An analysis of Katie Woo of The Athletic indicates that the Dodgers “will spend the next month figuring out how to build their rotation.”
Last year the Dodgers rotated Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Emmet Sheehan and Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw is retired and Snell is still recovering from an injury, with Woo noting that he “has yet to throw a mound because the Dodgers are deliberately delaying his spring.”
That’s a third of the rotation unavailable at the start of the year, so who steps in? Manager Dave Roberts indicated it would likely be Roki Sasaki.
“If I had to look at guys that I feel really good about right now, to have a normal workload, Tyler and Roki would be at the top with Yamamoto,” Roberts said.
That said, Sasaki has struggled so far in spring training. He was supposed to get two innings of work on Wednesday, but he lasted only 1.1.
He allowed three runs on three hits and two walks, while recording three strikeouts.
“There were some positive things, but also things I need to work on,” Sasaki said through an interpreter.
Who will fill the holes for the Dodgers?
Andrew Friedman, the team’s president of baseball operations, indicated Friday that left-hander Justin Wrobleski could be a candidate for the starting rotation in 2026.
“I think his ability to grow and mature and learn how to utilize his stuff and compete in those moments will serve him well as he tries to navigate a lineup two, three times,” Friedman said. according to Sonja Chen of the MLB. “He will certainly be a candidate. He was also so good at writing, we have to weigh that up.”
Also in the mix are Gavin Stone and River Ryan, who are both injured.
Earlier this year it was thought both were likely to miss the rotation, although, as is often the case, injuries created an opportunity.
Now they have to take advantage of that opportunity.
Who would you like to see in the starting rotation for the Dodgers?
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