November 18th, 2025 at 7:00 am by Jesse Pearce

Arguably, the area of greatest need for the Dodgers 2026 roster is the outfield. Other than centerfielder Andy Pages, the 2025 regular outfielders ranged from mediocre (Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernández), poor (Kiké Hernández), and awful (Michael Conforto).

Collectively, the Dodgers outfielders earned a paltry 3.7 Wins Above Replacement (WAR). Pages’ WAR was 4.1, the rest of the outfield was negative 0.4.

Conforto ($17M) and T. Hernández ($20M) were paid well by the team to provide an offensive punch to the middle of the lineup. Their combined WAR in 2025 was 0.00 – overpaid by $37M.

There is no kind or gentle way to put it, 32-year-old Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto was
awful in 2025, as seen by this called third strike from Washington Nationals right-hander Jake
Irvin that should have landed on Half Street SE at Nationals Park on April 9, 2025. (MLB)

Injuries were factors as they impacted the performances of Edman (ankle; postseason surgery), K. Hernández (left elbow; post season surgery), and T. Hernández (groin and left foot bone bruise). The Dodgers did not have the depth to overcome injuries and poor performances.

The front office response to the outfield failures? They brought up journeyman outfielders Estuery Ruiz (acquired from Athletics), then Justin Dean (a minor league free agent) and later traded for Alex Call (Washington Nationals); their collective WAR was 0.0. Interestingly, the team did not add Triple-A Oklahoma City outfielder Ryan Ward, who led Minor League Baseball with 36 home runs, 122 RBI, 73 extra-base hits, and 315 total bases.

How will the Dodgers improve the outfield for 2026? Addition by subtraction:

Michael Conforto and Justin Dean are no longer on the team.

Tommy Edman should be fully recovered from ankle surgery.

Ryan Ward has been added to the team’s 40-man roster.

Andy Pages defensive improvement was remarkable from the beginning of the 2025 season to the seventh game of the World Series. He has the talent to be a very fine, all around MLB player.

Nonetheless, the Dodgers will likely add one (or two) proven MLB outfielders to their 2026 active roster – preferably someone for CF or RF, which will move T. Hernández back to LF.

Outfield free agent options include: RF Kyle Tucker, CF/RF, former Dodgers fan-favorite Cody Bellinger, CF Trent Grisham, and CF Harrison Bader.

Trade options are too numerous to include, the Dodgers have the pitching depth and highly regarded prospects to acquire experienced, talented outfielders for CF or RH. Or, the team acquires a full time second baseman, make Tommy Edman their everyday CF’er with Pages in RF, T. Hernandez in LF.

Next, the six man rotation.

  *  *  *  *  *  * 

from your own site.