The Opener: Dodgers, Free Agents, Options

As the offseason gets underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Dodgers celebrate their championship:

The Dodgers emerged victorious from the World Series, winning back-to-back elimination games in Toronto to seize the commissioner’s trophy. Today, they’ll join the city of L.A. in celebrating their victory. Festivities are scheduled to begin at 11am local time in the city, with a parade slated to begin at Temple Street and Broadway. The parade is set to travel west on Temple, south on Grand Avenue, west on 7th Street, and north on Figueroa Street before ending at 5th Street. Simultaneously, a ticketed celebration event at Dodger Stadium will be taking place, with the parade showcased on the stadium’s video boards. The stadium celebration is scheduled to begin at 12:15pm local time, though stadium entry will begin as early as 9am.

2. Free agents hit the market:

Yesterday, over 100 players officially entered free agency as the offseason began. While those players are technically free agents, don’t expect top free agent Kyle Tucker to sign with a new team any time soon. He and the rest of this year’s free agent class won’t actually be able to negotiate with all 30 clubs until November 6. Until then, negotiations are limited to the club each player finished the 2025 season with. That lack of competition doesn’t mean a deal can’t come together, though. The Royals and right-hander Michael Wacha signed a new contract in this limited negotiation window just last year. In terms of this year’s likely free agents, one has to look no further than star closer Edwin Diaz, who re-signed with the Mets on his current deal before negotiations with other clubs could begin during the 2022-23 offseason. Will any team work out a deal to keep one of their players on board before they hit free agency?

3. Options decisions incoming:

November 6 is also the date by which players and clubs need to make their decisions about outstanding contract options. Two such decisions have already been made. Michael King declined his end of a mutual option with the Padres, while the Royals declined their end of a mutual option with Michael Lorenzen. Mutual options are rarely exercised, so those and other mutual options (like the one for Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito) are easy bets to be declined. Other no brainers include the Brewers’ club option on Freddy Peralta, which will surely be exercised, and Pete Alonso’s opt out with the Mets, which he has already said he plans to decline. Not every option decision is so easy, however, and there’s at least some intrigue surrounding players like Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story and Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga.