NFL
By George Lopez
As teams begin to break spring training camp and prepare for the start of the 2026 MLB season, the Los Angeles Dodgers begin their quest for a third consecutive championship. President of Operations Andrew Friedman was not content with the roster the Dodgers used to win their second consecutive championship. Freidman looked to improve the team by filling holes in the roster that were evident during the 2025 season. The Dodgers front office brought in players the team believes have improved the roster over last season.
For most of the 2025 season, the Dodgers’ bullpen struggled, particularly the back end of their bullpen. Tanner Scott was signed before the start of last season. The Dodgers envisioned him as their closer. Scott did not have the season the Dodgers expected as he struggled in the 9th inning, leading MLB with 10 blown saves. The bullpen struggles were highlighted during the playoff run. The Dodgers turned to Roki Sasaki in late-inning situations.
Sasaki, who struggled as a starter, gave the bullpen a shot in the arm down the stretch. To address the need for back-end bullpen help, the Dodgers signed former Mets closer Edwin Diaz in free agency. Diaz, the top closer on the free agency market, brings stability to the 9th inning for the Dodgers. With Diaz pitching the 9th inning, the Dodgers can move Tanner Scott into a situational role alongside Alex Vesia for lefty on lefty matchups.
A concern heading into the season has been Blake Treinen’s performance. Down the stretch of the 2025 season, Treinen struggled with his control, leaving far too many pitches over the middle of the plate. Treinen’s struggles continued during spring training. The Dodgers will look to Treinen to correct the issues he is having with his control and pitching mechanics. They hope he returns to the pitcher the Dodgers can rely on in high-leverage situations.
Will Klein, who became an instant fan favorite after his 4 shutout innings in game 3 of the World Series, is expected to be used as a multiple-innings relief pitcher along with Ben Casparius. Former closer Evan Phillips and Brock Stewart will begin the season on the IL. They are expected to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen during the season. Justin Wrobleski will be looked up to as a piggyback to starting pitchers early in the season, as well as making spot starts for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers enter unfamiliar territory. This is the first time in 18 seasons that Clayton Kershaw will not take the mound for the Dodgers. The team has announced it will begin the season with a 5-man starting rotation. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the Dodgers opening day starter. Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Shohei Ohtani will complete the rotation. Blake Snell is expected to begin the season on the IL as he deals with arm soreness, and the team hopes to have him back in April or May at the latest. When Snell returns, the Dodgers will be expected to go to a 6-man rotation.
One question the Dodgers and MLB will be interested in during the season is how the Dodgers will use Ohtani on the mound. Will the Dodgers limit his innings throughout the season, or will they allow Ohtani to max out his performance on the mound? That is a question Dodger fans will be keeping a close eye on all season. A second question is how Sasaki will perform back in the rotation. During Catcuss League play, Sasaki posted an ERA over 13.00 and struggled with control. Sasaki does have starting-pitcher-caliber pitches. How long will the Dodgers keep him in the rotation if he struggles early on?
Last season, the Dodgers signed Michael Conforto in free agency to fill a need at one of the corner outfield positions. The signing did not pan out as Conforto struggled throughout the season. To address the need, the Dodgers signed one of the top free-agent outfielders, Kyle Tucker. With the signing of Tucker, the Dodgers will be able to move Teoscar Hernandez back to left field, while Tucker will occupy right field. Andy Pages is expected to be the Dodgers’ starting center fielder. A question Manager Dave Roberts has to answer is where he bats Tucker in the lineup. Convention wisdom would have Tucker batting 2nd or 3rd in the lineup.
Roberts may not want back-to-back left-handed hitters at the top of his lineup. Look for Mookie Betts to continue to bat 2nd with Tucker batting anywhere from 3rd to 5th in the lineup. With Tommy Edman out recovering from off-season ankle surgery, Miguel Rojas is expected to be the starting 2nd baseman to begin the season. Hyeseong Kim, who was expected to battle for the starting 2nd base job while Edman is out, was reassigned to the team’s minor league camp. Roberts stated that this move was made so Kim could play every day. He can get work not only at 2nd base, but in center field as well. Look for Kim to be an early call-up for the Dodgers this season.
After winning their second consecutive World Series title, the Los Angeles Dodgers did not look to rebuild. The front office looked to reload the roster. Andrew Friedman plugged two glaring holes the Dodgers were facing coming into the 2026 season: corner outfield and stability in the 9th inning with the signings of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz. Going into the season, the Dodgers believe they have a stronger roster than they did in 2025. MLB analysts will wonder if the Dodgers will look to break the record for most wins in a regular season. The Dodgers are not concerned with that record. The goal of the team is to get into the playoffs as healthy as possible and contend for a championship. Look for the Dodgers to play in their third consecutive Fall Classic after winning the NL West for the 13th time in the last 14 years.
Los Angeles Dodgers 2026 record
100-62
