Dave Roberts Embraces 'Boring' Spring Training

Even when taking into account the World Baseball Classic being held, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a more normal Spring Training camp in Arizona than compared to each of the last two years.

Their Cactus League schedules in 2024 and 2025 were truncated because of starting the season in South Korea and Japan, respectively, which presented challenges given the shortened time to prepare.

And though the Dodgers have some injuries that are impacting their Opening Day roster, the full-length camp largely went off without a hitch. It's something manager Dave Roberts understandably views as a positive even if that means a lack of sizzle, per Jack Harris of the California Post.

“It’s been a quiet camp,” manager Dave Roberts quipped Friday. “Some people would say that it’s been a boring camp –– which I think has been good for us.”

Aside from Blake Snell and Tommy Edman being ruled out for the start of the season, the biggest storylines for the Dodgers throughout Spring Training were Teoscar Hernández appearing primed for another breakout year, Roki Sasaki's inconsistency and the emergence of Santiago Espinal.

Roberts has maintained confidence in Sasaki's prospects as a starting pitcher, and Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman believes the right-hander is best suited remaining at the Major League level even if it comes with continued development.

Meanwhile, Espinal played his way onto the Dodgers' Opening Day roster after signing a Minor League contract. Espinal's opportunity arose due to Edman not yet being recovered from right ankle surgery.

The only Opening Day decision the Dodgers still face is whether they will carry Hyeseong Kim or Alex Freeland as the left-handed hitting platoon option at second base.

Whatever normalcy and sense of quiet the Dodgers enjoyed over the past five weeks, that's about to end as the team embarks on the challenge of becoming MLB's newest three-peat champion. The New York Yankees remain the last team to accomplish the feat when they did so from 1998-2000.

Expected 2026 Dodgers Opening Day roster

Starting pitchers (5): Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Bullpen (9): Ben Casparius, Edwin Díaz, Jack Dreyer, Will Klein, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Justin Wrobleski

Two-way player (1): Shohei Ohtani

Catchers (2): Dalton Rushing, Will Smith

Infielders (6): Mookie Betts, Santiago Espinal, Freddie Freeman, Hyeseong Kim, Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas

Outfielders (4): Alex Call, Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Kyle Tucker