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Dodgers Notes: LA Loses 2 Free Agents, Hires New Coach, Huge Tarik Skubal Update

Catch up on all the latest Dodgers news and notes.
Gabe Smallson|
Oct 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) looks on from the mound after giving up a solo home run to Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (12) in game one of the NLDS of the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) looks on from the mound after giving up a solo home run to Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (12) in game one of the NLDS of the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost another two players in free agency this month, a right-handed pitcher and a catcher. As for the pitcher, it was the second stint in LA for the 32-year-old with a 4.44 career ERA across seven MLB seasons.

In other news, the Dodgers officially hired a new hitting coach to replace Aaron Bates a few days after the coach and the team couldn't agree to a new contract. The new coach saw his former team finish in the top-10 in terms of batting average, on-base percentage and OPS in 2026.

Finally, as the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes heat up this offseason, general manager Brandon Gomes provided some more insight into his team's pursuit of the two-time Cy Young award winner.

"I know that he enjoyed his time here, we loved having him, so I think that's certainly helpful as far as these conversations go," Gomes said on Tuesday. "And outside of that, he's earned the right to be in this position and figure out what's best for him and his family. So we'll have those conversations as things go."

The price to keep Skubal in LA won't be cheap.

Last season, Skubal tossed a 2.61 ERA after the trade deadline in his 10 regular season starts as a Dodger, and throughout the season, got batters to chase his offerings outside of the strike zone 36.6% of the time (good for the 97th percentile) and limited his walks to just 4.4% of the time (good for the 99th percentile).

There has been a slight down-tick in Skubal's average fastball velocity from 2025 to 2026, but it is worth nothing that Skubal also underwent a NanoScope elbow surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow this past May (a similar procedure, but less intensive than what Blake Snell underwent). Even though he was still a member of the Detroit Tigers, the surgery was done with Dodgers head physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Here’s all the latest Dodgers news and stories (click the headline for the full article):

Dodgers Lose 32-Year-Old to Free Agency After Failed Second Stint With Team

Dodgers Officially Hire New Hitting Coach to Replace Aaron Bates

Dodgers GM Provides First Update on Tarik Skubal Pursuit in Free Agency

One Key Contender Reportedly Out of Tarik Skubal Sweepstakes Against Dodgers

One Competitor Has Emerged in Dodgers' Alex Vesia Sweepstakes

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles with a focus in sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at Newsweek and Dodgers Nation. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and received his Masters of Science at the University of Southern California in 2025.

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