RSS Dodgers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Insurance decisions deplete World Baseball Classic rosters

Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) pitches against Mexico during the second inning of a semifinal game at the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park on Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas is heading into his final major league season and might have started things off by representing Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. But like a number of players, Rojas was denied insurance coverage to be able to play in the international tournament this March.

Rojas expressed frustration at the process in talking to reporters Saturday at Dodgers Fest at Dodger Stadium over the process. From Alden González at ESPN:

“My only question is: Why is it just with our countries [in Latin America], like Venezuela, Puerto Rico, a couple Dominican players?” Rojas said. “I don’t see that happening with the United States or happening with Japan. And I’m not trying to attack anybody, or attack what’s going on … but at the end of the day, it feels like it’s just happening with the players that want to represent their country from Latin America. So, there’s a lot of things I would like to talk about with someone in control, with someone from MLB.”

On Friday, Mets star shortstop Francisco Lindor was also denied insurance to play for Puerto Rico in the WBC after offseason right elbow surgery, despite being cleared for spring training activity. Same for Astros star Jose Altuve, who won’t play for Venezuela.

“Due to the criteria for WBC insurance coverage, Jose Altuve was looking forward to participating in the WBC and representing Venezuela, but unfortunately is not eligible to do so,” the MLB Players Association said in a statement. “Jose is obviously disappointed in this result, but he is looking forward to getting to spring training and preparing himself for a successful season.”

Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich at The Athletic on Saturday outlined various details of National Financial Partners, who brokers insurance for the World Baseball Classic:

The insurance policy pays back the major-league club for a player’s salary if the player gets hurt during the WBC. Players are not at risk of losing their salaries. For approved position players, the insurance covers 100 percent of their salary for two years, sources said. For pitchers, it’s four years.

No cap exists for how much salary can be covered in total across MLB, a source said, emphasizing there is not a game of musical chairs in which one player’s insurance approval could reduce the chances of another’s.

Trips to the 60-day injured list and recent surgeries such as Lindor’s are typically disqualifying. But the insurer reviews each player’s injury history case by case.

Relevant to Rojas, who turns 37 in February, again from The Athletic:

The insurance does not cover players once they are 37, a difference from previous WBCs, sources said. That will affect some players who are close to 37, as well. Major-leaguers are likely to be denied if they turn 37 in the two-year window for position players or the four-year window for pitchers.

Probably the most notable Dodgers instance of this was with Clayton Kershaw, who in 2023 was named to the United States roster for the WBC but was denied insurance at nearly age 35, within the window of being denied insurance. Kershaw will be a part of the 2026 roster for Team USA, partly because as a retired player, there is no MLB salary to insure.

Freddie Freeman, 36 this year, also won’t play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic after participating in the tournament in both 2027 and 2023, though he said Saturday it was his choice.

Freddie Freeman said he is not playing in the WBC because of a personal situation. He said Team Canada was supportive

“I wasn’t (going to be) able to go out there and play and be in Puerto Rico (for the group stage games) and be that far from my family. I needed to be close to…

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) January 31, 2026

Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki missed over four months on the 60-day injured list last season with a right shoulder impingement. He was unlikely to be approved for insurance per the above criteria, and told David Vassegh of KLAC AM 570 on Saturday that it was the Dodgers’ decision that Sasaki wouldn’t pitch for Japan in the WBC.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, and will be joined by Shohei Ohtani, who will hit but won’t pitch during the tournament. Rosenthal and Drellich reported that Ohtani “was unlikely to be cleared to pitch, people briefed on the underwriting process said.”

Pool play for the World Baseball Classic starts on March 5. Players for Japan are expected to join the team in Tokyo for exhibition games on February 27-28 in preparation for the tournament.

UPDATE: New Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz, who suffered a season-ending injury during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, was announced on Monday as pitching for Puerto Rico.

Sound the trumpets

Edwin Díaz returns for a third #WorldBaseballClassic with Team Puerto Rico! pic.twitter.com/GRwNMik3Kt

— MLB (@MLB) February 2, 2026

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/world-baseball-classic/109404/world-baseball-classic-insurance-dodgers

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

What to expect from Tommy Edman in 2026

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 10: Tommy Edman attends the 2025 Baby2Baby Holiday Distribution presented by FRAME & Nordstrom at Dodger Stadium on December 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Baby2Baby) | Getty Images for Baby2Baby

The Dodgers were enamored with Tommy Edman long before they traded for him during the 2024 season, then extended him last winter. His versatility on the field has proved quite valuable even as he’s struggled with a right ankle injury during the last two seasons.

Even if Edman is limited to mostly one position in 2026, he remains one of the keys for the Dodgers to unlock their full potential.

Health will be paramount, even if it takes a little time for him to get going this season after ankle surgery in November. Edman during Dodgers Fest on Saturday said he’s about two and a half weeks removed from wearing a walking boot and is just now ramping up his baseball activity. What’s important is if Edman can avoid being limited by the ankle, which prevented him from playing center field often in 2025.

The ankle has limited Edman at the plate as well. He has a .280 on-base percentage in 530 plate appearances since joining the Dodgers, with an 85 wRC+. But he’s still been valuable to the tune of 2.0 WAR by both Baseball Reference and FanGraphs over that time, thanks to his versatility and plus defense. He has a 103 wRC+ during his two postseasons with Los Angeles, including winning NLCS MVP in 2024.

From 2021-23 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Edman had a 96 wRC+ averaging 150 games, 616 plate appearances, 4.0 bWAR and 3.9 fWAR.

With the Dodgers’ signing of Kyle Tucker to play right field, coupled with Teoscar Hernández in left field and Any Pages in center, Edman might not be needed to play much outfield this season. He figures to see the bulk of his time at second base, where he made 60 of his 90 starts last season. Edman in his career has amassed 28 Outs Above Average and 24 Defensive Runs Saved in his 374 games and 311 starts at second base, where he won a Gold Glove Award in 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

“I love playing second. Obviously I’m very comfortable there,” Edman said on SportsNet LA on Saturday. “I haven’t had direct conversations with [manager Dave Roberts] yet. We’ll see what the roster alignment is, and I guess that I’ll be mostly playing second base. I’ll be ready wherever. That’s kind of been the theme of my career so far.”

Even if Edman doesn’t play much outfield this season, he might still see time around the diamond. Max Muncy had three long injured-list stints over the last two seasons, and over the last four seasons has hit just .165/.281/.375 with an 84 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. The switch-hitting Edman is a career .273/.314/.495 career hitter with a 118 wRC+ against southpaws. Andy Ibáñez, who signed a one-year deal in January, should also be in the mix at third base and second base against lefties.

Edman could conceivably see time at third base plus occasionally filling in at shortstop and center field as needed, all positions he’s played before. But after playing only 134 games over the last two seasons — Edman also missed the first half of 2024 after wrist surgery — getting something resembling a fully healthy season will be key for this year.

Today’s question is how many games will Tommy Edman play in 2026?

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/daily-question/109407/tommy-edman-dodgers-2026

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers prospect to watch in 2026: Christian Zazueta

ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 24: Detail view of baseball cap and glove belonging to Ted Lilly #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the right field grass before the interleague game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 24, 2012 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Christian Zazueta is coming off a breakout season in 2025, posting a 2.41 ERA in 17 starts, 16 of them for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, with 81 strikeouts and 16 walks in 67 1/3 innings, his 23.8-percent strikeout-minus-walk rate tops among all Dodgers minor league pitchers with at least 50 innings last year.

The right-hander was named a California League All-Star after the season, and won Cal League pitcher of the month for allowing only six runs in his six starts in May, with 31 strikeouts against only five walks in 30 innings. His best start came on June 18 against Lake Elsinore, when Zazueta retired 15 of 16 batters faced with 10 strikeouts in his five scoreless innings.

Acquired from the New York Yankees for lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson in February 2024 — two years ago Wednesday — Zazueta last season won the Branch Rickey Award as the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year.

Now just 21 years old, Zazueta is rising on various prospect lists this year. He was ranked the seventh-best prospect in the Dodgers system by Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs in December, with Longhagen noting an ankle sprain and second-half workload management by the Dodgers prevented Zazueta from ranking in an even higher tier.

More from Longenhagen:

The 2026 season is his 40-man platform year, so the Dodgers have incentive to stretch him out to 110-ish innings and push him to Double-A at some point to stress test that slider against better hitters. He’s on pace to make his big league debut in 2027 as a spot starter and then establish himself as key rotation cog in the years beyond. Our grade in this instance leaves room for Zazueta’s fastball velocity and command to improve thanks to his build and athletic traits.

Zazueta was ranked 12th by Baseball America, rated 16th by Baseball Prospectus, and 17th in the system by The Athletic. Kiley McDaniel at ESPN last week ranked Zazueta as the No. 156 prospect in baseball entering 2026, 11th in the Dodgers system.

Thomas Nestico at his TJ Stats newsletter this week had high praise for the minor league right-hander, including him in the “stuff savants” category of prospects he expects to make the top 100 entering 2027.

“Christian Zazueta may be the top pitching prospect in the Dodgers system, combining strong strike throwing with electric stuff,” Nestico wrote. “His fastball sits 93-94 mph with 14 inches of [induced vertical break], a shallow -4.3° [vertical approach angle], and excellent whiff rates, while his slider and changeup round out a prototypical three-pitch starter mix.”

Zazueta made one shortened (one-inning) start for High-A Great Lakes in August to end his 2025 season, so it’s likely that’s where he starts this season.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-prospects/109475/dodgers-christian-zazueta

 

[Zedster]

Spring training coming up is always a nice time of year. Good to see the baseball calendar getting back into motion.

That Zazueta kid sounds like he could be something special. A 23.8% K-BB rate at his age is pretty impressive, and the fact that he's climbing prospect lists after just one real breakout season says a lot. The Dodgers development machine continues to churn out interesting arms.

The WBC insurance situation is frustrating to read about, honestly. Rojas makes a fair point about the optics of which players seem to get denied most often. I get that teams need to protect their investments, but there's something that doesn't sit right about players being unable to represent their home countries in what's supposed to be a celebration of international baseball. At least Ohtani will be there hitting for Japan, even if he can't pitch.

As for the Edman question - I'd guess somewhere around 120-130 games if he stays reasonably healthy. The ankle has clearly been nagging him, and the Dodgers have enough depth that they don't need to run him out there every single day. Second base seems like the right spot for him with Tucker now in the outfield mix. That lineup is going to be absolutely stacked if everyone stays on the field.

Looking forward to seeing how Roberts slots everyone in. Ohtani leading off, Betts third, Smith fifth... that's a lot of firepower before you even get to the middle of the order.

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Who is your favorite underrated Dodger?

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: A detail shot of the main entrance to Dodger Stadium prior to Game One of the National League Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Star players are exciting to watch, no doubt, but baseball seasons are long, and there is plenty of time to build up an affection for just about every type of player.

Miguel Rojas is entering his 13th and final major league season, before he transitions into a front office role with the Dodgers. He’s never made an All-Star team, but was a dependable regular at shortstop for five years with the Miami Marlins before returning to Los Angeles in more of a reserve role over the last three seasons.

Rojas had done everything that’s been asked of him, including playing all over the infield and even helping tutor star Mookie Betts or then-rookie Miguel Vargas about the finer points of middle infield play. Rojas isn’t a star, but he’ll be remembered forever for his game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.

“It’s coming on your feed every single day. You’re seeing the homer, you’re seeing the plays, you’re seeing the whole series,” Rojas said on SportsNet LA during Dodgers Fest on Saturday. “And then the feedback from the people on the streets. When they come to you and say, ‘That was the most memorable World Series,’ ‘That was the best game I’ve ever seen,’ it’s really impactful, because you were part of something really cool in baseball. That’s a moment you will never forget.”

The home run by Rojas to me was similar to that of catcher Mike Scioscia in Game 4 of the 1988 NLCS. Down 4-2 in the ninth inning against Mets ace Dwight Gooden, the Dodgers were three outs away from a 3-1 series deficit against a 100-win team. But after a leadoff walk, Scioscia jumped on a first-pitch fastball for a game-tying home run that was so shocking even Al Michaels on ABC noted that Scioscia to that point hit only 35 home runs in his nine-year career, while Scioscia was still rounding the bases.

Rojas has 57 regular season home runs in his 12 years to date. Scioscia made two All-Star teams with the Dodgers so perhaps he doesn’t fall into the underrated or unheralded category.

Eric Karros never made an All-Star team, but is generally well-regarded as the Dodgers’ home run leader since moving to Los Angeles, and is still broadcasting games for the team on television from time to time. I’m not sure he is underrated, but maybe he is. To each their own.

There can be many reasons for having an affinity for a non-star player. Maybe it was a specific moment from a game you watched as a kid. Maybe they have a penchant for earning three-inning saves. Who knows?

Today’s question is who is your favorite underrated or unheralded Dodgers player, past or present, and why?

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/daily-question/109434/underrated-dodgers

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers spring training preview: Infield

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Mookie Betts #50, Freddie Freeman #5, Max Muncy #13 and Tommy Edman #25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on during a Zoom Replay Review in the seventh inning of Game Four of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Dodgers spring training officially begins next week at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, so let’s take a look at the roster heading into camp. We’ll start first with the infielders, the deepest (and oldest) group on the team among position players.

Dodgers infielders hit .257/.332/.422 as a group in 2025, easily outpacing the outfielders at .240/.299/.415. The team upgraded heavily in the latter in signing Kyle Tucker, while the infielders are mostly the same group in 2026.

40-man roster infielders​

• Freddie Freeman 1B
• Tommy Edman 2B/SS/3B/CF
• Mookie Betts SS
• Max Muncy 3B
• Miguel Rojas IF
• Hyeseong Kim 2B/SS/CF
• Alex Freeland SS/3B/2B

Things to watch​

Will Mookie Betts find his bat? That Betts transformed from a longtime Gold Glove-winning outfielder into a capable major league shortstop defensively was remarkable, and kept him quite valuable even as his offense waned. Betts hit .258/.326/.406 with a 104 wRC+, worsts across the board in his 12-year career, in a season that began with a stomach virus that depleted his weight in March. Betts at Dodgers Fest on Saturday talked about his offseason plan to re-find his mojo at the plate.

Tommy Edman’s ankle: Edman had right ankle surgery in November, and his readiness for opening day might be in question. But there’s hope that the season as a whole will be healthier after being bothered by the ankle over the last year and a half, and playing only 134 games combined over the last two seasons. With Tucker on board, Edman’s time will probably be mostly spent on the dirt in 2026, playing second base for the bulk of his time.

Platoon at third base? Max Muncy missed significant time with injuries over the last two seasons, starting 162 games. That left time for eight other players to combine for the other 162 starts over the hot corner in 2024-25. Since the start of 2022, Muncy against left-handed pitchers has hit .165/.281/.375 with an 84 wRC+, with seasonal OPS of .679, .642, .743, and .594 against same-handed pitchers.

This might have been a role for Andy Ibáñez, who signed a one-year deal on January 13 (before Tucker signed) to likely mash lefties, with a career 115 wRC+ against southpaws. But he was designated for assignment on Tuesday. Miguel Rojas, who has a 121 wRC+ against lefties over the last two seasons, started 20 games at third base in 2025.

What role for Hyeseong Kim? The signee out of the KBO last season was exceptional defensively at second base but was overmatched at the plate down the stretch, ending at .280/.314/.385 with a 95 wRC+ and 30.6-percent strikeout rate after a hot start. Kim’s best opportunity at playing time probably rests in the fact that the ages of those above him on the depth chart are 36, 31, 33, 35, and 37 years old.

Welcome back, Kiké? It seemed highly likely that human security blanket Kiké Hernández would return once again to the Dodgers eventually this offseason. But with Ibáñez now out, a Hernández return seems even more inevitable. He might miss time at the beginning of the season after left elbow surgery in November, but as long as he’s healthy ready by October it’ll be fine. Hernández signed with the Dodgers on or after the first day of spring training camp in each of the last two seasons, if you’re wondering about the timing.

W-B-Seeya: Kim is the lone Dodgers infielder headed to the World Baseball Classic, which will keep him out of spring camp for at least two weeks or so. He’ll represent Korea in the WBC, which begins pool play in Tokyo on March 5.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/109486/dodgers-spring-training-infield

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers home run history

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks to the fans during Dodger Fest at Dodger Stadium on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Shohei Ohtani signed the largest contract in baseball history at the time in December 2023, and in his first two years in Los Angeles has won two championships, won two MVP awards, and set two Dodgers single-season home run records.

Ohtani’s 54 home runs in 2024 were five more than Shawn Green’s previous franchise mark set 22 years prior. Then in 2025, Ohtani added one more to his total, to date the only player in MLB history to hit exactly 55 home runs in a season.

That brings us to another Dodgers record that is well within reach for Ohtani in 2026.

Most home runs in a 3-year span, Dodgers​

• Duke Snider (1954-56) 125
• Duke Snider (1955-57) 125
• Duke Snider (1953-55) 124
• Shawn Green (2000-02) 115
• Gary Sheffield (1999-2001) 113
• Cody Bellinger (2017-19) 111
• Shawn Green (2001-03) 110
• Shohei Ohtani (2024-25) 109

Only four Dodgers — covering seven total spans — have hit more home runs in a three-year span than Ohtani hit in his first two seasons.

He’s already 31st in Dodgers history with his 109 home runs, and he’s only played two years for them.

Ohtani needs only 17 home runs in 2026 to set a Dodgers records for most homers in a three-year span. If he has another year anywhere close to his last two seasons, more rarefied air is in play.

Six Dodgers have three or more consecutive seasons of 30 or more home runs: Gil Hodges five years (1950-54), Duke Snider five years (1953-57), Mike Piazza (1995-97), Eric Karros (1995-97), Raúl Mondesi (1997-99), and Gary Sheffield (1999-2001).

Snider, who hit at least 40 home runs in five straight years from 1953-57, is the only Dodger with more than two seasons of 40 home runs.

Ohtani hit 46, 34, and 44 home runs in his final three years with the Angels, giving him 233 home runs over the last five seasons, an average of just shy of 47 per year. His projections for this season are in that same area:

• ZiPS: 52 home runs
• OOPSY: 50 HR
• THE BAT: 47 HR
• Marcel: 44 HR
• Steamer: 44 HR

Today’s question is how many home runs with Shohei Ohtani hit in 2026?

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/daily-question/109494/shohei-ohtani-dodgers-home-run-history

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers spring training plans in 2026?

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 07: A general aerial view of Camelback Ranch on January 07, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. The stadium is the spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Spring training officially starts next week, with Dodgers pitchers and catchers holding their first workout at Camelback Ranch in Arizona on Friday, February 13, and the first full-squad workout on February 17.

Backfield workouts are open to fans, though there are some areas that are more out of reach to the public. A more traditional fan experience begins with the Dodgers’ Cactus League schedule starting on Saturday, February 21 in Tempe against the Angels. The Dodgers’ first game at Camelback Ranch is Monday, February 23 against the Mariners.

With no trip overseas to begin the regular season more than a week early, the Dodgers will have a more traditional spring training this season, with the Arizona portion of their camp running for a little more than five weeks, through March 21.

My first trip to spring training was in 2006, when the Dodgers still trained at Vero Beach. At my old job, we had a conference in Miami, and I flew out a day early to drive to see Holman Stadium for the first time, a great way to spend my 30th birthday. My one regret is that I didn’t take more time to roam the grounds at Vero Beach. I didn’t have a ton of time, and after a red-eye flight and two-plus-hour drive to the stadium I was more tired than I expected.

I’ve been to Camelback Ranch quite a bit, as their first year there coincided with my first season writing about the team, and have quite a few fond memories of going to Arizona.

Today’s question is are you going to spring training this year?

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/daily-question/109521/dodgers-spring-training-plans

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Clayton Kershaw dominates in first playoff outing as a Cy Young winner

Oct 3, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) reacts after the third inning against the Atlanta Braves of game one of the National League divisional series playoff baseball game at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Repetition is the root of commonality, but there was actually a time when the Dodgers weren’t seen as the prohibitive favorites heading into every playoff series. The stage was quite different back in 2013. Largely propelled by first-year impactful performances from Yasiel Puig and Zack Greinke, a Dodgers squad without the depth we’ve grown accustomed to returned to the postseason for the first time in four years to play a 96-win Braves team. After a playoff hiatus towards the end of the Brian Cox tenure, Atlanta was making the postseason for the third time in the last four years and was the more experienced team.

One big advantage the Dodgers had over the Braves in that particular series was in the form of high-end starting pitching. While Atlanta had a very successful campaign with the likes of Julio Teheran, Mike Minor, and Kris Medlen — the latter faced Clayton Kershaw in Game 1. Los Angeles had two established aces and a number three in Hyun Jin-Ryu that rivaled any team in that period. Now, the depth after those three was very shaky, which led Kershaw to start Game 4 on short rest even though Los Angeles had the lead in the series, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves.

Back then, when pitchers still hit, the Braves only trailed the Rockies in slugging percentage among National League teams, finishing the year at .402. Those numbers were a bit worse against southpaws, which made sense given how lefty-heavy that Braves team was at the top, with the likes of Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, and Brian McCann.

On the road, against a tough opponent, and at the height of his powers, coming off what would be crowned his second Cy Young win in the last three years, Kershaw dominated in a manner that we don’t even see from the aces these days, pushed well beyond the currently acceptable levels, finishing his outing with a whopping 124 pitches.

Setting the tone early, Kershaw finished the opening frame with bookend strikeouts against Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman, utilizing that patented down-and-away slider to lefties to punch out Heyward and then blowing a heater by Freeman. Back then, the Kershaw had an easy 95-mph heater he could turn to, something he had to adapt to being without for the second half of his career.

Scoring in every inning between the second and fourth, the Dodgers took a commanding 5-0 lead that felt insurmountable with Kershaw on the mound, particularly with a couple of shutdown frames in the second and third. Trailing 5-1, the Braves had an opportunity to get back into things with Andrelton Simmons up, two on and two out, but once again, that slider bailed him out. Kershaw threw a down-and-in breaking ball to the Braves’ shortstop, who couldn’t help but swing on top of it, thus ending the threat.

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Kershaw would leave that game with 12 punchouts, which would remain his career high in the postseason for many years until a marvelous eight-inning performance against the Brewers in 2020, in which he recorded 13 Ks, eventually helping the Dodgers win their first championship that year.

Starting a trend that would remain for the better part of Kershaw’s prime, the Dodgers’ ace was called upon to pitch on three days rest in Game 4 of this series, as the Dodgers hoped to avoid having to go back to Atlanta for a Game 5. Holding his own as he would routinely do in such instances, Kershaw tossed six strong with two unearned runs in a game ultimately decided in the late innings by a Juan Uribe go-ahead homer.

That Dodgers team faltered in the NLCS, but for where it was in its contention window, it had a decent run, and if it even got as far as the NLCS, it owed a lot of it to Kershaw, who played a humongous role in this series against an equally strong Braves team.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-rewind/109387/clayton-kershaw-dodgers-2013-nlds

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Ben Rortvedt back with Dodgers, who DFA Anthony Banda

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Anthony Banda #43 talks with Ben Rortvedt #47 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning of play against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The long and winding road of the Ben Rortvedt offseason boomerang has returned once again to Los Angeles. The Dodgers claimed the catcher off waivers from the Reds, the inverse of what happened way back on November 12. To make room for Rortvedt on the 40-man roster, pitcher Anthony Banda was designated for assignment.

Cincinnati designated Rortvedt for assignment on Tuesday when they finalized a one-year deal for slugger Eugenio Suárez.

Rortvedt has played in the majors of four of the last five seasons (2021, 2023-25) for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Dodgers. Los Angeles acquired the catcher in a three-team trade on July 31, when Rortvedt was off the 40-man roster.

With injuries to both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing in September, Rortvedt not only found his way back to the majors but also started 15 of the Dodgers’ final 21 regular season games behind the plate. He also started the first four postseason games for Los Angeles until Smith was ready to return from a broken hand, and Rortvedt remained active for the entirety of the postseason.

Rortvedt signed a $1.25 million deal for 2026 in November to avoid salary arbitration, and per the collective bargaining agreement all such deals for arbitration-eligible players outside of a hearing are guaranteed.

Rortvedt is out of minor league options, having used options from 2021-23, so the Dodgers will be in the same boat with him as before if Smith and Rushing are both healthy and active come opening day, as expected. The Dodgers tried to get Rortvedt through waivers in November, hoping to keep him around as catching depth off the 40-man roster, before the Reds claimed him.

Banda also avoided salary arbitration this winter, signing a one-year, $1.625 million contract in January. Banda is used to bouncing around, having pitched for seven major league teams in his first seven seasons before finding some semblance of stability in the Dodgers bullpen.

The veteran Banda is also out of options, though that didn’t hinder him from sticking around and pitching in important games over the last two seasons.

In 2024-25 in Los Angeles, Banda had a 3.14 ERA and 3.46 xERA in 119 games, with 111 strikeouts and 52 walks in 114 2/3 innings, his best two seasons by ERA, games, innings, and strikeouts. The left-hander was a workhorse in the last two postseason, pitching in 17 of the Dodgers’ 33 games.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-roster/109639/ben-rortvedt-anthony-banda-dodgers

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Athletics claim Andy Ibáñez off waivers from Dodgers

Sep 20, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Andy Ibanez (77) hits a run-scoring single in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Andy Ibáñez experience with the Dodgers lasted all of 24 days. The A’s claimed the veteran infielder off waivers on Friday, just three days after Ibáñez was bumped off the 40-man roster in Los Angeles.

Ibáñez was designated for assignment on Tuesday when the Dodgers claimed outfielder Michael Siani in one of his many waiver transactions this winter.

The Dodgers signed Ibáñez to a one-year, $1.2 million contract on January 13, more than a week before they landed Kyle Tucker. While that might not seem as relevant considering Tucker is an outfielder and Ibáñez is an infielder, adding Tucker essentially gives the Dodgers three mostly-everyday outfielders, which probably means utility man Tommy Edman spending more time on the infield instead of going back and forth between second base and center field.

That meant fewer opportunities for Ibáñez, who has played mostly second and third base throughout his career.

There might be more opportunities for playing time in Sacramento, though the A’s this winter also traded for Jeff McNeil and have an infield that already includes first baseman Nick Kurtz and shortstop Jacob Wilson, along with Zack Gelof, who is coming off surgery late last season.

Ibáñez in parts of five seasons with the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers is a .254/.305/.389 hitter with a 92 wRC+, including .280/.327/.452 with a 115 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. He turns 33 in April.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-roster/109624/andy-ibanez-waivers-athletics-dodgers

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Clayton Kershaw outlasts Daniel Murphy to stave off elimination

Oct 13, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) reacts after the seventh inning against the New York Mets in game four of the NLDS at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Looking back at the 2015 season, you can’t help but think of what was probably the greatest Cy Young battle in the modern era, as Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Jake Arrieta delivered a memorable three-way race, with the award going to the Cubs’ ace. Greinke and Kershaw were the heart and soul of that Dodgers pitching staff, with Greinke making a run at the scoreless innings record still held by Orel Hershiser and Kershaw putting up his only 300-strikeout campaign, the first one baseball had seen since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling both did it in 2002.

Across their tenure as a one-two punch at the top of the Dodgers’ rotation, Kershaw and Greinke had probably their worst supporting cast that year, with them combining to accumulate 16.1 of the 18.1 bWAR the Dodgers staff had as a whole. Those two and the Dodgers’ staff as a whole met their match in an exciting five-game NLDS against the young and exciting Mets, but in Game 4, Kershaw reminded everyone who was the best in the business.

The upside of having two so dominant arms, particularly in the NLDS, was that if you showed the willingness to pitch one of them on short rest, you could have the two covering four out of the five starts of the series — that’s exactly what the Dodgers did. Finding themselves with their backs against the wall, trailing the series 2-1 and on the road, the Dodgers sent out Kershaw to start Game 4 in Queens, hoping to stay alive to give Greinke the ball back home.

A notorious Met killer in his career, Kershaw had fond memories of his last visit to New York, previously throwing a complete-game shutout against the Mets in 2015—part of an incredible run of form that saw him throw four straight scoreless appearances of eight innings or more. On the flip side, he had just been outdueled by Jacob deGrom in game 1 of this series, putting the Dodgers in this position of a must-win game just to stay alive. Kershaw’s Game 1 line was solid, as the sole blemish on his record through six frames had been a solo shot to Daniel Murphy. After a walk to Curtis Granderson loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, his third walk of that frame, Pedro Báez replaced him only to give up a couple of runs in what turned out to be a 3-1 loss with deGrom dominating on the other side of it.

While the individual numbers and the subsequent loss were disappointing, Kershaw did pitch well that night, including securing 11 strikeouts, and with a little more efficiency, he’d be able to limit a Mets offense riding on the backs of a Daniel Murphy’s hot stretch that did go down in Mets history. More importantly, he faced Steven Matz in Game 4 and not deGrom, who alongside Kershaw became the first duo of starters to both strike out 11 or more batters in a postseason game.

If we can point to Báez, perhaps letting Kershaw down by allowing those two pivotal insurance runs to score in Game 1, for as dominant as Kershaw was on short rest in Game 4, the outlook might’ve been completely different if not for Justin Turner. The Dodgers’ starting third baseman not only got one of the biggest hits of the game in a 3-1 win, with a double that drove in two, but the final out came on a terrific defensive play from him. Wilmer Flores was up with one on and two out in the seventh, and grounded one to third base that was headed down the line if not for a terrific diving stop from Turner.

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The storylines are written, and then the narrative gets put in to fit whatever happens. This opportunity for the Mets came about in large part because Kershaw mishandled what would’ve inevitably been a tough play to throw out Cespedes on a squibbler towards third. Had the Mets seized this chance, the idea that that play had rattled Kershaw would’ve been in everyone’s minds, true or otherwise, but it didn’t happen. Kershaw got Travis d’Arnaud and Lucas Duda before Turner helped him out with Flores, as we saw above.

Much like in Game 1, Murphy was the biggest problem for Kershaw, as the Mets’ second baseman, previously not known for his power output, was that October hitting like Chase Utley in the 2009 World Series. The Mets’ only run off Kershaw came on a Murphy solo blast in the fourth, turning on a high-heater that caught too much of the plate.

Murphy alone couldn’t beat Kershaw, who managed to keep Yoenis Cespedes and other dangerous Mets hitters quiet throughout the evening.

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Already then, dealing with questions about his postseason performances, coming into that game having lost his last five postseason starts, four of them against the Cardinals, Kershaw completed seven magnificent frames on three days of rest, a little shy of 100 pitches. History doesn’t remember that performance too much because the Dodgers went on to lose Game 5 at home in a brutal fashion, but that doesn’t erase what was done—even back then, performances of that caliber on short rest had long stopped being a regular occurrence, further enhancing the magnitude of this accomplishment.

In fact, Kershaw’s ability and confidence to start on short rest played a role in the decision to have him start Game 1 over Zack Greinke, as the possibility of a short-rest start was acknowledged right from the get-go. One could argue that Kershaw would’ve started Game 1 regardless, as both he and Greinke put up massive seasons; that differentiator between the two certainly helped make the decision easier.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-ange...ords/109350/clayton-kershaw-dodgers-2015-nlds

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

More Dodgers prospect rankings galore

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: River Ryan of the Los Angeles Dodgers is interviewed at Dodger Stadium on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Baseball America rated the Dodgers to have the 13th-best farm system in baseball. Not only is that lower than some other publications ranked Los Angeles this year — second at The Athletic, fourth at ESPN — that’s also rare in recent BA history. It’s the first time the Dodgers’ haven’t been ranked in the top 10 farm systems since 2014, thanks in part to some injuries and also a pitching prospect corps relatively light compared to years past.

“If that seems like an anomaly, it’s because it is,” Josh Norris wrote. “The 2026 season marks the first time since 2001 that BA’s preseason Top 100 has not included a Dodgers pitching prospect.”

Jackson Ferris was among the 10 players just outside the top 100 at Baseball America. Of the five main national outlets to unveil a prospect ranking, River Ryan is the only one to show up on a top-100 list, ranked No. 55 by Keith Law at The Athletic.

Alex Freeland wasn’t included among the five Dodgers in the top 101 prospects at Baseball Prospectus this week, but he was listed Thursday as one of 10 prospects who just missed being included.

“He’s turned himself into a pretty good shortstop, can play all over the infield, and should be around an average hitter,” Jeffrey Paternostro wrote. “It’s not exciting, but it is effective.”

Freeland was also ranked the 87th-best prospect at The Athletic, and was ranked 103rd by ESPN.

Baseball Prospectus on Friday rated the Dodgers as the top farm system in baseball based on tremendous prospect depth.

“if you are the kind of person whose knees shake every time you see a hitting prospect’s z-contact drop below 83% in the minors, this is not going to be the system for you,” Paternostro wrote. “But just about every prospect here hits the ball very hard, and enough of them will keep doing it that the decade-plus of success might just stretch into two.”

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-links/109543/dodgers-prospect-rankings-2026

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers notes: Roki Sasaki, Steve Sax, Terrance Gore

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after pitching the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s Super Bowl Sunday, bringing an end to another exciting football season and leaving a small gap between the end of the NFL season and the beginning of spring training.

As the Dodgers prepare to once again defend their title, they do so without a concrete plan for the starting rotation. While the quartet of All-Stars remains a fixture, the final one to two spots are seemingly up for grabs, and one pitcher looking to make an impact as a starter will be Roki Sasaki.

Sasaki’s first season in the big leagues was a mixed bag, scuffling through eight starts before landing on the injured list. Once he came back in late September, he became the Dodgers’ go-to bullpen option late in postseason games as a dynamic force in relief.

For Sasaki to truly get his shot as a starter, Dave Roberts insisted that Sasaki develop an effective third pitch to compliment his fastball and splitter, as Dylan Hernandez of the California Post notes that the right-hander has been working on incorporating a cutter and a two-seamer.

“For me,” Roberts said, “he needs to develop a third pitch.”

In response to this, Sasaki said today that he is working on a cutter and two-seamer. https://t.co/mVr7Rw8dUX

— Dylan Hernández (@dylanohernandez) February 1, 2026

With just five days until pitchers and catchers report to Camelback Ranch, Sasaki posted a video to his Instagram of himself warming up on the mound of the University of Arizona’s baseball field.

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Manny Randhawa of MLB.com writes about former Dodgers second baseman Steve Sax’s collaboration with sports artist Opie Otterstad, and how they both have found a way to honor Sax’s late son, John, through digitized art.

“The NFT has what’s called a utility attached to it,” Steve said. “And that utility is that everybody who owns one, we’re going to become a team. And every year, we’re going to have an event where we all get together and everyone’s going to give their input on what we should do the next year to raise money for the foundation… This is how we can honor my son,” Steve said. “And that is so important to me.”

Former outfielder Terrance Gore passed away on Saturday at the age of 34. The speedster appeared in a combined 112 regular season games across parts of eight regular seasons, helping win titles with the Kansas City Royals in 2015, the Dodgers in 2020 and the Atlanta Braves in 2021. Former Royals general manager Dayton Moore reflected on Gore as a beloved teammate, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com.

“There have been very few players who can take over a baseball game,” said former Royals general manager Dayton Moore, the architect of the 2014-15 postseason teams. “That’s exactly what he did. He became a fan favorite. He was beloved by his teammates. And he was just fearless and impactful on the bases but also off the field.”

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-links/109679/dodgers-roki-sasaki-steve-sax-terrance-gore

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers spring training preview: Bullpen

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Brusdar Graterol of the Los Angeles Dodgers waves to fans at Dodger Stadium on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Our latest roster preview heading into spring training looks at the Dodgers bullpen, which like the outfield was bolstered by signing the best free agent available.

40-man roster relievers​

• Edwin Díaz
• Tanner Scott LHP
• Blake Treinen
• Alex Vesia LHP
• Brusdar Graterol
• Brock Stewart
• Jack Dreyer LHP
• Will Klein
• Edgardo Henriquez
• Kyle Hurt
• Bobby Miller
• Paul Gervase
• Ronan Kopp LHP

Things to watch​

Swimming in the deep end: For the second offseason in a row, the Dodgers spent big on a reliever, signing Edwin Díaz for three years and $69 million, breaking his own record for highest average annual value for a reliever. Much like signing Kyle Tucker to improve the outfield, the Dodgers saw a weakness and plugged the hole with the best-possible (and most expensive) option on this year’s free agent market. Díaz’s ERA started with a one in four of his last seven seasons, and his xERA has been above 2.66 only once in his nine-season career. Díaz over the last two seasons is second among MLB relievers in both strikeout rate (38.4 percent) and strikeout-minus-walk rate (29.7 percent). That’ll play.

Turnaround Tanner? Last year was a nightmare for Tanner Scott, who led the majors with 10 blown saves and allowed nearly double the home runs (11) than he gave up during the previous two seasons combined (6). Leaving the ball in the middle of the plate doomed him, but he expressed confidence at Dodgers Fest last weekend that he’ll be able to improve this season. Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest looked at some ways to make it happen.

Bazooka loading: Since joining the Dodgers in 2020, Brusdar Graterol has been one of the team’s best relievers, with a 2.69 ERA and 3.06 xERA, thanks to a 61.9-percent groundball rate that ranks eighth in MLB in that time among pitchers with at least 150 innings. The problem is Graterol has only pitched 204 innings over the last six seasons, including the postseason. He only pitched 9 2/3 innings in 2024, and didn’t pitch at all in 2025 after shoulder surgery. Graterol is back and healthy now, so expect him to pitch important innings if he’s showing anything near his career norms.

Functional depth: With the out-of-options Brock Stewart likely to miss at least most of the first half after shoulder surgery in October, the Dodgers have five healthy relievers who can’t be sent to the minors on the 40-man roster. There were six such relievers before left-hander Anthony Banda was designated for assignment on Friday after two solid seasons in Los Angeles.

That still leaves three bullpen spots for the inevitable revolving door to fill innings as needed, a must in this current era of pitcher churning. The Dodgers used 39 pitchers in 2023, then set franchise records with 40 pitchers in each of the last two seasons. Expect something near that again this year. But to have seven pitchers listed above all with minor league options, plus starting pitching depth Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, and Landon Knack (before even considering River Ryan and Gavin Stone, each coming off surgery) in the same boat, the cupboard is well-stocked.

Strikeouts by the bushel: Díaz and his eye-popping numbers are the main addition this year, after the Dodgers bullpen went from 19th in MLB in strikeout rate (23.3 percent) and 16th in strikeout-minus-walk rate (14.6 percent) in 2024 to seventh (24.3 percent) and eighth (14.8 percent), respectively, in 2025. But a few other arms to watch are Paul Gervase, the 6’10 right-hander acquired at the trade deadline from the Rays, and 6’7 left-hander Ronan Kopp, who was added to the 40-man roster in November. Over the last two minor league seasons, Gervase had the eighth-best strikeout rate (35.9 percent) among pitchers with at least 100 innings, while Kopp was 18th at 33.5 percent. There’s still some honing to do to translate to major league success, but the stuff for both is definitely there.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/109563/dodgers-spring-training-bullpen

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers spring training preview: Starting rotation

TORONTO, ONTARIO - NOVEMBER 02: (L-R) Shohei Ohtani #17, Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18, Blake Snell #7, and Tyler Glasnow #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pose with the Commissioner's Trophy in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in game seven to win the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on November 02, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Dodgers pitchers and catchers have their first official workout at Camelback Ranch on Friday, so let’s look at the starting rotation for Los Angeles, the team’s greatest strength.

40-man roster starting pitchers​

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto
• Blake Snell
• Tyler Glasnow
• Shohei Ohtani
• Emmet Sheehan
• Roki Sasaki
• Gavin Stone
• River Ryan
• Ben Casparius
• Justin Wrobleski
• Landon Knack

Things to watch​

Ohtani unleashed: For the better part of the last two seasons, Shohei Ohtani wasn’t a two-way player while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound in June, with a methodical ramp up and didn’t pitch five innings in a start until August 27. Beginning with that start, Ohtani had a 2.48 ERA in eight starts, including the postseason, with 55 strikeouts and 11 walks in 40 innings. After totaling 67 1/3 innings on the year, Ohtani will be back to full two-way status from the start of the season in 2026, the same as he was from 2021-23 with the Angels, when he averaged 25 starts and 143 innings. Expect the Dodgers to be somewhat judicious when it comes to planning out his pitching starts, including some maneuvering when possible to pitch on the day before a scheduled off day to minimize situations with next-day fatigue while batting.

“The fun part about Sho is, as long as he knows when he’s pitching, he’ll pitch whenever, if it’s six days rest, if it’s eight days rest, if it’s three days rest, he’s willing to do what it takes to help this club win ballgames,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said on the Dodgers Territory podcast last week. “We’ll just kind of plan it out and kind of go day by day like we always do, when were in these unorthodox situations where you can’t just map out the next four weeks.”

What to expect from Sasaki: Roki Sasaki last year was the most sought-after international free agent since Ohtani, but his first year fizzled with the Dodgers, thanks to an ineffective fastball and poor command. After some tweaks while sidelined on the injured list, Sasaki found some success in the bullpen down the stretch and into October. Still just 24 years old, Sasaki still has plenty of promise. But it will be interesting to see if he can find success while starting, and whether the Dodgers resist the urge to move him to the bullpen if things go awry.

Looking to October: The Dodgers managed to have their four best starting pitchers all healthy and thriving by last September, and rode them to a championship in October. The Dodgers didn’t necessarily plan it this way — there’s no real way to do such a thing — but they were extra cautious with some injured list stints. Blake Snell was down for four and a half months with shoulder inflammation. Tyler Glasnow missed just over 10 weeks with shoulder inflammation. Sasaki was on the shelf for five months. The team is willing to sacrifice some time during the regular season in service of potentially strengthening the cause in the postseason, and they have the depth to fill in the gaps. Remember, Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May were second and third in innings last regular season for the Dodgers. There will be plenty of starts to go around outside of the current top six in the rotation in 2026.

The Sheehan template: Emmet Sheehan is one of those top six starters on the depth chart, and his excellent 2025 season provides hope for a few other arms this year who are in the same boat Sheehan was last year. Coming off a hybrid Tommy John and internal brace surgery in May 2024, Sheehan had a 2.82 ERA and 3.00 xERA in his 15 games, with 89 strikeouts (a 30.6-percent strikeout rate) and 22 walks in 73 1/3 innings. That’s the best-case scenario for River Ryan and Gavin Stone, who each saw their 2024 seasons end with surgery (Tommy John for Ryan, shoulder for Stone) and did not pitch in 2025. Stone led the Dodgers in starts and innings in 2024 before the surgery, and Ryan impressed in his four starts that year but has yet to get an extended major league chance. This year could be the time.

Hybrids: Ben Casparius and Justin Wrobleski were both drafted by the Dodgers in 2021, and both have seen extended time in the majors the last season and a half. Most of the work for Casparius has been out of the bullpen, while Wrobleski has started or pitched extended relief a little more often but also worked as a short reliever when needed. Both could be in the mix for roster spots even if in the bullpen this year, but you figure both will be stretched out during spring training to at least have them available to start early on in the season if a need arises.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-ange...565/dodgers-spring-training-starting-rotation

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Underdog role nearly suited Clayton Kershaw & Dodgers in 2016

Oct 16, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) reacts after Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (not pictured) committed an error during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs in game two of the 2016 NLCS playoff baseball series at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-Imagn Images

The Dodgers have grown in strength gradually since the early days of Dave Roberts in charge — before becoming this current powerhouse, essentially the favorite against whichever National League opponent came their way in the postseason — the Dodgers played the role of spoilers against the team of destiny, and for a little bit, in great part due to Clayton Kershaw’s magnificent work, they looked set to fulfill that task.

Back in 2016, the Chicago Cubs were a moderate version of what the Dodgers should be: this absolute juggernaut filled with talent and a well-oiled machine ready to compete not only in that but across multiple seasons. This in itself created quite the challenge, but further increasing scrutiny and public interest in this team, the Cubs carried the best odds this organization had to break a curse that dated back to 1908, a type of storyline that transcended baseball itself.

After a heroic effort against the Washington Nationals, one that saw Kershaw pitch in three of the five games of the series, including earning a save on one day of rest to close out Game 5, finally getting his revenge on Daniel Murphy, the Dodgers found themselves as the only things standing in the way of a World Series ticket to the Cubs.

Because of his NLDS efforts, Kershaw wasn’t available to go in Game 1 of the NLCS, and unlike in previous campaigns, that 2016 team didn’t have a 1B in Zack Greinke to take the hill. A valiant effort by Kenta Maeda and the bullpen was for naught as Joe Blanton allowed a tie-breaking grand slam to Miguel Montero, and with their backs against the wall, the Dodgers relied on their ace in Game 2 at Wrigley Field.

Facing a lineup that had led baseball with a team 115 wRC+ against southpaws, a mark even more impressive accounting for the fact it came before pitchers stopped hitting, Kershaw had his work cut out for him, facing the likes of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, and company. Further increasing the need for a strong outing from Kershaw, the Dodgers had just overworked two of their more trusted relievers in Pedro Báez and Blanton.

Pitching his first NLCS matchup since that forgetful evening in St. Louis back in 2013, Kershaw looked every bit his most dominant self. Commonly, we hear about the freedom of pitching with a lead, particularly a large one, as it allows a pitcher to more freely attack the zone and take the game to the opposing hitters. This was anything but that.

While Kershaw did pitch the majority of the game with the advantage, he did so in the most stressful of circumstances, as an Adrian González solo shot in the second was the only scoring this game saw. Facing the best team in the big leagues, on the road, Kershaw shut it all down in an incredibly efficient manner, needing just 84 pitches to complete seven scoreless frames before turning it over to Kenley Jansen for a two-inning save.

One of the purposes of this series is to highlight how things could’ve easily been different for Kershaw with a few breaks here and there; on the flip side, even in the most dominant of performances, one can point to a couple of potential turning point moments. After not allowing a baserunner through the first four innings, Kershaw ran into some problems in the fifth, but the right man at the right time helped him get out of it.

With two on and two out after back-to-back singles from Javier Báez and Willson Contreras, manager Joe Maddon had the wrong man up to do the damage against Kershaw. The Cubs’ biggest offseason signing ahead of that season, Jason Heyward, had been absolutely atrocious with the bat in 2016, and even worse against the lefties—although he tried his best to make up for it with elite defensive work. Thanks to his outstanding defensive talents, the fifth inning was early enough even in a one-run game for Maddon not to pinch-hit a Jorge Soler or some other right-handed batter for Heyward, and Kershaw retired him without any problem, dropping his arm angle on a fastball, something the left-hander really got into doing once in a while during that period.

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A couple of innings later, the big threat came around as the first two reached, and a run of three right-handed hitters was due up, following an error that gave Chicago first and second. Kershaw struck out Ben Zobrist and retired Addison Russell. The only thing standing in the way of six scoreless innings was Javier Báez.

With a 1-0 count, Kershaw threw Báez a fastball up in the zone, one that he was ready for, connecting pretty well straight to center, but it had just enough air on it for it to be caught by Joc Pederson in center.

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That was the last pitch Kershaw threw, one that, in different circumstances completely beyond the control of the pitcher or batter, might’ve had another outcome.

This series, ultimately, isn’t one looked back on fondly by Dodger fans, as the team collapsed after taking a 2-1 lead, including a completely different Kershaw outing in Wrigley in Game 6. Still, that one particular game is one of my favorites for all that it represented: a time the Dodgers succeeded, even if briefly, without the weight of expectations currently associated with this team.

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You did not see this every day.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-rewind/109396/clayton-kershaw-dodgers-2016-nlds

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers notes: Joe Thon, Michael Vilchez, World Baseball Classic

New logos adorn hats during the home opener Minor League baseball game between the Oklahoma City Comets and the El Paso Chihuahuas at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joe Thon is in his second year coaching in the Dodgers’ system, serving this year as the bench coach for Triple-A Oklahoma City after holding the same job for High-A Great Lakes in 2025.

During part of last season, Thon was undergoing kidney dialysis, and needed a kidney transplant in December. The donor was his father, Dickie Thon, a major league shortstop for 15 years. From Brian McTaggart at MLB.com:

Joe, 34, was a bit hesitant at first to take his father’s kidney, and for good reason. Dickie is 67 years old and healthy, but the idea of taking a kidney from his father made Joe uncomfortable. It took urging from his dad and doctors to convince him it was the right course of action.

“I didn’t want to put him in a tough spot, either,” Joe said. “But the doctors assured me that everything was good. It wouldn’t really take too much of a toll physically, but you hate to put somebody in a spot like that. But it was best for me and my family, too. Dad was really adamant he wanted to do it.”

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Dodgers minor league pitcher Michael Vilchez, a 22-year-old right-hander out of Curacao who pitched last season for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, was among the pitchers listed in reserve for The Netherlands as part of the designated pitcher pool for the World Baseball Classic. Michael Clair at MLB.com has more info on the complete list.

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Neil de Mause writes about the economics of publicly-financed sports stadiums at Field of Schemes, and he talked to Marc Normandin about that in relation to MLB’s labor battle and the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations:

The books are never opened for a reason, and MLB teams insisting that real estate revenue made at a baseball stadium isn’t baseball revenue is another reason to keep them closed. Having to open the books and argue about what is or isn’t revenue would take longer than the rest of bargaining combined, and it’s not even clear if the owners would agree with each other, never mind the players, about what constitutes baseball revenue.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-...e-thon-michael-vilchez-world-baseball-classic

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

PECOTA projects Dodgers to win 105 games

Los Angeles, CA - January 31: Manager Dave Roberts on stage during Dodgerfest at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Projection systems by their nature tend to be conservative, which is why it’s rare to see such a clear outlier. When it comes to predicting baseball records, the Dodgers are standing out.

FanGraphs has the Dodgers projected for about 100 wins, 99.6 to be exact as of Tuesday morning. It’s notable because only one other team is projected for even 90 wins, with the Braves at 91.5. Similar for PECOTA projections at Baseball Prospectus, with the Dodgers at 105.2 wins and the next-best team (Mariners) at 93.1.

Seeing a projection of 105 wins is eye-popping given all the regression that goes into these systems, and it’s not the first time for this era of Dodgers baseball. Last year they were projected for 104 wins, the highest PECOTA projected win total since 2009.

“Baseball projections are supposed to end with most teams bunched up together because that’s just how baseball works: the small talent disparity between most squads and the sport’s inherently random nature come together to create tons of equality,” wrote Mario Delgado Genzor at Baseball Prospectus. “This is not supposed to be possible, for one team to be so clearly head and shoulders above the rest.”

The Dodgers now been projected by PECOTA for triple-digit wins in six of the last seven seasons, but it makes sense given that they have a .629 winning percentage dating back to 2017, a 102-win pace over 162 games, with seasons of 111, 106, 106, 104, and 100 wins during that time. They finished with the best record in MLB in four of those nine years, and were one win shy of the best record two other times.

It’s a little bit funny that the Dodgers won the World Series in each of the last two years without winning 100 games. Granted, their 98 wins were the most in MLB in 2024, but they were downright slumming it to 93 wins last year but had every key player healthy in October.

The Dodgers added premium free agents Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz to shore up their biggest weaknesses, and boast enviable pitching depth that might be their best to date. Their ultimate goal obviously is to win another World Series, but they’ll have to win a lot of games in the regular season to get there.

Today’s question is how many games will the Dodgers win in the 2026 regular season? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/daily-question/109749/dodgers-win-total-projections

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Evan Phillips re-signs with Dodgers for $6.5 million

Though there was a brief detour through free agency this offseason, Evan Phillips is back with the Dodgers for a sixth season. The veteran right-hander re-signed with Los Angeles on Wednesday on a one-year, $6.5 million contract, the team announced.

Phillips is recovering from Tommy John surgery last June 4, which is expected to sideline him until after the All-Star break in 2026. He was non-tendered by the Dodgers on November 21, making Phillips a free agent, rather than go through the salary arbitration process one more time. After earning $6.1 million in 2025, Phillips was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn the $6.1 million next season through arbitration, while Cot’s Baseball Contracts predicted the same $6.1 million salary.

After beginning the 2025 season on the injured list with a right rotator cuff strain stemming from the 2024 postseason, Phillips pitched in only seven games last season, with six strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 scoreless innings in April and May.

After getting non-tendered, the Dodgers expressed interest in bringing Phillips back, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times:

“We had a number of back and forth discussions with Evan and his agent,” Friedman said via text. “It is challenging with him coming off surgery, so he is going to take some time and look to sign after he throws off the mound when his rehab allows. Evan has been a big part of our past success and we will continue the conversation about bringing him back. We respect that he is taking this time to decide what is best for him and his family.”

Since joining the Dodgers on a waiver claim from the Rays in 2021, Phillips has been one of the best relievers in baseball, with a 2.22 ERA and 2.87 xERA in 201 games, with 221 strikeouts and 52 walks in 195 innings, and 45 saves. The right-hander is 31 years old.

To make room on the 40-man roster, catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment. Rortvedt was just re-claimed off waivers on Friday from the Reds, after the Dodgers lost him on waivers in November. This move was expected at some point, considering Rortvedt is out of options and behind Will Smith and Dalton Rushing on the depth chart. Rortvedt didn’t get through waivers the last time the Dodgers tried this in November, but if he clears waivers this time they can keep Rortvedt around for depth, but just off the 40-man roster.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-roster/108499/evan-phillips-contract-dodgers