Big roster decisions on L. A.’ s horizon

The Dodgers came within a LOS ANGELES victory of winning their first World Series championship in 29 years. After a dud of a Game 7 against the Houston Astros on Wednesday night, it’s time to start all over.

Well, not entirely over. Not with young stars Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger, and of course, ace left- hander Clayton Kershaw.

There are some big decisions to make this winter, however.

Chief among them is the fate of a big batch of possible free agents: pitcher Yu Darvish; second baseman Logan Forsythe; outfielders Andre Ethier, Curtis Granderson and Franklin Gutierrez; pitchers Brandon Morrow and Tony Watson; and infielder Chase Utley.

Darvish crashed in Game 7, giving up five runs — four earned — and three hits. The Japanese pitcher didn’t post a strikeout and walked one batter in his second World Series outing of less than two innings.

Still, he wants to stay with the Dodgers.

“I would like to come back in the World Series, and I want to pitch better,” he said through a translator after L. A.’ s 5- 1 loss Wednesday. “I just want to come back and pitch better. It’s tough, but personally I want to come back to the Dodgers.”

The Dodgers have an $ 8.5 million club option with a $ 1 million buyout for Forsythe. They have a $ 17.5 million club option with a $ 2.5 million buyout on Ethier, the longest- tenured Dodgers player.

Bellinger struck out a World Seriesrecord 17 times, but he is the favorite for National League rookie of the year.

His emergence at first base eclipsed veteran Adrian Gonzalez, who went on the disabled list for the first time in his career to make room on the roster for Bellinger.

Gonzalez was sidelined with a bad back late in the season and was left off the playoff roster, making the longtime star’s future with the Dodgers uncertain.

The Dodgers have nine arbitration- eligible players: pitchers Luis Avilan, Pedro Baez, Tony Cingrani, Josh Fields, Yimi Garcia and AlexWood, along with catcher Yasmani Grandal, infielder- outfielder Enrique Hernandez and outfielder Joc Pederson.

The team had baseball’s highest payroll of $ 240 million this year, and it’s in line to get a luxury tax bill of about $ 34 million in December.

Also on the minds of the Dodgers’ front office is shortstop Seager, whose right elbow has bothered him for severalweeks. It affected his throwing more than hitting, and Seager suggested there were issues he would need to address in the offseason.

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt’s contract with the Dodgers expired after the World Series, and neither he nor the club has indicated what his future is.

Honeycutt is the only pitching coach Kershaw has had in the majors, and his departure would be a significant loss.

Manager Dave Roberts lost his father in March and set aside his grief to guide the Dodgers to amajor league- leading 104wins and a fifth consecutive NL West title.

“You really don’t give it as much of your heart and mind because you’ve got to kind of move forward, and that’s what my dad wanted me to do,” Roberts said. “I’m sure I’ll take some time to go through that.”