Look, it's January 18, 2026. The Dodgers aren't playing a game today. Not a real one, anyway. If you're checking the score, you're about a month too early for Spring Training and three months deep into the glow of a back-to-back World Series title. But "winning today" in Dodger-land doesn't happen on a diamond in the middle of winter. It happens in the front office.
What Happens If The Dodgers Win Today in Free Agency
If Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes "win today," it means they just convinced another All-Star that Los Angeles is the only place to be. We just saw this happen with the Kyle Tucker signing. Everyone thought the Mets or the Blue Jays had him locked. Then, boom—the Dodgers swoop in with a four-year, $240 million deal that basically broke the baseball internet.
Winning today means securing the "Three-Peat." No team has won three World Series in a row since the 1998-2000 Yankees. If the Dodgers win the "offseason battle" today, they aren't just looking at 2026; they’re looking at immortality.
The Kyle Tucker Effect
Honestly, adding Tucker to a lineup that already features Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman feels like playing a video game with cheat codes enabled. When a team "wins" a day like today by finalizing a contract or winning an arbitration hearing—like they recently did with Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips—it tightens the noose on the rest of the NL West.
The Padres are trying. The Giants are... well, they're trying too. But when the Dodgers win the day, the gap between "contender" and "juggernaut" gets wider.
The Impact on the 2026 Roster
What happens if the Dodgers win today's internal scouting battles? You've got to look at the kids. Everyone talks about the $300 million payroll, but the real "wins" are happening in the farm system.
If Josue De Paula or Dalton Rushing shows up to early workouts looking like they've added ten pounds of muscle, that's a win.
- Josue De Paula: He’s only 20, but the power is real.
- Dalton Rushing: He’s the heir apparent behind the plate, and if he "wins" his development goals today, Will Smith might have some company in the DH spot soon.
- Roki Sasaki: Let's not forget he's the new shiny toy in the rotation. If his side session today goes well, the league is in trouble.
Why the Rest of MLB is Terrified
There is a lot of talk about a lockout. Seriously. Some insiders, like J.P. Hoornstra, have suggested that if the Dodgers win another ring in 2026, the owners of smaller-market teams are going to scream for a hard salary cap.
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If the Dodgers "win today" by looking like an unstoppable force, they are inadvertently painting a target on their backs for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations. The "win" today is psychological. It's telling the rest of the league: "We aren't going anywhere."
The Financial "Win" Today
Winning today also means the business side is humming. The Dodgers are basically a money-printing machine. Between the Ohtani endorsements and the sold-out crowds at Dodger Stadium, a "win" today is a day where the revenue allows them to eat a massive contract if a player underperforms.
They just let Clayton Kershaw retire into the sunset. They let Max Muncy's team option ride. They are moving pieces like a grandmaster.
Practical Next Steps for Fans
If you're wondering what you should actually do while the Dodgers are "winning" their offseason:
- Check the Spring Training Schedule: It starts February 21 against the Angels. Get your tickets now because Glendale is going to be a madhouse with Sasaki and Ohtani on the same field.
- Follow the Arbitration News: These "small wins" today determine how much flexibility the team has at the trade deadline in July.
- Watch the Prospects: Keep an eye on the Triple-A Oklahoma City roster. That’s where the next wave of "cheap" talent is coming from.
The Dodgers winning today isn't about a trophy. It’s about the relentless, boring, expensive work of staying at the top. It's about making sure that by the time October 2026 rolls around, the result feels like an inevitability rather than a surprise.