The beginning of free agency immediately exposes the weak points in a team's depth chart. The Los Angeles Dodgers are no exception.
Their entire starting lineup is returning. So is the rotation, with the obvious exception of Tarik Skubal, who has a lucrative decision to make in the weeks and potentially months to come.
Then there's the bullpen, where the Dodgers are poised to lose left-handers Alex Vesia and Kris Bubic, and right-handers Blake Treinen and Evan Phillips, in free agency.
Closers were a focal point of the last two offseasons for the Dodgers' front office. Right-hander Edwin Diaz and left-hander Tanner Scott played vital roles in 2026. In Diaz's case, it ended better than it started , with only one run allowed in six postseason innings. Scott led the Dodgers in the regular season with 25 saves.
Both are under contract for 2027, reducing the Dodgers' sense of urgency to sign another back-end reliever. The emergence of right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, along with the expected returns of Brock Stewart, Jack Dreyer and Will Klein, gives the Dodgers six pitchers who could potentially take down high-leverage innings next year.
The Dodgers will certainly add to that depth this offseason, even if they do not pursue a closer via trade or free agency. Among the internal candidates to fill the vacant roles, here are three names to watch.
The right-hander made three mostly uneventful appearances with the Dodgers late in 2026 after spending the season's first four months on the injured list. Assuming his shoulder issues are behind him, Miller still has the stuff to make an impact in 2027 -even if his days as a front-of-the-rotation starter are in the past.
A 99-mph four-seamer, in addition to a slider and splitter, gives Halvorsen the kind of swing-and-miss stuff teams love in their high-leverage arms. The 26-year-old improved his walk rate after leaving the Rockies at midseason, but allowed three homers in only 10 major league innings with the Dodgers. That ratio will need to improve to earn a spot on Dave Roberts' trust tree.
The right-hander gives batters a unique look, using his 6-foot-10 frame to generate elite extension. That makes up for a relatively light (92.7 mph) fastball, balanced by a heavy dose of sliders and cutters. Like Halvorsen, however, Gervase's command will need to turn a corner in order for him to avoid riding the Oklahoma City shuttle for the third consecutive season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as 3 Internal Candidates to Solve One of the Dodgers' Biggest Problems .
