With Tucker in town, Roberts solves the lineup challenges

The 2026 Dodgers made their first public appearance on Saturday and received raucous ovations at Dodger Stadium during the team’s annual Fanfest event.

And because most players were present, the afternoon provided some clarity about where the team stands two weeks before the start of spring training.

Here are eight things we learned heading into the new season:

–– Tommy Edman said it is a “possibility” he will be ready for Opening Day after undergoing ankle surgery this season. But the utility man also warned he will ramp up at a slower pace this spring after the procedure, in which he had a ligament repaired and bone spurs removed. Edman has been off his walking boots for the past two and a half weeks and has returned to baseball activities in recent days. He said he has “reached every checkpoint on the road to recovery.”

–– Blake Snell addressed the physical issues that have caused him to delay his winter throwing program and put his chances of being ready for Opening Day in some doubt, as The California Post previously reported last week. The left-hander said the shoulder problem that sidelined him for most of the first half last season remained an issue through the postseason, and he spent much of this offseason in physical therapy. “It’s stronger (now),” Snell said. “(From the day I went to PT to the day I left), it’s night and day in terms of strength and how it feels. Throwing feels good. I’m just going to slow down. That’s all I’m doing.”

–– Roki Sasaki is the Dodgers’ only Japanese player not to participate in this spring’s World Baseball Classic, and announced Saturday that it was ultimately the Dodgers’ decision. “You always feel like you want to play on a special stage, and I wanted to do that again this time,” Sasaki said in Japanese. “But I’ve spoken to the team and it’s the team’s decision, so I’m going to focus on preparing for the season.” Sasaki was the only Japanese player the Dodgers could immediately prevent from playing in the WBC, as he spent so much time on the 60-day injured list last season with a shoulder injury.

–– Freddie Freeman is also not competing in the WBC for Team Canada, but said that was due to a personal situation and not health concerns: “I wouldn’t be able to go out and play and be in Puerto Rico (for the Canadian group stage matches), and be so far from my family. I had to be close to California. That’s all I’ll say. But it’s personal.”

–– After an offensive-worst season in 2025, Mookie Betts said he focused on “rewiring my body” during his offseason work this winter. “It’s more about rewiring my mechanics, my brain and the motor patterns,” he said. Last spring, Betts felt as good as ever in camp. However, a stomach virus in mid-March robbed him of his strength and caused his swing to “go out of control,” resulting in a batting average of .258 and an OPS of .732.

“It was a bit like a snowball effect,” he added. “Now I’ve put the training wheels on, taken my time and built positive days over and over again. Now we’re in a really good place.”

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–– A few players showed up at Fanfest with noticeably different physiques. Starting pitcher River Ryan, a former top prospect who missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, said he has added about 30 pounds of muscle during his rehab process, from 195 to 225. “I can throw a lot harder, a lot easier,” he joked. Reliever Brusdar Graterol, on the other hand, has lost about 15 pounds this winter after missing all of last year recovering from shoulder surgery. Both are expected to be ready for opening day.

–– Dave Roberts hasn’t decided exactly what the Dodgers’ batting order will look like after the signing of Kyle Tucker, but he did drop some hints, saying Ohtani will still start, Betts will likely bat third and Will Smith will bat fifth. That presumably leaves Kyle Tucker and Freeman for Nos. 2 and 4, in some order.

–– The Dodgers have plenty of pitching depth in spring training, leaving a few players with roles yet to be determined. Both Justin Wrobleski and Kyle Hurt said they weren’t sure if they would be used as starters or relievers this year and planned to build multiple innings in camp. Ben Casparius said he “loosely” considers himself a reliever, but will also be willing to build longer outings if necessary.