The Dodgers’ pursuit of a three-peat faces historical odds, but a superteam roster fortified by Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz, combined with the emotional farewell of Miguel Rojas and the two-way brilliance of Shohei Ohtani, makes Los Angeles the team to beat in 2026—provided Roki Sasaki stabilizes the rotation and Teoscar Hernández returns to form.
Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate back-to-back World Series titles with thousands of fans
At Dodger Stadium on Opening Day, the Dodgers will raise their second consecutive World Series banner, a feat achieved by only four teams in MLB history—all three Yankees dynasties and the 2025 Dodgers themselves. No team has three-peated since the 2000 Yankees, and the historical weight is undeniable. Yet general manager Andrew Friedman didn’t view a repeat as the finish line. With an already formidable core, the Dodgers entered free agency and landed two of the winter’s most coveted prizes: outfielder Kyle Tucker and closer Edwin Díaz, transforming an already imposing roster into perhaps the most talented on paper in the sport’s modern era.
The significance of adding Tucker and Díaz extends beyond raw talent. Tucker brings a right-handed power bat to balance a left-heavy lineup, while Díaz locks down the ninth inning with one of baseball’s most devastating arsenals. These moves signal a clear mandate: the Dodgers are not satisfied with being defending champions; they are constructing a legacy-defining dynasty, fully aware that the 2026 season may be their last with this core before free agency and roster turnover loom in 2027.
Dodgers storylines heading into Opening Day
Miguel Rojas entering final season after World Series heroics
Miguel Rojas has been a clubhouse leader since his 2023 return, mentoring younger players and helping Mookie Betts transition to shortstop. In 12 seasons, he had never been known for power. That made his Game 7 heroics in the 2025 World Series all the more surreal. With the Dodgers down to their final two outs and Shohei Ohtani on deck, Rojas worked a full count before launching a slider from Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman into the left field seats to tie the game, setting up the Dodgers’ eventual 5-4, 11-inning championship clincher [citation]. He was the perfect unlikely hero for the perfect moment.
But Rojas’ final chapter is already written. He re-signed with the Dodgers in December on a one-year, $5.5 million deal with a pre-arranged transition into a player development role in 2027 [citation]. He’s made it clear, however, that he doesn’t want to be treated as an elder statesman. Speaking to Jomboy Media, Rojas channeled Clayton Kershaw‘s 2025 mentality: “This year, I have a different perspective because I’m not afraid to empty the tank anymore… I want to take every single opportunity, every single at-bat that I can and help the team in any capacity.” His game-changing homer was no fluke; it was the culmination of a career-long grinder finally meeting his moment on the grandest stage.
Roki Sasaki’s spring training struggles
While Rojas provided October heroics, Roki Sasaki‘s transition back to a starting role has been concerning. The right-hander, who emerged as a bullpen weapon during the 2025 postseason, posted a 2.77 WHIP in 8.2 spring innings, allowing 15 runs on nine hits and two homers while walking 15 against 12 strikeouts. Those numbers are particularly alarming given the Dodgers’ rotation depth has been decimated by injuries to Blake Snell and Gavin Stone, leaving Sasaki as a necessity rather than a choice.
Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the obvious: “It hasn’t been great. It really hasn’t.” Yet the Dodgers remain committed to Sasaki in the rotation out of both necessity and long-term belief. The pressure is now immense: Sasaki must rediscover the command that made him a phenom, or the Dodgers’ championship aspirations could hinge on a shaky fifth starter. The 2025 postseason showed he can be elite in relief; 2026 will test whether he can sustain it over 30+ starts.
Bold predictions for 2026
Shohei Ohtani will be in the Cy Young conversation
For all his 50/50 heroics and MVP buzz, Shohei Ohtani has never legitimately contended for the Cy Young. That changes in 2026. After a full offseason without injury rehab for the first time in three years, Ohtani is positioned to be a wire-to-wire starter. He made 14 starts in 2025, posting a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 47 innings, then added 20 1/3 innings in the playoffs. This season, the Dodgers need him to shoulder a full workload, and early signs are encouraging: in his final spring tune-up, Ohtani struck out 11 through four innings on 79 pitches.
“Regardless of my expectations for him, his are going to exceed those,” Roberts said. “I think it’s fair to say he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation.” Ohtani’s closest Cy Young finish was 2022 (fourth), when he started 28 games with a 2.33 ERA, 219 strikeouts, and a 1.01 WHIP. Now, with a normal offseason behind him and a rotation depleted by injuries, the Dodgers are entrusting Ohtani with a full starter’s workload. FanGraphs projects 23 starts for Ohtani in 2026, which would be his most since 2023 [citation]. For a pitcher of his caliber, the Cy Young isn’t a prediction—it’s an expectation.
Teoscar Hernández has a bounce-back season
Teoscar Hernández arrived in 2024 as a fan-favorite with a ferocious swing, delivering a career-best 33 homers, 99 RBI, a .501 SLG, and an .820 OPS to earn an All-Star nod. But 2025 was a step back: his SLG fell to .454, his OPS cratered to .738 (his worst since 2016), and his defense in right field drew public criticism from Roberts and trade rumors.
The acquisition of Kyle Tucker solved one problem by shifting Hernández to left field, easing defensive pressure. More telling is Hernández’s reported 10-pound weight loss and a spring training where he mashed five homers (leading the Dodgers) and posted a ludicrous .449/.491/.837 slash line with a 1.328 OPS in 19 games. Spring training stats are volatile, but the underlying message is clear: Hernández is playing with a renewed focus. If he can channel his 2024 form—or even approach it—the Dodgers’ already stacked lineup becomes virtually unmanageable. After all, a motivated Teoscar Hernández is one of baseball’s most destructive forces when he’s locked in.
These storylines define the Dodgers’ 2026 trajectory. Miguel Rojas provides emotional leadership and clutch moments in his farewell tour. Roki Sasaki must prove he can be a reliable starter. Shohei Ohtani is on the cusp of Cy Young recognition. Teoscar Hernández seeks redemption. The additions of Tucker and Díaz transformed a champion into a superteam. The historical odds of a three-peat are steep, but the Dodgers have never been a team to let history dictate their future. This season, they’ll write it.
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