Shohei Ohtani finishes second in the 2026 NL MVP balloting

by Cary Osborne

Shohei Ohtani’s second-place finish in the 2026 National League MVP balloting makes it the 26th time a Dodger has been a finalist (top three in voting).

Ohtani was vying for the 15th NL MVP in Dodger history and his third straight as a Dodger after winning the NL prize in 2024 and 2025.

This is also the 13th time in history that a Dodger has finished as the runner-up.

The Runners Up

Three Dodgers have been NL MVP runner-up twice.

Mookie Betts finished second in 2023 to Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. and also in 2020 to his future Dodger teammate Freddie Freeman (then with Atlanta).

Betts is in great company among Dodger greats who finished as runner-up twice.

1963 NL MVP Sandy Koufax finished twice — 1965 (San Francisco’s Willie Mays won) and 1966 (Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente).

Catcher Mike Piazza finished twice — 1996 (San Diego’s Ken Caminiti) and 1997 (Colorado’s Larry Walker).

Other runners-up include:
· 2011 — Matt Kemp
· 2004 — Adrian Beltre
· 1978 — Steve Garvey
· 1956 — Sal Maglie
· 1955 — Duke Snider
· 1946 — Dixie Walker
· 1941 — Pete Reiser 2

Runner-up to a … Dodger

There have been three occurrences when a Dodger has finished second to a Dodger. The last was in 1956 when pitcher Sal Maglie finished second to NL MVP Don Newcombe. Maglie also finished second to Newcombe for the Cy Young Award.

In 1955, catcher Roy Campanella beat out teammate and outfielder Duke Snider by the thin margin of five points — 226 to 221. It’s the ninth-closest margin in Major League MVP voting history.

In 1941, outfielder Pete Reiser finished second to his Dodger teammate first baseman Dolph Camilli. This is also the only year that Dodgers made up all the finalists. Pitcher Whit Wyatt finished third.

Reiser won the NL batting title that season. Camilli led the NL in home runs. Wyatt tied for the league lead in wins.

Finalist in a season when a Dodger won

Add those to this list: A Dodger who finished as a finalist in a Dodger MVP year.

· 1974 — Steve Garvey (winner), Mike Marshall (third place)
· 1962 — Maury Wills (winner), Tommy Davis (third)
· 1956 — Newcome (winner), Maglie (second)
· 1955 — Campanella (winner), Snider (second)
· 1953 — Campanella (winner), Snider (third)
· 1941 — Camilli (winner), Reiser (second), Wyatt (third)
· 1924 — Dazzy Vance (winner), Zack Wheat (third)

What a relief

It’s a major rarity for a pitcher to win an MVP award — it’s happened only four times. It’s also a rarity for a reliever to finish as a finalist. It hasn’t happened since 1992 when Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley won the 1992 AL MVP.

Marshall’s third-place finish in 1974 is the only time a Dodger reliever was a finalist in the NL MVP voting. Marshall’s consolation prize was the 1974 NL Cy Young Award.

Most times a finalist

Ohtani joins Koufax and Campanella for most times finishing in the top three. Each finished top three times. Campanella won the MVP each time — 1951, 1953, 1955.

Ohtani is the first to do it in three straight seasons — 2024, 2025, 2026.

A history of Dodgers MVP finalists was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Guerrero was a hitting coach with the Marlins in 2025 and 2026

The Dodgers, on Tuesday, announced the addition of veteran Major League hitting coach Pedro Guerrero to their Major League coaching staff.

Guerrero will serve as a hitting coach with the Dodgers.

The 37-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Marlins in the same role. He served as an assistant hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants (2022–24) and Philadelphia Phillies (2018–21) and as the bench coach for the Rookie-Advanced Ogden (2016–17) prior to joining the Marlins in 2025.

During the 2026 season, the Marlins offense ranked in the Top 10 in the Majors in various categories, including on-base percentage (.320, 6th), batting average (.249, 7th), hits (1,347, 9th) and OPS (,727, 9th).

Guerrero spent his playing career in the Dodgers’ organization, playing 411 games from 2006–13. The infielder hit .236 with 23 homers and 163 RBI, reaching Triple-A Albuquerque in 2010. He was signed in 2006 out of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

Guerrero steps into a role previously held by Aaron Bates, who had been on the big league staff since 2019 and held the title of hitting coach from 2022–2026.

Dodgers add veteran coach Pedro Guerrero to hitting coach staff was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dodger player breakthroughs, historical seasons, turnarounds and more

by Cary Osborne

The 2026 season was a breakthrough year for some Dodgers, a season of change for others, and historic for a handful.

Let’s get into it, as we look at three Dodgers who fit in all those categories and more.

3 Dodgers Who Had Big Growth:
Pages, Wrobleski, Henriquez

Andy Pages turned in a 6.0 bWAR (Baseball Reference Wins Above Replacement) season — despite missing a month with a broken hand. The Dodgers have had eight 6.0 bWAR seasons by an outfielder in the last 37 years — so it’s not that often that we see a year like the one Pages had.

Pages, a first-time All-Star in 2026 was also a Gold Glove Award finalist in center field where he led the Majors in outfield assists (14). The third-year player accomplished career bests in runs (75), triples (two), walks (49), OPS+ (122) and all slash line categories (.274/.343/.468/.811).

Speaking of All-Stars, left-handed pitcher Justin Wrobleski was one of the biggest surprise All-Stars of 2026, considering he wasn’t in the Dodger starting rotation in 2025 and didn’t have a defined role as of Opening Day 2026. He established one quickly.

Wrobleski was 10–2 with a 2.69 ERA in the first half of 2026 as a vital member of the rotation. He ended up going 12–5 with a 3.66 ERA as his role evolved into a spot starter/long reliever in September and into the postseason.

Hard-throwing right-hander Edgardo Henriquez threw the third-most pitches of 100-mph or faster in the Majors in 2026. But the bigger thing is that he pitched his first full Major League season and earned his way into a high-leverage role in a talented Dodger bullpen.

Henriquez jumped from 22 appearances in 2025 to a career-high 61 in 2026 (including 23 categorized as high leverage by Baseball Reference). His .177 opponents’ batting average was fifth-lowest and his .523 opponents’ OPS was sixth-lowest in the Majors among relievers with at least 60 appearances. He also had a 2.85 ERA.

3 Dodgers Who Enhanced Legacies:
Muncy, Ohtani, Yamamoto

Max Muncy, who turned 36 on Aug. 25, was an All-Star for the third time in his career. He ended the season with 29 homers and now has 238 in his Dodger career. He was a Gold Glove finalist at third base — making this arguably the most complete season of his Dodger career. Muncy is also a Silver Slugger Award finalist.

Muncy now ranks fifth in franchise history in home runs and second in Los Angeles Dodgers history, trailing only Eric Karros (270).

Muncy also added three more postseason home runs to his franchise-leading total, which is now 19.

Before the injuries started to change Shohei Ohtani’s season, we have to remember a few things. Ohtani was in the NL Cy Young Award conversation midway through the season. He went 8–2 with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings.

Ohtani is an NL MVP award finalist. The combination of a 30-home run season and his pitching statistics make it a singular season in Dodger history.

Ohtani now has 139 home runs over three seasons with the Dodgers. It’s the most by a Dodger in a three-year span.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has 76 starts with the Dodgers through his first three seasons and has a 2.61 ERA. Only Orel Hershiser had a better ERA through his first 76 Dodger starts beginning his Major League career at 2.57.

Yamamoto set career highs in bWAR (5.9), wins (14), innings pitched (185) and WHIP (0.87) and had a 2.53 ERA in 2026. After winning Game 3 of the 2026 NL Division Series against the Braves, he has a career 8–1 record in 11 postseason starts.

Let’s go three more:
Freeman, Betts, Rojas

Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts continue to build onto their Hall of Fame resumes.

Freeman was an All-Star for the fifth time in five seasons as a Dodger.

He passed 2,500 hits in 2026 (he now has 2,598). He ranks 75th all time with 383 home runs. He ranks 24th with 579 doubles. He is 41st with 996 extra-base hits.

Betts added 3.9 bWAR to his career total in 2026. He’s now at 79.0, which puts him at 69th in Major League history. Betts reached the 300-home run milestone in 2026.

He’s on pace to reach 2,000-hit, 1,000-RBI and 200-stolen base milestones in 2027.

Miguel Rojas leaves the game with a personal milestone, reaching 1,000 career hits. But the statistics don’t really tell the story.

Rojas was a gamer — willing to help the team in any capacity, willing to play hurt, eager to support the greater cause. He is one of two Dodgers all time to win the Roy Campanella Award (the organization’s most inspirational player) three times, joining Justin Turner. Rojas is the first to win it three consecutive seasons.

3 Dodger Turnarounds:
Scott, Betts, Sasaki

Among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched in 2025 and 2026, Tanner Scott’s -2.05 difference in ERA from 2025 ranked 11th-best in the Major Leagues. Scott improved in nearly every statistical category with one of the biggest jumps in his save-conversion percentage: 70% in 2025 (23/33) to 86% in 2026 (25/29).

Betts is on here for his impressive in-season turnaround. On Aug. 4, he had a .670 OPS and 1.0 fWAR. The 1.0 tied him for 169th among position players.

From Aug. 5, till the end of the season, he was the fourth most valuable player in the Majors by measure of Fangraphs’ wins above replacement at 2.7. The only players above him were Pete Crow-Armstrong (3.6), Alex Bregman (3.1) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (2.9).

Betts ended up ranking tied-for-39th with a 3.7 fWAR.

Roki Sasaki ranked second on the Dodgers in starts (23) after making eight in 2025. His walk rate went down (-4.5%) and strikeout rate went up (+6.2%). Whiff% (+7.6%) and first-strike% rates (+2.5%) also went up.

3 Dodgers who could have a different 2027:
Tucker, Snell, Diaz

Kyle Tucker was the Dodgers’ best hitter in the postseason. He reached base in all eight Dodger postseason games and batted .333/.419/.519/.938 in 31 plate appearances. From Sept. 9 till the end of the regular season, he batted .333/.406/.667/1.072 in 69 plate appearances.

The other 558 plate appearances mostly shaped his season.

The player we saw over the last month, though, is much closer to who Tucker has been his whole career. He’ll be 30 on Opening Day.

Blake Snell was outstanding in his nine regular-season starts this season (a 1.90 ERA) and the same in 2025 (2.35 ERA). But in four previous seasons, he averaged 26 starts per year. Snell talked about, late in the season, how the injured-list stints of the past two seasons have been frustrating. He is a two-time Cy Young Award winner with stuff that is on par with his 2018 and 2023 seasons. And he is driven to once again win the award. Could 2027 be the year?

Edwin Díaz was hurt, then ineffective, then found himself at the right time late in the season and into the postseason. He is not an 8.68-ERA reliever — not even close.

Over his last nine appearances (five regular season and four postseason), he allowed one earned run and three hits with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings.

There’s a very interesting pattern that follows Díaz through his career. Coincidence or not, since 2018, he has had a sub-2.00 ERA one year and a 3+ ERA the next year (he missed the 2023 season with an injury).

The pattern would have him along the line of these seasons:
· 2018: 1.96 ERA
· 2019: 5.59 ERA
· 2020: 1.75 ERA
· 2021: 3.45 ERA
· 2022: 1.31 ERA
· 2024: 3.52 ERA
· 2025: 1.63 ERA
· 2026: 8.68 ERA
· 2027: ???

The 2026 Dodger season in trios was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have named Caroline Perry as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, effective Nov. 30, and Royce Cohen has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer.

Perry has been Chief Operating Officer of the San Diego Padres since January 2023, while Cohen has most recently been Senior Vice President of Business Strategy for the Dodgers.

“Caroline comes to the Dodgers with an exceptional record of service in baseball, and Royce has repeatedly proven his ability to be a step ahead in the sports business world,” said Stan Kasten, President & CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers. “They both offer a level of knowledge and expertise that is truly enviable. We could not be more thrilled for Caroline and Royce to assume these leadership roles in the Dodger organization.”

The highest-ranking female employee in Padres history, Perry is one of only three female COOs in Major League Baseball. The 2026 season was her 16th with the Padres, after originally joining the club as associate general counsel in April 2011. In San Diego, Perry oversaw the Padres’ ballpark operations, business strategy and analytics, legal, finance, government affairs and information technology operations. She participated in numerous large-scale projects for the Padres, including the Padres’ renovation of Gallagher Square, negotiations with the City of San Diego surrounding the All-Star Game and the management of Petco Park, and the sale of the team in 2012 and 2026.

Before joining the Padres, Perry worked as a corporate attorney for Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in the Bay Area and Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP in New York, where she focused primarily on corporate finance and general corporate matters. Prior to graduating from law school, Perry was an account management associate at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.

A native of San Diego, Perry graduated with honors from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology. Perry earned her law degree from Columbia University, where she was a James Kent scholar and managing editor of the Columbia Business Law Review. She serves on the board of directors of Girl Scouts of San Diego and the Francis Parker School and is an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law.

“It is a tremendous honor to join the Dodgers,” said Perry. “On the field, they have set an unparalleled standard of excellence in baseball under the current leadership. Off the field, their historic legacy, passionate fan base and service to the community speak for themselves. While I am incredibly grateful for my time with the Padres and for the colleagues who made those years so meaningful, I am excited to take my place with the Dodgers and to contribute to their continued success. Thank you to Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and the entire Dodger family for welcoming me.”

Cohen joined the Dodgers in 2014, developing the club’s business strategy and analytics infrastructure and subsequently leading the creation of Dodgers 365, which manages the club’s non-baseball revenue streams. During his time with the Dodgers, Cohen has emphasized building and scaling core competencies, culminating earlier this year in the launch of RightsHelper, a ticket analytics and operations platform utilized by clubs in MLB, NFL, NBA and MLS.

In addition to his contributions to the Dodgers, Cohen was instrumental in the formation of and actively manages the operation of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, a 12-team single entity professional ice hockey league in North America that features the best women’s players in the world. The league was recognized by Sports Business Journal in 2024 as the “Sports Breakthrough of the Year” and ranked №1 in Canada for corporate reputation in both 2024 and 2025, according to the Harris Poll. Cohen also supports other ownership initiatives in the sports industry outside of the Dodgers, including Elysian Park Ventures, a venture capital firm that has invested in over 70 companies across sports, entertainment, and technology.

Prior to joining the Dodgers, Cohen worked for Major League Baseball in New York as a ticketing analyst where he advised the industry on strategic matters including dynamic pricing and secondary markets.

He began his career in sports as an information technology intern with the San Francisco Giants in 2010. A native of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Cohen graduated summa cum laude from The Wharton School in 2012. He was named to Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” lists in 2023 and 2025 and was also recognized as a “Power Player in Ticketing” in 2026.

“Working for the Dodgers, Mark Walter and this ownership group has been the privilege of my career,” said Cohen. “I am extremely grateful to Stan Kasten for the opportunities I have been given and for his confidence as we look forward as a business, and I look forward to collaborating closely with Caroline and continuing to work with our talented team at the Dodgers in optimizing the opportunities ahead of us.”

Dodgers name Caroline Perry EVP & COO; Royce Cohen promoted to EVP & CBO was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced that Bob Wolfe, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will retire at the end of this year, the culmination of a 47-year career as a professional sports executive. Wolfe will remain an advisor for the organization.

Wolfe has been Executive Vice President with the Dodgers for 14 years, serving as Chief Operating Officer for the past five. In his role, Wolfe has been responsible for carrying out the club’s day-to-day administrative and operational functions and advising and executing on business strategies across the organization. He has also served as the team’s liaison to MLB on a variety of matters and as a board member of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.

In his years of service for the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals and Dodgers, Wolfe has been part of 26 division titles, nine league pennants and four World Series championships, joining forces with Stan Kasten, President & CEO of the Dodgers.

“Having worked 47 years in team sports, I’ve been more entertained than anyone deserves,” Wolfe said. “It’s been a privilege to ride the coattails of so many on- and off-the-field Hall of Famers, will-be Hall of Famers and should-be Hall of Famers. With Stan always providing the vision, I’ve had the latitude to work closely with the talented individuals and departments that make these organizations grow and succeed.”

Wolfe has been a rallying force inside the Dodger organization, championing an employee- and fan-centric culture, and supporting the merits of a collaborative effort throughout the business. Under Wolfe’s guidance, employees have cultivated a strong sense of communication, teamwork and spirit that has carried over into their connections within the Los Angeles community and Dodger fans at large.

“To have had the opportunity to finish my career with an historic baseball brand and franchise like the Dodgers has been an honor beyond words,” Wolfe added. “Thank you to Mark Walter and his fellow owners for their constant support, and to the incredibly talented and experienced group of leaders that drive the Dodgers’ success every day. Special thanks of course to Stan for over 40 years of direction, counsel and friendship, with a whole lot of laughs along the way. Most importantly, thanks to my family for always tying their calendars to the baseball schedule, and, like all great fans, for going through the ups and downs of every season alongside me.”

After launching his pro sports career with the Braves from 1980–84, Wolfe accepted a position as business manager for the Atlanta Hawks in 1985. He was named vice president/business manager of the Hawks in 1988, returning to the Braves in 1992 as Senior Vice President of Administration. Wolfe then served as executive vice president of the Nationals from 2006–11. His expertise in the business side of baseball helped lay the foundation for the construction and operation of Turner Field in Atlanta and Nationals Park in the nation’s capital.

“Bob’s entire career has been characterized by growth, innovation and success, and all reinforced by his steady day-to-day guidance,” said Kasten. “It is hard to imagine operating without him at my side, but the fact that we are going to proceed in a seamless fashion is exactly what you would expect from Bob’s style of leadership. As difficult as it is to think of him retiring, no one deserves it more.”

Dodgers EVP and COO Bob Wolfe to retire was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

There’s another way to measure the success of this Dodger era

by Cary Osborne

This golden era of Dodger baseball is that because of the three World Series championships this decade.

That sort of success — and particularly the back-to-back championships of 2024 and 2025 — built one expectation for 2026: Win again.

As we saw, it’s incredibly hard to do.

But there’s another way to look at the success of this Dodger era: the teams who ended the Dodgers’ seasons.

The Andrew Friedman/Dave Roberts era began in 2016 — Roberts’ first year as the team’s manager. That season saw the Dodgers reach the National League Championship Series and lose to the Chicago Cubs in six games.

The 2016 Cubs won the World Series.

Since 2016 — 11 Major League seasons — the Dodgers have won three World Series (2020, 2024, 2025). The eventual World Series champion beat the Dodgers in the postseason six times:

· 2016: Lost to the Cubs in the NLCS
· 2017: Lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series
· 2018: Lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series
· 2019: Lost to the Washington Nationals in the NL Division Series
· 2021: Lost to the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS
· 2026: Lost to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS

In 2023, the Dodgers lost in the NLDS to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the eventual NL champion.

The one season when they lost a postseason series to a team that didn’t make the World Series was 2022, when they lost to the San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers have built up this reputation: To win the World Series, one has to go through the Dodgers.

To win the World Series, one has to go through the Dodgers was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dodger infielder in running for MLBPAA’s Heart & Hustle Award; fan voting is now open

by Cary Osborne

Sentimentality would be an easy reason to vote for Miguel Rojas for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association’s Heart & Hustle Award.

Of the 30 players, one from each Major League team up for the award, Rojas is the only one who announced that the 2026 season would be his last.

FAN VOTING IS NOW OPEN FOR THE AWARD https://www.mlb.com/forms/2026-mlbpaa-heart-hustle-award

But even if he weren’t retiring, everything he does epitomizes the meaning of the award. It is presented to a player who demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game.

Ask his teammates, who looked at him as a leader:

“For the boys, he’s our leader,” said Mookie Betts. “A vocal guy who gets on the mic, makes sure we’re playing the game hard, holds everybody accountable.”

Rojas rejoined the Dodgers in 2023 after an offseason trade from the Miami Marlins. His first season back ended in a disappointing end — a sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series.

The next two seasons resulted in back-to-back World Series championships — the last keyed by his legendary ninth-inning home run in Game 7 in Toronto. And finally, a loss in the 2026 NL Championship Series to the Brewers in four games.

After NLCS Game 4 on Oct. 15, many Dodgers brought up the disappointment of not sending Rojas out with another championship. Freddie Freeman remarked that the camaraderie and character of this championship era has a lot to do with Miguel Rojas.

“He built a legacy that we’ll be talking about Miguel Rojas for a long time,” Freeman said. “Credit to him, he impacted so many people in this organization.”

Ask his leaders, who looked at him the same way.

“MiggyRo has been awesome,” said Andrew Friedman, Dodger President of Baseball Operations. “Just his impact — not just on the field and the role he played. Mookie’s ascension to the shortstop position — and not just being passable, but being an above-average defender at short — MiggyRo’s has his fingerprints around a lot of that. The impact that he’s made on an Alex Freeland, the impact he’s made to our culture, in the clubhouse. … Can’t say enough about the guy, the competitor, the teammate, and we look forward to and are hopeful that he’s impacting us in the future as well.”

Rojas is the first player in Dodger history to win the organization’s Roy Campanella Award three straight seasons. That honor is voted on by teammates and coaches and given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.

“We’ve got great players, great character players, great culture, guys that will do whatever it takes to win,” said manager Dave Roberts in June. ”Every guy wants to be in there every day. But I still think that understanding our value for our ballclub is leadership and not being selfish. Miggy has bought into that, and I think with that he has excelled in that role … He’s one of our leaders, and he leads by example, and he leads by his voice.”

Back in Spring Training in February, knowing 2026 would be his final season as a Major League player, Rojas reflected on who he has been throughout his 13-year Major League career.

It’s heart. It’s hustle.

“I’m the same person underneath — the heart, the sacrifice, the preparation, the way that I play the game, the amount of love and passion that I put into this game,” he said. “You will never see another Miguel Rojas. It’s the same guy. Same guy. It doesn’t matter if he’s 25 years old when I debuted, or 36 when he played his last game last year (in 2025). That’s what you’re going to get. You’re going to get effort — 100%. You’re going to get energy. You’re going to get a guy who is hungry every single day, every single year, to not lose his job and to be part of something that can be considered making the team better. So that’s what I bring every single day.”

Miguel Rojas, the epitome of heart and hustle, is up for an award of same name was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Cary Osborne

The story ended in the north, right corner of the Dodger clubhouse.

Dodger manager Dave Roberts gave veteran infielder Miguel Rojas the final words.

Rojas stood up in front of his locker. His Dodger jersey was still a clean white, the result of playing 1 1/2 innings on Thursday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. The eye black on his upper cheeks was moistened by sweat. And as he began to speak, the whites of his eyes began to turn pink as tears began to flow.

The Dodgers lost 6–4 to the Milwaukee Brewers and were swept in the NLCS, signaling the end of Rojas’ 13-year Major League career and the Dodgers’ quest for a third straight World Series championship.

“Thank you,” he told his teammates.

“They changed my life,” Rojas later said, his eyes still pink from his speech to his teammates. “I truly and honestly say that from the bottom of my heart. The last couple years here for me, it’s been the most amazing time of my life in baseball, and I grew so much with this group. I grew as a man, as a father, as a player, as a leader, as a teammate. And I just wanted to say thank you to every person here in this organization for giving me the opportunity to be myself and to kind of help change the culture of this club.”

In the middle of the room, Alex Vesia listened, and he began to get choked up.

The Dodger reliever — the longest tenured on the Dodgers’ NLCS roster — was Rojas’ teammate when he came up to the big leagues with the Miami Marlins in 2020. Vesia said Rojas took him under his wing. And then the two became teammates again in 2023 when the Dodgers traded for Rojas.

And they became back-to-back World Series champions.

For Vesia, this loss was also emotional. He has been a Dodger for six seasons and had been a vital member of the bullpen and wanted so deeply to pitch in the World Series again after missing it last year.

“It’s been life-changing,” he said of the journey. “A kid who played in (NCAA) Division II, to get drafted in the 17th round, to just wanting to make it to the big leagues with Miami, I’m traded over here, and my life completely changes,” Vesia said. “I can’t thank all the coaching staff and players who took me under their wing, taught me the ways; I would not be as successful as I’ve been if weren’t for the people in the room holding me to that standard. I’m definitely very proud of not only the last six years. But this year alone. I’m very proud of what I was able to accomplish.”

In the back of the room, Freddie Freeman listened to Rojas’ speech. He felt terrible about not sending Rojas out of the game as a player with a third straight World Series championship. He felt sad that he couldn’t make more magic happen with teammates who came back in Game 5 in New York in 2024 and in Game 7 in Toronto in 2025.

Regardless, he holds onto the bonds that will last forever.

“It’s the bus rides, it’s the plane rides,” he said. “That’s the stuff that this group had built together. It’s the chemistry and camaraderie that we will have forever. You have to realize this game is hard. Sport is hard. Life is hard. Sometimes you can give it your all, and you still come up short, and that’s what happened for us.”

In the opposite corner from Rojas, Max Muncy sat in front of his locker and listened to his teammates’ speech.

Once Rojas finished speaking, Muncy and the other Dodgers went around the clubhouse, hugged and said they loved each other.

Muncy, the longest-tenured Dodger, in terms of consecutive seasons, has played in six league championship series (four wins, two losses) and four World Series (three wins, one loss) in his nine years as a Dodger.

“We went through so much (this year),” Muncy said. “Once you get over the heartbreak of it, I feel like there’s just a feeling of gratitude for the amount of work that every single guy in this clubhouse put in. And none of us quit. We went out there, and we tried to play as hard as we could, and ultimately, we got beat.”

In the opposite corner from Muncy, on the south side of the room, Tarik Skubal — a Dodger for 2 ½ months — listened as Rojas spoke.

Skubal acclimated to the team quickly and soon became a beloved teammate. The two-time Cy Young Award winner would have started a Game 5. His biggest thought before Game 4 was how he was going to pitch the Dodgers to a win and get the ball to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 6.

“It’s so hard to win,” Skubal said. “Seeing what the Dodgers have done the last two years, you think it’s easy, but it’s really not. It’s the hardest thing to do is to win a World Series. It’s the hardest thing in baseball.”

In the center of the room, Roberts listened to Rojas — a player he deputized as his coach on the field. Roberts felt the hurt — for his players, for his coaches, for the staff and the organization. But he had another feeling.

“Extremely proud,” he said. “It never feels good to lose and not accomplish a goal to win the World Series. It started back in the early part of February. I love this team and what we had to go through.”

Winning the World Series in 2024 and 2025 was a grind. The Dodgers played the longest seasons of any team in Major League Baseball, beginning in South Korea in 2024 and Japan in 2025. There were times when they were on top of the baseball world, and other times when it appeared the sky was falling.

It never was.

The team always managed the highs and the lows.

Just like this one on Thursday against the Brewers.

Now, a new story begins.

2026 NLCS: The championship story ends … for now was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Cary Osborne

The Dodgers could look back at their 6–2 loss in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium — if they choose to — lamenting missed opportunities.

Or they can choose to let go of it and win the day — four straight times.

“That’s what we got to do. We just got to go on four, one-game winning streaks,” said Kiké Hernández. “We can’t really think about what’s ahead. We can only think about tomorrow, and we just have to win tomorrow.”

It’s often said that they’ve been in these situations before.

The Dodgers faced elimination three straight games in the bubble against Atlanta in ’20. They trailed by five runs in the fifth in New York in ’24. They were down three games to two in Toronto in ’25.

Each time they came back and won a World Series, including the last two consecutively.

But this time is different.

Not once in this championship era — that began with a World Series championship in 2020 — have the Dodgers trailed a best-of-seven series 0–3.

“At the beginning of the year, we set out to do something historic,” said Max Muncy. “Looks like we’re going to have to make a little bit more history along the way if we want to accomplish that.”

Only one team in Major League history has erased an 0–3 deficit — the 2004 Boston Red Sox, sparked by a Dave Roberts ninth-inning stolen base in Game 4. The Red Sox beat the Yankees in seven games to advance to and win the World Series.

“It’s certainly possible,” said Dodger manager Dave Roberts. “I’ve lived it, and I think the thing is that our guys have been battle-tested, as was that team I was a part of.”

This Brewers team is different from the one that trailed the Dodgers 0–3 in the 2025 NLCS and ended up being swept. Their manager, Pat Murphy, sips out of a coffee container with the word “Relentless” on it. And his team lives by it.

The Dodgers were punchless against left-handed starting pitcher Robert Gasser over five innings. But they loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth on three walks on the typically spotless Abner Uribe. Then, Will Smith broke a 1-for-25 postseason slide with a two-run double to the left center-field gap to give the Dodgers a 2–1 lead.

Smith stood on second base and Shohei Ohtani was on third with one out.

And they stayed there — the Dodgers unable to tack on.

The Dodgers had two on and one out in the third. They couldn’t score.

Even with a lead, they couldn’t hold.

Blake Snell, who was outstanding for six innings, was taken to an 11th pitch in the top of the seventh inning by Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers. Bauers hit a two-run homer to give the Brewers a 3–2 lead. Bauers’ 12-pitch at-bat walk in Game 2 against Yoshinobu Yamamoto was another momentum shifter in the Brewers’ 7–4 win on Monday.

The Brewers added another run in the seventh on a Garrett Mitchell solo homer to go back-to-back.

And they added solo runs in the eighth and ninth innings.

The Dodgers are well aware of their issues.

They are 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position. They have had a lead every game in this series, only to lose each time. They have scored seven runs in three games.

Muncy said it a little more colorfully, but the Dodgers are not playing up to their capability and the Brewers are playing great.

But there’s flickering light still on at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.

“I still feel good,” Hernández said. “It’s just we haven’t hit. We’ve got to figure out a way to turn the page. Tomorrow’s going to come quick. We’ve got to turn the page. And we know that (Tyler) Glasnow is going to come in ready to do his thing tomorrow. So it’s just a matter of us doing what we got to do to score more runs.”

2026 NLCS: The Dodgers need to make history to make history was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Cary Osborne

Shohei Ohtani believes that he can make an impact for the Dodgers now in the National League Championship Series. And the Dodgers believe in him.

That confidence, despite lingering left knee and right biceps injuries that have led to a deep slump since mid-August, keeps Ohtani in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s NLCS Game 3.

“He’s adamant he feels good enough to be in there. He’s close to finding something with his swing. I feel great about it,” Roberts said. “Yeah, he wants to be in there and help us win a ballgame and win a championship.”

There was a consideration by the Dodgers to take a similar approach to the 2024 postseason when Freddie Freeman had a badly damaged right ankle and was held out of three games, including two in the NLCS against the New York Mets. Freeman ended up becoming the 2024 World Series MVP.

But Ohtani’s assurance and recent batting practices in Milwaukee informed Roberts that the reigning two-time National League MVP is not only good to go, but he can create an offensive spark for a Dodger team in need of one.

The Dodgers are down 0–2 to the Brewers, and managed just one run in Game 1 and three hits in Game 2.

Ohtani is 3-for-20 with seven strikeouts in the postseason. From Aug. 19 till the end of the regular season, he was 11-for-70 with no home runs, one RBI and a .157/.289/.213/.503 slash line. That period included a 15-day stay on the injured list in September.

“The results, (I) take full responsibility. That’s all I can really say why the results haven’t been where I wanted it to be,” Ohtani said. “But I think there’s different approaches to this, whether that be focusing on reducing the symptoms and getting rid of the pain and/or just making sure that I’m moving well in the swing.”

But he added: “The symptoms shouldn’t be the reason why I can’t hit.”

Japanese reporters asked Ohtani if he were still confident that he can hit for power.

“When it comes to hitting for power, I think it’s mostly about the contact point,” he said. “Anyone playing in the Major Leagues has the ability to hit for power. It’s not really about my physical condition. it’s more about timing and the point of contact.”

Ohtani said there are generally short periods of time during a long season when he is mechanically in sync in the batter’s box.

“It’s just really kind of going back and forth, finding the right parts of the swing and managing just the different parts of the swing,” he said. “So it’s a constant, ongoing process that’s headed in the right direction.”

Ohtani, at his best, is arguably the most dangerous hitter in the game. The Dodgers believe whatever Ohtani they get in Wednesday’s Game 3 and beyond can be a difference maker.

“I’ve never wavered in the fact, in my belief in him,” Roberts said. “The work that he’s putting in — shoot, he squared up for a bunt in Game 2 to potentially get on base. That just speaks to whatever it takes to help the team win. He’s always been about the team, whether it’s hitting first, second, fourth, or wherever.”

2026 NLCS: Confidence is high that Shohei Ohtani is close to finding it was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.