Los Angeles Dodgers News

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James Tibbs III • RF • Dodgers

James Tibbs III Emerging as High-End Bat in Dodgers System

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect James Tibbs III is off to a great start to the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 8-for-13 (.615) with six of his eight hits going for extra bases (three doubles, one triple, two home runs). The Dodgers' 11th-ranked prospect looked good in the Cactus League as well, hitting .313 with four home runs, and could be setting himself up for a debut in the big leagues this year. The left-handed slugger was passed around from San Francisco to Boston to Los Angeles last year as a trade chip, but perhaps is starting to emerge as a high-end bat in a loaded Dodgers farm system. The former 13th-overall draft pick hit 20 home runs in all last year across 123 games with a slightly better-than-average strikeout rate of 21.4 percent and a strong walk rate of 16.0 percent while adding 10 steals. The 23-year-old is a player to keep an eye on in both dynasty and redraft formats.

Yesterday

Enrique Hernández • 1B • Dodgers |

Tommy Edman • 2B • Dodgers

Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernandez Take Batting Practice

Los Angeles Dodgers utility men Tommy Edman (ankle) and Enrique Hernandez (elbow) were both able to take batting practice on the field on Sunday and are progressing well, manager Dave Roberts told Jack Harris of The California Post. The hope is that Edman can return in late May, but the team is also optimistic that he could be back sooner. Roberts said he'd be "shocked" if Hernandez isn't ready to return when his 60-day injured list stint is up. Edman had right-ankle surgery in November of last year and opened the 2026 campaign on the 10-day IL. The veteran infielder is expected to see most of his playing time at the keystone in L.A. when he returns, battling for playing time with Miguel Rojas and Hyeseong Kim. Neither Edman nor Hernandez has much fantasy value, outside of deep NL-only leagues for bench depth.

3 days ago

Edwin Díaz • RP • Dodgers

Edwin Diaz Sharp in First Save Opportunity with the Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz converted his first save chance with his new team on Friday night in the Dodgers' 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Diaz allowed a walk but struck out two without allowing a hit in a scoreless ninth inning. The 32-year-old signed a three-year, $69 million contract with Los Angeles this past winter after a six-season run with the New York Mets. Across 66 1/3 innings with New York in 2025, Diaz recorded a 1.63 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP with 98 strikeouts, six wins, and 28 saves. He's recorded a strikeout rate of at least 38% in six out of the last seven seasons where he's pitched. When healthy, Diaz is arguably the best closer in baseball and should get plenty of save chances while pitching for the Dodgers in 2026.

4 days ago

Emmet Sheehan • SP • Dodgers

Emmet Sheehan Struggling to Maintain Velocity

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan "had issues maintaining his stuff and command in spring," according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The right-hander saw his velocity and stuff get worse deeper into games, and the team reportedly attributed it to "some mechanical stuff he was working through." The struggle to maintain velocity and stuff didn't stop at the end of spring training, though. Rather, the issue persisted into Sheehan's 2026 regular-season debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. His fastball averaged 95.5 mph in the first inning, but that number dropped below 94.0 mph in the second and third innings, and it fell to 92.8 mph in the fourth. Sheehan still struck out six batters over 3.1 innings of work, but he was also roughed up to the tune of four runs, five hits, and two walks. The Dodgers and the right-hander will now have to continue working on fixing the mechanical issue before his next scheduled start on Friday, April 3, against the Washington Nationals.

4 days ago

Freddie Freeman • 1B • Dodgers

Freddie Freeman to Hit Fifth Against Lefties

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman batted fifth in the lineup in Monday's Cactus League game against the Angels with left-hander Reid Detmers on the mound, something manager Dave Roberts stated he would do with his lineup against southpaws to begin the season. Freeman will typically bat fourth, and catcher Will Smith will bat fifth, but against lefties, they'll be swapped. It is somewhat of a head-scratcher given Freeman's ability to hit lefties just fine, even better than Smith, both for his career and in 2025, so there hasn't been a dropoff in effectiveness from the veteran slugger. We'll see how long the change holds up, but regardless, Freeman and Smith should remain plenty productive in a loaded Los Angeles lineup.

7 days ago

Blake Snell • SP • Dodgers

Dodgers Place Blake Snell on 15-Day Injured List

The Los Angeles Dodgers placed left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday (retroactive to March 22) with left-shoulder fatigue, according to MLB.com. Snell dealt with left-shoulder fatigue following the team's World Series run last fall, so the Dodgers have decided to bring him along slowly this spring. The 33-year-old two-time Cy Young winner will begin the season on the shelf and isn't expected to make his 2026 season debut until late May or early June. It's a precaution after Snell missed four months in 2025 with a left-shoulder injury. Snell has begun throwing off a mound, but the Dodgers are going to ramp him up slowly so that they can have him healthy and ready to roll for the rest of the season once he returns. It's a big hit to Snell's 2026 fantasy value, but the veteran southpaw still has plenty of strikeout upside when he's healthy, making him stash-worthy in all fantasy leagues. In 11 regular-season starts with the Blue last year, Snell had a 2.35 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 26 walks in 61 1/3 innings pitched.

7 days ago

Roki Sasaki • SP • Dodgers

Roki Sasaki to Stick in Rotation Despite Spring Struggles

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Roki Sasaki will remain in the starting rotation to begin the 2026 season despite his struggles on the mound this spring, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. Sasaki had an ugly outing on Monday against the Los Angeles Angels, surrendering five runs on six walks with two hit-by-pitches in two-plus innings before being pulled without allowing a hit. It was a spring training to forget for the second-year pitcher, as he posted a 15.58 ERA with 12 strikeouts and 15 walks in 8 2/3 innings pitched. The 24-year-old Japanese hurler also struggled in 10 regular-season appearances (eight starts) in 2025, allowing 18 earned runs while walking 22 and fanning 28 in 36 1/3 innings before becoming L.A.'s closer in their World Series fun last fall. Fantasy managers should be very hesitant to use Sasaki in his first scheduled regular-season outing against the Guardians after he showed erratic fastball command, continuous arm-side misses, and out-of-sync mechanics during Cactus League play.

Mar 24

Will Smith • C • Dodgers

Will Smith to Hit Cleanup Against Lefties

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will hit cleanup against left-handed starting pitchers to open the 2026 regular season, manager Dave Roberts told Jack Harris of the California Post. The Dodgers rolled out this wrinkle to their lineup during Monday's spring training contest against the Los Angeles Angels, and it sounds like it will stick for at least the first part of the season. As a result, Freddie Freeman dropped to the fifth spot in the lineup. Presumably, the motivating factor is to get more balance at the top of the order. With Kyle Tucker on the team, three of the Dodgers' first four batters were projected to be left-handed hitters. Swapping Smith and Freeman allows for just two lefties among the first four batters. Jumping to cleanup against southpaws should lead to additional RBI opportunities for the veteran backstop, who already ranks #9 among catchers in RotoBaller's fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

Mar 23

Tommy Edman • 2B • Dodgers

Dodgers Hoping Tommy Edman Returns Around End of May

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that the team is hoping to get infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman back around the end of May, according to The California Post's Jack Harris. Edman has had ankle issues the last couple of seasons, so he decided to have surgery on his right ankle back in mid-November, and he's still working his way back. The Dodgers just optioned Hyeseong Kim to the minors, too, so it's looking like it could be a committee at the keystone in L.A. to begin the year between veteran Miguel Rojas, Santiago Espinal, and Alex Freeland. Of the trio, Espinal has the most fantasy upside in NL-only leagues. Edman is essentially avoidable in mixed fantasy leagues going into his third year with the Dodgers. He has appeared in a total of 134 regular-season games the last two years for the Blue and has hit a lowly .229/.280/.392 with 19 homers, 69 RBI, 69 runs, and nine stolen bases in 530 plate appearances.

Mar 23

Blake Snell • SP • Dodgers

Blake Snell Targeting a May Return

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that the team is hoping to get left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) back sometime around the end of May, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Snell isn't injured specifically, but the 33-year-old southpaw was exhausted physically after pitching deep into the postseason last fall to help the Dodgers win a second straight World Series championship. Snell also missed four months during the 2025 regular season due to left-shoulder inflammation, so the Dodgers would rather have him miss a month-plus of the 2026 campaign instead of losing him for longer. He has been throwing off a mound in camp, but he still has a ways to go to build his arm back up and eventually resume facing live hitters. The fact that he'll miss at least the first month definitely drops his fantasy value right before Opening Day, but Snell was great in his 61 1/3 regular-season innings last year and still has high-end strikeout upside.

Mar 23

Emmet Sheehan • SP • Dodgers

Emmet Sheehan Makes the Starting Rotation

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan has been informed that he made the Opening Day rotation, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. This does not come as much of a surprise, as Sheehan started 12 of his 15 appearances last season and also made two starts this spring. He was highly effective over his 15 outings last year, posting a 2.93 FIP with 10.92 K/9 and 2.70 BB/9. Ardaya notes that Sheehan's exact spot in the rotation hasn't been confirmed, but we would project him in the No. 4 role ahead of Roki Sasaki. If so, that role would be temporary, as he'd presumably fall back a slot when Blake Snell (shoulder) returns to action. We wouldn't be surprised to see the Dodgers roll out a six-man rotation once that happens.

Mar 21

Tyler Glasnow • SP • Dodgers

Can Tyler Glasnow Set a Career High in Innings in 2026?

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow has long tantalized fantasy managers with his immense upside and frustrated them with his inability to make it through a full season without getting injured. 2025 was more of the same for the 32-year-old, as he posted a 4-3 record with a 3.19 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts across 90 1/3 innings (18 starts). Across 10 MLB seasons, Glasnow has never made more than 22 starts or thrown more than 134 innings. Still, the veteran right-hander is currently healthy as 2026 Opening Day approaches. Glasnow has recorded five consecutive seasons with an ERA of 3.53 or less and eight straight campaigns with a strikeout rate of 29% or higher, making him very difficult for fantasy managers to pass up. All in all, Glasnow remains a high-risk, high-reward starting pitcher option heading into 2026.

Mar 19

Shohei Ohtani • DH • Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani in Top Form in Spring Debut on the Mound

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani looked to be in midseason form when he made his Cactus League pitching debut on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. Ohtani allowed just one hit, walked two, and struck out four in 4 1/3 scoreless innings. His fastball touched 99 mph on the radar gun, and he threw 34 of his 61 pitches for strikes. "The stuff was really good. It's going to get more crisp as he gets out there and gets regular pitching," manager Dave Roberts said. It was an even more impressive performance for the four-time MVP, considering temperatures pushed 100 degrees at Camelback Ranch. It was Ohtani's first time on the mound in a competitive setting since Game 7 of the World Series against Toronto on Nov. 1. The Dodgers plan on Ohtani being a part of their rotation all year, although his innings will be limited early on. He returned to pitching midway through the 2025 season after recovering from elbow surgery, and he had a 2.87 ERA in 14 regular-season starts before going 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA in the playoffs. The 31-year-old Japanese star has high-end SP1 upside overall in 2026 as a pitcher.

Mar 19

River Ryan • SP • Dodgers

Dodgers Option River Ryan to Triple-A

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Wednesday that they optioned right-hander River Ryan to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Even with left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) not expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season next week, Ryan will start the year on the farm. The 27-year-old had Tommy John surgery in August of 2024 and didn't pitch at all for the Dodgers last year. The Dodgers chose to ignore his 1.86 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and four walks in his 9 2/3 innings in spring training in favor of giving him a softer runway in the minors to return from his right-elbow injury. The former 11th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2021 made his big-league debut in L.A. in 2024 and looked good, allowing just three earned runs with 18 K's and nine walks in 20 1/3 innings in four starts. L.A.'s starting rotation won't be easy to crack, but Ryan should make starts again for the Dodgers at some point in 2026.

Mar 18

Santiago Espinal • 3B • Dodgers

Santiago Espinal Makes Dodgers Opening Day Roster

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Santiago Espinal on Wednesday, the team announced. He has earned a spot on the big-league roster to open the 2026 season after hitting .412 (14-for-34) with two home runs, three doubles, 13 RBI, 12 runs scored, and a stolen base in 14 Cactus League games in spring training. The 31-year-old figures to be in a platoon role at second base to begin the year with Hyeseong Kim since Tommy Edman (ankle) could miss the first month of the season. The Dominican was an All-Star back in 2022 with the Toronto Blue Jays, when he hit .267/.322/.370 with seven homers and 51 RBI in 135 games. It's a surprising development for him to make L.A.'s roster after he failed to hit a home run in 114 games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2025. Espinal has some talent with the bat, but his path to regular playing time in Hollywood is a difficult one.

Mar 18

Roki Sasaki • SP • Dodgers

Roki Sasaki to be in Opening Day Starting Rotation

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that right-hander Roki Sasaki will be in the team's Opening Day starting rotation despite his struggles in spring training, according to Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times. Sasaki has been a roller coaster in Cactus League action this year, and it continued in his latest outing on Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals, when he allowed three runs on four hits, four walks, and five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings pitched. He has shown progress with his newly-added cutter, but overall, Sasaki has been underwhelming this spring. When left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) eventually makes his 2026 season debut, Sasaki may end up back in the bullpen, where he was thriving last fall to close out the season. Struggles with command have been the biggest issue for the 24-year-old Japanese hurler, making him a boom/bust fantasy option in 2026. In 36 1/3 innings in his MLB debut in the regular season last year, Sasaki had a 4.46 ERA with 28 K's and 22 walks in 10 outings (eight starts).

Mar 18

River Ryan • SP • Dodgers

River Ryan No Longer In Consideration for Starting Role?

According to Sonja Chen of MLB.com, Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitching prospect River Ryan is trending towards opening the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, not in the MLB rotation. Ryan is currently in consideration for one of the final spots in the starting rotation with Blake Snell (shoulder) and Gavin Stone (shoulder) both on the shelf. However, it appears Ryan is behind both Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski in the competition, given their prior major-league experience. Additionally, the Dodgers see Ryan as a full-time starter and want to ensure he remains in that role with either club and not demoted to a swingman role. This spring, Ryan has been one of the most impressive pitchers on the roster, logging 9 2/3 innings to the tune of a 1.86 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and a 12:4 K:BB. He would be viewed as a solid stash candidate once demoted to Triple-A.

Mar 18

Shohei Ohtani • DH • Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani to Pitch in Cactus League Game on Wednesday

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will pitch in the team's Cactus League game on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, manager Dave Roberts told Maddie Lee of The Los Angeles Times. Roberts also revealed that Ohtani is lined up to pitch in the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels on March 22 and 24. The 31-year-old right-hander isn't recovering from any type of injury, but the Dodgers are slow-playing him this spring after a lengthy run into the postseason. Ohtani will be pitching in a spring training game on Wednesday for the first time since 2023 with the Angels. The Dodgers plan on Ohtani being a two-way player for the entire 2026 season, but he'll be on an innings limit early on and will only go around three to four innings, which will obviously limit his ceiling in both DFS contests and regular fantasy leagues. When he's fully healthy and fully stretched out, though, Ohtani has fantasy ace potential as a starting pitcher.

Mar 17

Zyhir Hope • OF • Dodgers

Zyhir Hope Reassigned to Minor-League Camp on Monday

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Monday that they reassigned outfield prospect Zyhir Hope to minor-league camp, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Hope was always a long shot to break camp with the big-league squad out of spring training, especially after hitting just .167 (6-for-36) with no homers, two doubles, five RBI, seven runs scored, three walks, and 12 strikeouts in 39 plate appearances over 20 Cactus League games in spring training. The 21-year-old is expected to begin the 2026 campaign at Double-A Tulsa after hitting .266/.376/.428 with an .804 OPS, 13 home runs, 80 RBI, 69 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases in 127 games with High-A Great Lakes and Tulsa in 2025. Hope played in only six games for Tulsa. Despite standing at only 5-foot-10, 193 pounds, he has impressive raw power from the left side. The Dodgers' No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is likely to spend all of 2026 in the minors before potentially debuting in the Show in 2027. For now, he's strictly a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues for his power/speed upside.

Mar 16

Brusdar Graterol • RP • Dodgers

Brusdar Graterol Continues to Throw

Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed reliever Brusdar Graterol (shoulder) played catch again in camp on Monday and appeared to go just beyond 90 feet, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Graterol had surgery to fix the labrum in his right shoulder in November of 2024 and was unable to pitch at all last year. The 27-year-old hard-throwing right-hander had a setback late last year, but he appears to be back on track this spring. However, Graterol also isn't expected to pitch in any Cactus League games in spring training, and he's likely to open the 2026 regular season later this month on the injured list. He has struggled to regain his pre-surgery velocity on the mound, so the Dodgers have taken it slow with his throwing program. When healthy, Graterol has already proven that he can be a key late-inning reliever for the Blue, but right now, he's a big question mark because of his shoulder. The Venezuelan hurler had a career-best 1.20 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with a career-high seven saves in 67 1/3 innings back in 2023.

Mar 16

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