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\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS:<\/strong> As the 2026 MLB season approaches, the Los Angeles Dodgers\u2019 roster is nearly complete, with only a few remaining questions to be answered before Opening Day. The team has settled on its 13-man pitching staff, including newcomers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Shohei Ohtani, alongside a revamped bullpen with Edwin Diaz now as the closer. However, a couple of spots are still in flux as manager Dave Roberts decides who will occupy the final rotation spot and fill the second base platoon role.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n With the Dodgers\u2019 camp winding down, the rotation is almost set in stone. Yamamoto, Glasnow, Sasaki, and Ohtani will be the primary starters, with Blake Snell and Gavin Stone currently on the injured list. The bullpen, meanwhile, will feature a mix of veterans and promising arms, including new closer Edwin Diaz and relievers like Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Will Klein, Edgardo Henriquez, Jack Dreyer, Tanner Scott, and Ben Casparius.<\/p>\n The only remaining question is who will occupy the fifth starter role. Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski are both competing for the spot, with neither securing the position outright yet. Sheehan, who was considered the frontrunner coming into camp, will start the Cactus League finale against the Chicago White Sox. His spring has been inconsistent, with only two starts, allowing three runs on five hits, four walks, and a hit batter in six innings. Sheehan\u2019s velocity has been down, something that Dodgers coaches believe is due to mechanical issues, but Roberts remains optimistic.<\/p>\n \u201cSheehan\u2019s shown enough for us last year, and even though this spring hasn\u2019t been perfect, he\u2019s earned the opportunity to start,\u201d said Roberts. \u201cAt the end of the day, he\u2019s got to go out there and pitch well. We believe in him, but he has to perform.\u201d<\/p>\n Given that the Dodgers have four off-days in the first three weeks of the season, they can operate with a five-man rotation for now, with a sixth starter likely not needed until their series against the New York Mets on April 13-15. Until then, Sheehan or Wrobleski will have an opportunity to showcase their abilities in a piggyback role, allowing the team to keep them stretched out without committing to a full-time starter.<\/p>\n The one remaining undecided roster spot is the left-handed hitting portion of the second base platoon. Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland have been competing for the role, but neither has seized the opportunity this spring. Kim started strong with six hits in his first 13 Cactus League at-bats but then went 1 for 12 while playing for South Korea in the World Baseball Classic. Since his return to the Dodgers, Kim has gone 3 for 8.<\/p>\n Freeland, on the other hand, has struggled mightily with the bat, posting a dismal 4-for-37 (.108) line this spring. Despite this, Roberts has been reluctant to make a final decision, acknowledging that both players have shown flashes of potential but neither has fully convinced the team.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of those things you could argue both sides of, whether it\u2019s Alex or Hyeseong,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cWe haven\u2019t seen Hyeseong a bunch, and while Alex\u2019s numbers don\u2019t stand out, his at-bats have been solid. We\u2019ll have deeper conversations, but it\u2019s still a work in progress.\u201d<\/p>\n In other news, the Dodgers made a minor move by signing former major league left-hander Logan Allen to a minor-league contract. Allen, 28, has pitched for four different teams across five major-league seasons, with his most recent stint being with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024, where he appeared in 12 games.<\/p>\n After spending the 2025 season in South Korea, Allen returned to pitch for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, where he impressed by allowing only one run in 3\u2153 innings. This performance earned him a contract offer from the Dodgers, who are looking to add depth to their pitching staff. While Allen\u2019s role is likely to be in the minors, this move could provide additional options should the Dodgers face injuries or need reinforcements during the season.<\/p>\n As the season opener draws near, the Dodgers have largely finalized their roster, with only a couple of critical decisions left to make. The pitching staff is set, with a rotation anchored by stars like Yamamoto, Glasnow, Sasaki, and Ohtani, while the bullpen gains depth with Diaz taking over as closer. However, the competition for the fifth starter role and the second base platoon spot will remain a focal point in the coming days.<\/p>\n With the team poised for another playoff push, these final roster decisions will be crucial in shaping the Dodgers’ success in 2026. Keep an eye on how Sheehan, Wrobleski, Kim, and Freeland perform in the final days of camp, as they could play significant roles in the team\u2019s journey to the postseason.<\/p>\n Stay tuned to ESPN for updates on the Dodgers as they finalize their roster for the 2026 season and prepare for Opening Day!<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" DODGERS FINALIZE ROSTER AS SEASON OPENS: PITCHING STAFF SET, SECOND BASE SPOT STILL UP FOR GRABS \ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: As the 2026 MLB season approaches, the Los Angeles… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":167396,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-167394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nPitching Staff: A Solid Rotation with One Last Question<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Second Base Battle: Kim vs. Freeland<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Minor Move: Dodgers Sign Logan Allen to Minor-League Contract<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Conclusion: Dodgers Finalizing Roster with Key Decisions Pending<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n