Questions about Shohei Ohtani's health, a salary cap and Mark Walter loom for Dodgers - BERITAJA

What we know: The Dodgers lost. Their play is nary more. Their three-peat dream has been dashed. Their wintertime is upon us.

What we don’t know: What the early holds, successful what could beryllium a turbulent wintertime for the Dodgers and for each of Major League Baseball.

Here are 4 things we don’t cognize about the Dodgers, but good worthy keeping an oculus on:

Shohei Ohtani

Just 3 short months ago, we wondered whether Ohtani would triumph his 5th about valuable subordinate grant and his first Cy Young Award. Has the clip travel for the Dodgers to consider curtailing his pitching?

As the Dodgers trudged done the playoffs, we endured regular play complete wherever successful the lineup Ohtani would bat (first, second, fourth, 5th aliases sixth) and what he could nutrient contempt playing done aggregate injuries.

We’ll soon get a amended knowing of those injuries, and whether rest, rehabilitation and/or room mightiness beryllium recommended for each one. We’ll besides get a amended consciousness of what the early mightiness clasp for Ohtani arsenic a two-way player, and for his imaginable to execute astatine an elite level connected some sides of the ball.

Ohtani said he plans to resume pitching adjacent year. He is 32. He conscionable completed his 14th master season.

Ohtani has sounded much than 132 innings erstwhile since 2016, erstwhile he was 22 and playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters.

In his 3 seasons pinch the Dodgers, this was the first that did not impact rehabilitation from elbow surgery. He started 14 games earlier a knee wounded prevented him from pitching immoderate much this season.

Payroll

Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks disconnected the section during Game 1 of the NLDS.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Major convention owners are poised to unopen down the athletics this winter, successful pursuit of a net headdress designed to restrain the Dodgers, since they won’t restrain themselves.

The owners’ first connection group a net headdress of $245 cardinal adjacent year. The Dodgers already person $347 cardinal committed to 14 players adjacent year, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

Under a cap, the owners person promised a modulation play to relationship for existing commitments, and an existent negotiated headdress could beryllium higher.

Even if the players do not work together to a headdress — and they insist they won’t — immoderate economical strategy that would look from corporate bargaining would beryllium almost definite to make it achy for the Dodgers to walk truthful freely.

Whatever the case, the Dodgers could look the benignant of difficult roster choices they often person papered complete pinch money this decade. Two closers for $141 million? Good luck pinch that.

And would they beryllium capable to fresh soon-to-be free supplier Tarik Skubal into their payroll? Skubal mightiness good motion earlier the lockout is expected to commencement successful December, but location is thing supplier Scott Boras loves much than pitching a marquee free supplier to a caller owner. The 2 different Southern California teams — the Angels and San Diego Padres — some person one.

Age

Dodgers president of shot operations Andrew Friedman, left, and wide head Brandon Gomes person decisions to make about their aging roster.

(Luke Hales / Getty Images)

When Andrew Friedman made his sanction arsenic the wide head of the Tampa Bay Rays, he did it successful ample portion by taking advantage of 1 marketplace inefficiency wrong the American League East: He hit up connected the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees because they were stuck pinch rosters crowded pinch aging stars connected large contracts. The Rays couldn’t person done that moreover if Friedman had wanted to.

He didn’t want to do it excessively overmuch successful Los Angeles, because it compromises roster flexibility. But, aft 7 National League West titles and nary World Series championships, ownership went each in: Mookie Betts (12 years, $365 million), Freddie Freeman (six years, $162 million), Ohtani (10 years, $700 million), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12 years, $325 million), Tyler Glasnow (five years, $137 million), Blake Snell (five years, $182 million), Will Smith (10 years, $140 million) and Kyle Tucker (four years, $240 million).

It worked: 3 rings successful six years. Now the measure comes due.

The Dodgers fielded the oldest group of position players successful the awesome leagues this season. Ohtani and Betts are nether statement done their age-39 seasons; Smith will beryllium 38 erstwhile his deal’s up, Yamamoto and Max Muncy 37, Snell 36, Glasnow 35.

Something to watch this winter: Freeman is 37, signed done adjacent year. He would for illustration to play until 40 and decorativeness his profession here. That would return a two-year extension. Would the Dodgers opportunity no?

Ownership

Mark Walter’s security empire is nether investigation by national authorities — and the taxable of discussions pinch authorities regulators — complete allegations the businesses he controls grounded to decently travel laws designed to protect investors.

Walter’s institution has denied wrongdoing, and neither Walter nor his businesses person been charged pinch a crime. He is, however, a suspect successful aggregate civilian lawsuits successful which security policyholders declare he and respective of his companies committed fraud and breach of contract.

Walter whitethorn request much than $20 cardinal to fulfill regulators by recapitalizing security companies. He abruptly sold the Lakers successful August, successful a woody that weighted the squad — not conscionable Walter’s controlling liking — astatine $12.5 billion. He and chap Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly besides sold a mini liking successful English shot nine Chelsea FC past period for about $1.27 billion, the Financial Times reported. It is uncertain really Walter would supply the remainder of the money for recapitalization.

“Regarding the Los Angeles Dodgers, to beryllium clear, the squad is not being sold,” Walter’s holdings institution said successful a connection past month.

It is uncertain whether a solution pinch security regulators would fulfill the Department of Justice, which reports to President Trump. In July, erstwhile the Dodgers visited the White House, Walter presented Trump pinch an charismatic World Series title ringing pinch his sanction engraved connected it. He besides sold the Lakers to erstwhile Disney main Bob Iger and task capitalist Joshua Kushner, the relative of Trump’s son-in-law.

Major League Baseball is monitoring the business and could behaviour its ain reappraisal aft the authorities and national matters are concluded.