Major League Baseball's offseason is officially underway.
From now until Dec. 1, all 30 teams will be frantically wheeling and dealing before an expected lockout.
Once the lockout hits, there will be a freeze on all MLB activities. Any player who isn't signed before Dec. 1 could be forced to wait months before being able to secure their long-term future.
Thus, MLB executives are expected to be incredibly active over the next month, especially with potential salary restrictions looming.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the high-payroll teams who could be greatly affected by payroll restrictions. Because of that, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them make a flurry of moves before a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached.
While the Dodgers will almost certainly be in the mix to sign left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal , he'll be in no rush to sign until the Dec. 1 deadline nears.
So while the Dodgers keep tabs on Skubal , they should go out and make another move to kick off their offseason: re-signing left-handed pitcher Alex Vesia.
Vesia is one of eight Dodgers who officially hit free agency on Thursday (nine if you count the retired Miguel Rojas ).
While Skubal is by far the best, Vesia is arguably the most important to the Dodgers.
Vesia has been a staple in the Dodgers bullpen since 2021, making at least 67 relief appearances in each of the last three regular seasons.
In 2026, he had a career-high 72 appearances, compiling a 2.64 ERA over 58 innings.
Vesia has a 2.66 ERA over 328 career regular-season innings with the Dodgers, and has taken his game to another level in the postseason. Across 22.2 playoff innings, the left-hander has a 1.59 ERA.
Vesia has become one of the Dodgers' most important firemen relievers who helps them get out of sticky situations. His playoff pedigree speaks for itself, and at 30 years old, he should continue his career with the organization that's helped him find incredible amounts of success.
Vesia is expected to command a multi-year deal in free agency as one of the best left-handed relievers available.
The Athletic's Jim Bowden projected a two-year, $23 million deal , with an average annual value of $11.5 million. Spotrac projected a two-year, $14.2 million deal, which feels low at an AAV of $7.1 million.
After the season, Vesia revealed he wanted to remain with the Dodgers , but also understood it wouldn't entirely be up to him.
"From the coaching staff to the front office to the players that have taken me under their wing have helped mold and shape me into who I am and how I carry myself, how I go about my business," Vesia said. "And if it wasn't for the people in the room in this room, I would not be where I'm at today. So, very thankful. This whole experience has been life-changing."
He also sent a message to Dodger fans on Instagram.
"I don't know what the future holds, but I do want to say thank you to Dodger Nation for showing me so much love over the past six years, especially this year," Vesia wrote. "I'm just a man on a mission!"
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as The First Move the Dodgers Front Office Must Make This Offseason .
