Monday Rants and Raves
Here are the most interesting Dodgers stories and discussion topics for today's LA Dodger Talk.
Los Angeles Dodgers News for LADT
Monday, November 9, 2026 | Morning Edition
Some of this has been discussed... some not so much.
Here are the most interesting Dodgers stories and discussion topics for today's LA Dodger Talk.
Breaking and developing news
- 1. Dodgers pursuing Japanese pitching prospect Shoki Oda. The Dodgers are reportedly among the teams meeting with the 18-year-old Japanese right-hander. He may not sign until the 2027 international signing period begins. Another young arm for an already pitching-rich organization?
- 2. Aaron Bates departure gets more interesting. Bates reportedly left after the Dodgers and their longtime hitting coach couldn't agree on a contract extension. He spent 12 years with the organization and says he has positive feelings toward the team. The question for LADT: Is this a philosophical change in the Dodgers' hitting development program?
- 3. Tarik Skubal's free agency is a major Dodgers decision. MLB's November 7 report examines the cost of bringing back the two-time AL Cy Young winner. The Dodgers have plenty of pitching, but Skubal is a different animal. How much is too much for another long-term pitching contract?
- 4. The December 1 labor deadline is approaching. MLB's collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, 2026, and a lockout is widely expected. That could make the next three weeks especially important for trades, free-agent contracts and roster planning.
Prospects and player development
- 5. Luke Fox strikes out three in the AFL Fall Stars Game! The Dodgers left-hander struck out three batters during the fifth inning Sunday night. The National League won 7-4. Watch Fox's three strikeouts.
- 6. Chase Harlan is making noise in Arizona. The third-base prospect had five home runs and a .586 slugging percentage through 16 AFL games as of November 5. With Muncy getting older, is Harlan a legitimate future third baseman in Los Angeles?
- 7. Charles Davalan at second base remains an experiment. Baseball America scouting observations cited by True Blue LA suggest his range and reads need improvement. The bat is exciting, but is moving him away from the outfield really a good idea? The jury is out...
- 8. Josue De Paula, Eduardo Quintero and Mike Sirota present an outfield dilemma. MLB Pipeline has all three among baseball's top prospects. There's also Charles Davalan. How many of these young outfielders can the Dodgers realistically accommodate?
Other developments worth discussing
- 9. Manny Ramirez as a Dodgers hitting coach? Dodgers Nation has floated Ramirez as a potential candidate following Bates' departure. This is speculation, not a reported hiring. It will certainly generate some LADT conversation!
- 10. What version of Kyle Tucker shows up in 2027? Tucker struggled offensively through August but rebounded significantly in September and the NLCS. Can he sustain that production over a full season?
- 11. Mookie Betts and the aging Dodgers. Recent commentary is questioning how much of Betts' late-season resurgence will carry into 2027. This fits our ongoing concern about relying on an aging core.
- 12. Caroline Perry was hired as the Dodgers' COO. The Dodgers have a new chief operating officer as longtime executive Bob Wolfe prepares to retire. This is an important organizational change behind the scenes.
-13. Dylan Hernandez of the California Post reported that De Paula will seek out a pair of MLB veterans to help him out in Alex Ochoa and Gold Glove award winner Jackie Bradley Jr.
Ochoa has eight years of experience in MLB and another six in Japan. Ochoa's final game in the big leagues was Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, subbing in for Hall of Famer Tim Salmon in right field in the eigth inning before he and the Anaheim Angels were crowned champions.
Bradley, the 2018 ALCS MVP with the Boston Red Sox, also has an All-Star appearance to his name in 11 MLB seasons. During his last full season in 2022, he achieved an Outs Above Average ranking of plus-7, placing him in the 94th percentile among outfielders.
The experience that De Paula gains from Ochoa and Bradley will potentially prove invaluable assuming a lockout occurs and he won't be able to get the required help from coaches. If he proves to be able to make the jump, perhaps he can be a viable option in the outfield next year.
Discussion (6)
Disagree, not disagreeable
The Dodgers resigned Tyler Fitzgerald to a minor league deal. Reported on Yahoo Sports.
Enjoyed the AFL clips. Protecting Fox looks more and more likely.
Good to know that "recent commentary" questions whether Mookie's "late-season resurgence will carry into 2027." Well, sure. That could be said about any player with a "late-season resurgence." Who knows? But there are some familiar adages that seem to apply here. One is: What have you done for us lately? Another is: It's not how you start, but how you finish. I appreciate those sentiments, and Mookie stepped up down the stretch. (Plus, Mookie's "late-season" resurgence can be tracked back to the all-star break, about 63 games. Not that small a sample, really. For a small-sample resurgence, see Kyle Tucker.) All considered, I find Freddie's late-season struggles much more concerning than Mookie's late-season success. Freddie is three years older than Mookie--and his power just disappeared, with just a single HR after the break. In contrast, Max, who is some months younger than Freddie, had a strong second half, with 12 HRs to tie Mookie for team lead over that period. Pages and Smith also posted strong stats after the break--but each missed weeks of action due to injury.
If there is a lockout, who will help JDP help develop as an outfielder? And while he accrued some MLB time and associated salary, is it enough for him to pay someone to continue teaching him?