The Los Angeles Dodgers are setting their sights on a three-peat for the World Series, following their successful championship run in 2024 and 2025. During a rally at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts enthusiastically declared, “What’s better than two? Three — three-peat! Three-peat!” He humorously noted that he had received permission from his friend Pat Riley, the Miami Heat president, to use the trademarked term.
Under the watchful eye of team owner Mark Walter, who mentioned he would return next year for another championship celebration, players like first baseman Freddie Freeman embraced the momentum, proclaiming, “Job in 2024, done. Job in 2025, done. Job in 2026 starts now.” With three titles in the last six years, the Dodgers are poised to make history by becoming the first team since the New York Yankees, who won three consecutive championships from 1998 to 2000, to achieve this feat.
Notably, two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani echoed the sentiment by stating that he is already envisioning the team’s third victory. The Dodgers are returning with their most prominent stars intact, instilling fear and respect across Major League Baseball. As proof of their dominance, Los Angeles opened with +350 odds as World Series favorites for 2026, according to Bet MGM Sportsbook.
Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, has termed this era “the golden era of Dodgers baseball.” The team has secured five National League pennants in the last nine years and 12 NL West titles in the past 13 years, leading to discussions of a potential dynasty. Friedman emphasized, “I think definitionally it’s a dynasty. For me, it’s still evolving and growing and we want to add to it.”
Last season, the Dodgers won the championship while creatively managing their pitching rotation, mixing and matching relievers to great effect. This year, despite overcoming a series of injuries, the starting rotation triumphed, contributing to the franchise’s ninth World Series title. Phillies president Dave Dombrowski praised their pitching, stating, “It’s really an exceptional, exceptional staff.”
Ohtani, after recovering from elbow surgery, demonstrated his all-around talent by producing another MVP-worthy season while slowly being reintegrated into pitching duties. Next year, without restrictions, Ohtani is expected to showcase abilities that few players possess.
As the Dodgers look ahead, they face seven free agency decisions, including the recently retired three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw. Among the notable free agents are Kiké Hernández and postseason hero Miguel Rojas, who hit a game-tying home run in Game 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Dodgers are likely to pursue bringing Hernández back, while Rojas’s versatility has been valuable over the past three years.
The other free agents include Michael Conforto, Andrew Heaney, Michael Kopech, and Kirby Yates, none of whom were included in the postseason roster. Conforto struggled with a .199 batting average and did not meet expectations tied to his one-year, $17 million contract. Yates, on a one-year deal worth $13 million, dealt with injuries and ended the season with a 5.23 ERA in 41 1/3 innings pitched. At 38, he has suggested he might be retiring.
Kopech played a crucial role in the bullpen that helped the Dodgers reach the 2024 championship but faced injuries this season that limited his appearances. Heaney, who signed a minor league deal, made only one appearance after being called up toward the end of the regular season, but notably became the 62nd player used by the team, setting a franchise record.
Although Kershaw has retired from playing, Friedman has offered him a position within the organization, ensuring that he remains a presence around Chavez Ravine. Kershaw assured fans, “I know they’re going to get one more next year, and I’m going to watch just like all of you.”
