Kyle Tucker? Dodgers deciding between wants and

LAS VEGAS — Almost everybody in baseball, it appears, is ready to see how aggressive the Dodgers might be this offseason.

For now, that seems to embrace the two-time defending champions themselves.

As the membership’s entrance workplace arrived at The Cosmopolitan Hotel for MLB’s annual basic managers’ conferences this week, the group’s plans for this winter remained in a formative stage.

The Dodgers ought to have lots of financial flexibility to play with in the approaching months, with more than $60 million in wage from last season set to come off the books (ensuing from Clayton Kershaw’s retirement, the expiration of contracts for Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech and others, and the group’s choice to designate Tony Gonsolin for task last week).

They may also use upgrades at some of the deepest positions in this yr’s free agent class, particularly a nook outfielder (where Kyle Tucker beckons as the largest identify accessible) and another top aid arm at the back end of the bullpen (where Edwin Díaz, Devin Williams, Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks will all be on the open market).

Add in a farm system that MLB Pipeline ranked as the best in the majors this yr — giving the Dodgers lots of chips to use in a potential commerce as properly — and the group might be poised for another splashy offseason of big-name acquisitions.

Or … they might stand comparatively pat.

After all, there may be no blockbuster transfer the Dodgers really feel like they need to make this winter. Having nearly all of their star-studded core intact means, even in contrast to last winter, their urgency for another offseason of star additions may very properly be less urgent now.

That was the tone basic supervisor Brandon Gomes struck on Tuesday while discussing the group’s winter plans — acknowledging the outfield and bullpen as areas the Dodgers will explore this winter, but stopping short of describing either as outright “needs.”

“By being aggressive over the last couple offseasons, we do have a very, very good core in place,” Gomes said. “So it’s continuing to fine-tune and look at what the weaknesses on the roster are and try to address those … It’s being very targeted in who we go out and look to acquire. I think that holds true across the board, without many glaring holes.”

As a reminder, right here’s where the Dodgers’ 2026 roster stands.

The beginning rotation? Stacked, with Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan and a host of other younger pitchers all slated to be back (including Gavin Stone and River Ryan, breakout rookies in 2024 anticipated to have regular offseasons after lacking last yr with surgical procedures).

The lineup? Relatively unchanged, with Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas representing the only out-of-contract gamers who performed important roles in the postseason (and they, of course, stay choices to be re-signed, too).

The bullpen? That group may actually use some more help, after Tanner Scott struggled in the nearer function last yr. But even there, the Dodgers still possess lots of depth in Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda, Jack Dreyer, Blake Treinen, Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, Brock Stewart, Edgardo Henriquez and a quantity of other younger pitchers who may step into big-league roles (plus the returns of Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips from injury).

And on the entire, Gomes described the Dodgers’ anticipated 2026 pitching employees as being “as good as we’ve ever had.”

That’s why, at least at this juncture, the Dodgers’ aggressiveness this winter stays unclear.

They are in their most well-liked place as an group — in a position to see how the market develops, without dealing with an overwhelming need at any one spot.

“I think the mindset is still to approach the offseason and not have to go out and make big splashy trades at the deadline,” Gomes said. “But what that all looks like? Thankfully, we haven’t had a ton of time to dive in, but we’re gonna look to do that here over this week and the coming weeks.”

The group’s pursuit of Tucker may present the first big inform of the offseason.

As far back as the summer time, the Dodgers have been seen around the industry as a probably front-runner for the four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger. As a left-handed bat who would match completely into the center of their lineup, and somebody who might be only 29 by the start of next yr, Tucker represented the sort of still-in-his-prime, star-caliber participant whom the Dodgers always need to be in place to go after when accessible.

However, Tucker won’t come cheaply. He is probably going to discipline presents of 10-plus years. He may drive a bidding conflict upwards of $400 million to $500 million.

For all the Dodgers’ short-term financial flexibility, it’s honest to marvel how many more profitable, long-term offers they need to add to what is already an growing old core.

Thus, the upper the price for Tucker turns into, the less probably it might be he winds up in Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, Gomes spent more of his time touting the interior outfield choices the Dodgers already boast — from deadline addition Alex Call, to utilitymen Hyeseong Kim and Tommy Edman (who will endure surgical procedure next week on his nagging ankle injury, but is hoped to be prepared for spring training), to triple-A MVP Ryan Ward, who was added to the 40-man roster last week and is predicted to “get a bunch of opportunities at some point this year,” Gomes said. The door also stays open to backup catcher Dalton Rushing doubtlessly getting some time in the outfield again, after he struggled with restricted enjoying time behind Will Smith.

Gomes was equally complimentary of the Dodgers’ current aid corps, even sustaining perception in Scott to “come back and have a great year for us next year, and be right there in the mix to pitch at the back end of games.”

It would still be a shock if the Dodgers don’t swing some notable addition to the bullpen. The depth of choices on the free-agent market (particularly in gamers such as Williams and Fairbanks, who have been commerce targets of the group the past couple years) ought to make discovering an acquisition there a more probably endeavor.

Yet, Gomes insisted that a top reliever is less of a need and more of a “nice-to-have.”

Really, that figures to be the theme of the Dodgers’ total offseason: Searching for upgrades on phrases they like, without feeling pressured to make another wave of top-dollar acquisitions.