Dodgers Using Creativity With Their Pitching Staff to Start 2026 Season

The Los Angeles Dodgers started Spring Training with an expectation they would have a six-man rotation this season but injuries to Blake Snell and Gavin Stone are resulting in a change of plans.

Snell dealt with left shoulder inflammation during the World Series and as a result was delayed in starting an offseason throwing program that in turn affected his spring progression. Meanwhile, Stone began to experience right shoulder discomfort following his first--and only--Cactus League start.

Dodgers trading six-man rotation for flexibility

Although Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski are projected to be on the Dodgers' Opening Day roster, neither has been solidified as the fifth member of the rotation and one will be utilized in a bulk role, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group.

“We’re talking through that,” Roberts said Friday. “But obviously the guys that are involved – one of those guys is going to probably ‘piggyback,’ that sixth guy. We’ll figure out when we pencil him in to piggyback. But it’ll essentially be a sixth starter. But I’m not sure who that is yet.”

Once it became apparent Snell and Stone both would not be ready for Opening Day, the Dodgers were tasked with evaluating further candidates to round out their rotation. Some clarity came in the middle of the week with River Ryan and Kyle Hurt both getting sent to Minor League camp.

Sheehan went into Spring Training with an inside track to be in the Dodgers' rotation but fell behind early in camp because of an illness and is still playing catch-up in some regard. Wrobleski strung together five scoreless innings across three games (two starts) before allowing five runs on March 14.

Sheehan and Wrobleski both have experience starting and pitching out of the bullpen.

Because of an abudance of off days in the early portion of their schedule, the Dodgers can manage a four-man rotation and still provide each starter with five days of rest between outings. A sixth starter isn't necessary until their series against the New York Mets from April 13-15.

Given Spring Training roster cuts and Roberts' comments, the Dodgers' starting rotation to begin the season is going to consist of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki. The Dodgers have continued to voice confidence in Sasaki despite his uneven performance throughout Spring Training.

The rest of the Dodgers' pitching staff is going to comprise of Ben Casparius, Jack Dreyer, Edwin Díaz, Edgardo Henriquez, Will Klein, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia.