From Tuesday through Thursday, Major League Baseball's annual general manager meetings took place in Las Vegas. For the first time in a while, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was in attendance without the title of World Series champion. 

After winning back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025, the Dodgers approached the winter months ahead of the 2026 season aggressively. They added two more stars to an already elite roster in the form of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz. 

The additions of these players undoubtedly made Los Angeles a super team on paper, and it became the overwhelming favorite to three-peat. However, that's not how things went. 

The Dodgers were able to notch 100 wins during the regular season, but the star-studded- yet-aging roster began to show vulnerabilities through injuries and some inconsistencies. 

None were hit harder than Shohei Ohtani. He was forced off the pitcher's mound in July during what looked to be a season worthy of his first Cy Young Award due to left knee inflammation and a right biceps issue. 

Los Angeles made it to the National League Championship Series, only to be swept by the Milwaukee Brewers, who eventually won the World Series. Now, the future is looking much murkier for the Dodgers than it has in a long time.

ESPN MLB Insider Alden Gonzalez reported from the meetings, and he emphasized that the Dodgers want left-handed ace Tarik Skubal back in the fold after they acquired him ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline in August. 

The issue is that Skubal could potentially set a record for the contract he is about to get, one that could be a long-term deal worth $400 million. However, the Dodgers have expressed interest in offering him a short-term contract. 

There was a time when Los Angeles could have paid Skubal long-term. But, if a salary cap is implemented in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, there is a strong chance the front office will not be able to offer that much.

If the Dodgers lose Skubal, it will certainly hurt, especially as Ohtani has found it difficult to stay on the mound due to injuries.

The other issue is that owner Mark Walter is in the midst of a federal investigation over allegations of self-dealing.

This ties back to Skubal because, as Gonzalez asked, is Walter willing to shell out the type of money Skubal is worth as he finds himself in this situation? 

Moreover, if Walter is found guilty, what kind of repercussions will that have for the franchise? The Dodgers have been among baseball's top spenders for years, but they now find themselves in a very precarious situation.

Over the last half-decade, the Dodgers have been the dominant face of baseball. They have won three World Series titles in a six-year span and have demonstrated that competence on the field, mixed with star power, makes them a force to be reckoned with.

But now, one of baseball's biggest stars might be leaving. Other stars are aging, and ownership finds itself in a scandal. 

This is a deadly combination that threatens the viability of what Los Angeles has built, and it puts into question how much longer it will last.