Dodgers notes: offense heating up, Freddie Freeman working through swings and knee, Miguel Rojas unsure about retirement

# Where things stand

Braves finish their wild-card series. That opponent won't be known until their final game concludes. The team is using the downtime to keep players sharp and to rest arms and legs ahead of the postseason.

# Offense: a clearer trend in September

After two recent World Series titles that leaned heavily on pitching — the bullpen in 2024 and key starters in 2025 — the Dodgers have talked about the hope that the offense can carry them this year. Third baseman Max Muncy put it plainly: "We can't keep letting the pitchers take all the credit, right?" He added the more wry line that "it would be nice to slug our way to a World Series one of these years."

Concrete signs back that up: the offense has looked better in September. Club coverage notes that hitters have begun to find more consistent success and the hope is that those who've struggled will rejoin those who are producing. The team has five days off heading into the postseason, and staff are treating that as an opportunity to tune swings and rest arms, with the explicit aim of getting into the playoffs as balanced as possible — not reliant only on pitching.

# Freddie Freeman: swing work and a healthy report

Freddie Freeman has been a signature presence for recent Dodgers postseason runs, but his second half this season has been described as lackluster. Freeman told reporters his body "feels good," and that he's using the layoff to work on the mechanics of his swing and on his knee.

His exact phrasing: "My body feels good. I think that's the main thing. I feel like it's in a good spot to be able to do the work and hopefully fix my swing and everything that's been going on the last couple months." That sums up his approach: prioritize the knee, rework mechanics where needed, and try to enter the NLDS healthier and more productive than he finished the regular season.

# Miguel Rojas: retirement plan now uncertain

Miguel Rojas entered the season saying he would retire at its end. Now, he's less certain. Rojas described the decision as a day-to-day process and said he might announce a final choice in a variety of ways — an Instagram post or a video goodbye — but that he's "not 100% [certain]" at this moment.

That puts a veteran clubhouse presence in flux as the Dodgers shift into postseason mode. Rojas's uncertainty will likely remain a private, incremental decision rather than a formal timeline announced to the club or media.

# Short view for the postseason