Dodgers Analysis: Where the 40-man Roster Stands as Free Agency Begins
The Dodgers made multiple moves on Thursday to get ready for free agency. What is the current state of the roster now?
LOS ANGELES, CA—The Los Angeles Dodgers, in anticipation of the start of free agency and the deadline for multiple player, team, and mutual options, along with the deadline to offer pending free agents the qualifying offer, made several moves around the 40-man roster.
All 60-day injured list players from the 2025 season were also re-added to each club’s active 40-man roster, and with the Dodgers picking up Max Muncy’s $10 million club option for the 2026 season and adding outfielder Ryan Ward and left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz to the 40-man roster, three spots needed to be cleared.
The Dodgers opened up those three spots by placing right-handed pitcher Michael Grove and outfielder Justin Dean on waivers (the San Francisco Giants claimed Dean) and DFA’ing right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin.
So right now, the Dodgers’ 40-man roster sits dead even at 40 players, meaning if they don’t officially sign any free agents this winter, they’ll have to create a spot for them.
Club Options (2)
The Dodgers have two players eligible for club options this offseason. One for veteran third baseman Max Muncy (1-year, $10 million) and another for left-hander Alex Vesia (1-year, $3.65 million) or a $50,000 buyout, which would put him in line for his final year of arbitration with the club.
The Dodgers decided to pick up both options yesterday, putting them under contract for the 2026 season.
Qualifying Offer
The Dodgers don’t have any players that would require the rumored $22 million qualifying offer in order to protect themselves in receiving some sort of return if any of their seven free agents depart.
However, across the league, 13 players received the $22.025 million qualifying offer, meaning if the Dodgers signed any of those players who reject it, they’d have to lose a draft pick as compensation.
- Kyle Tucker
- Kyle Schwarber
- Bo Bichette
- Framber Valdez
- Dylan Cease
- Ranger Suarez
- Edwin Diaz
- Zac Gallen
- Shota Imanaga
- Michael King
- Trent Grisham
- Gleyber Torres
- Brandon Woodruff
Under Contract (14)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($27,083,333)
- Shohei Ohtani ($46,076,769)
- Will Smith ($12,241,285)
- Mookie Betts ($25,554,824)
- Blake Snell ($31,357,257)
- Tommy Edman ($13,040,190)
- Tanner Scott ($15,419,530)
- Freddie Freeman ($24,699,249)
- Tyler Glasnow ($27,312,500)
- Teoscar Hernández ($19,366,667)
- Max Muncy ($10,000,000)
- Hyeseong Kim ($4,166,667)
- Alex Vesia ($3,650,000)
- Blake Treinen ($11,000,000)
*All totals are luxury tax payroll*
Arbitration Eligible (6)
- Brusdar Graterol (5.167): ($2,800,000)
- Evan Phillips (5.136): (6,100,000)
- Anthony Banda (4.135): ($1,700,000)
- Brock Stewart (4.093): ($1,400,000)
- Ben Rortvedt (3.135): ($1,300,000)
- Alex Call (2.161): ($1,500,000)
Pre-Arbitration (20)
- Emmet Sheehan
- Esteury Ruiz
- Gavin Stone
- Andy Pages
- Bobby Miller
- Kyle Hurt
- River Ryan
- Ben Casparius
- Jack Dreyer
- Roki Sasaki
- Edgardo Henriquez
- Justin Wrobleski
- Dalton Rushing
- Landon Knack
- Will Klein
- Alex Freeland
- Paul Gervase
- Nick Frasso
- Ryan Ward
- Robinson Ortiz
These players on the roster have less than three years of service time and are not yet eligible for salary arbitration. The minimum MLB salary for 2026 is $780,000.
Rule-5 Eligible Players
Finally, check whether the team has Rule-5-eligible players. If the Dodgers wish to shield any from the December Rule-5 draft, they must include those players on the 40-man roster for protection.
The deadline to protect these players from the Rule-5 Draft (add to the 40-man roster) is November 18th. The team already added outfielder Ryan Ward and left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz yesterday.
Position Players
Pitchers
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