NFL
By: George Lopez
The Los Angeles Dodgers report to spring training started February 15th to begin preparations to defend their 2024 championship. The Dodgers have reloaded their roster, bringing back key players from last year’s championship team as well as adding players the team believes will help bring a championship this season.
The Dodgers have announced they would be going with a 6-man rotation this season. To help bolster their rotation, the Dodgers signed Blake Snell, one of the top free-agent starting pitchers. The Dodgers also signed Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki to a minor league contract. It is expected Sasaki will be in the starting rotation. Snell and Sasaki will join Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Shohei Ohtani is expected to join the rotation in May. The team announced the signing of Clayton Kershaw, which is pending a physical. Kershaw, recovering from off-season surgery will be expected to join the rotation when healthy. The Dodgers have other options for the rotation as Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin are returning from injury. Landon Knack and Bobby Miller will figure into the mix as well.
The Dodger bullpen was lights out in 2024 and manager Dave Roberts will look to them to continue their dominant run. The Dodgers added Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott to a strong bullpen. The addition of Scott and Yates gives Roberts multiple options for the closer role. Roberts has stated that Scott would serve as the closer in the early part of the season. In addition to signing Yates and Scott, the Dodgers resigned Blake Treinen.
The Dodgers have announced Mookie Betts will move from right field to shortstop this season. With Betts moving to shortstop, the Dodgers signed free agent Michael Conforto and he is expected to play either right field or left field. The Dodgers resigned Tommy Edman who is expected to play center field this season. The Dodgers added free agent Hyeseong Kim from Korea. Kim is expected to play 2nd base. With the signing of Kim, the Dodgers traded Gavin Lux to Cincinnati. Miguel Rojas resigned and will serve as a backup to Betts at shortstop.
Shohei’s first bullpen of 2025. #DodgersST pic.twitter.com/GEFpGpkZv4
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 15, 2025
A couple of the off-season moves the Dodgers made that made fans happy was the resigning of both Teoscar Hernandez and Kiki Hernandez. Teoscar and Conforto will occupy the corner outfield spots. Kiki along with Chris Taylor gives the Dodgers depth as both can play multiple positions.
The Dodgers enter spring training with 2 catchers on the 40-man roster Will Smith and Austin Barnes. Smith returns as the starting catcher with Barnes set to serve as his backup.
As the Dodgers prepare for their opening series in Japan next month, all eyes will be on them as President of Baseball Operations, Andrew Freidman has added key players and strengthened a roster that won the World Series last season. Most baseball experts are musing if the Dodgers will set the record for most wins in the regular season. For the Dodgers, that is not of importance. The Dodgers are simply looking to come out of spring training as healthy as possible as they begin defense of their world championship.
