fastball and slider have both been given very good scouting grades for the future.

If Valera can get into the Dodgers system, they could do wonders with his raw abilities. This is the perfect type of lottery-ticket player to get back, especially in a roster-clearing scenario.

In addition to Valera, David Hamilton is another piece the Red Sox could throw in to get the deal over the finish line. It’s no secret that Hamilton has struggled with the bat, as he posted a 60 wRC+ in 91 games this past year. However, his sprint speed ranked in the 95th percentile, and he has some athletic qualities on the diamond.

This trade isn’t anywhere near the same level as the other two blockbusters presented in this article, but it’s another deal that could be interesting a year or two down the line when Valera develops. For a move that’s needed to clear space in the bullpen, this is a pretty solid return.

4. Sign Cavan Biggio to a Minor League Deal

With the three aforementioned moves, the Dodgers would put themselves in a strong position to three-peat. The additions of Edwin Díaz, Bryan Abreu, and Steven Kwan would give the Dodgers one of the most well-rounded teams in baseball history.

Now, let’s throw the finishing touches on the offseason and sign Cavan Biggio to a minor league deal for extra depth.

After previously playing for the Dodgers in the 2024 season, Biggio could be an interesting pickup. He only appeared in 37 MLB games during the 2025 season for the Kansas City Royals, and he failed to post a wRC+ above 60. However, he did still showcase an elite eye that led him to a 13.3% walk rate.

Biggio will be someone to keep an eye on, as he could end up seeing some at-bats if he ends up in the Dodgers’ system. This is a team that seemingly struggles with injuries every season, and having Biggio in the fold could give L.A. another player to lean on if things get tough down the stretch.

While this isn’t of the same magnitude as the other moves suggested in this story, the Dodgers don’t need a complete overhaul to be World Series contenders in 2026. This is like adding a bow to the offseason and really tying things together.