Dodgers Cactus League Takeaways: 2B Battle Heats Up & Bench Roles Taking Shape

GLENDALE, AZ—The 2026 Major League Baseball season is underway with the start of Spring Training, and after a full week of Cactus League games, there are plenty of storylines, even with the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers roster.

Crowded Competition: Four Contenders, Two Roster Spots

Injuries to utilitymen Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández have created a unique opportunity for multiple players in the organization for potential roster spots come Opening Day later this month.

For the role of second base, the battle that is currently going on at camp is who will be the left-handed hitter to pair with veteran right-handed hitter Miguel Rojas, and that is between two youngsters, Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland.

Kim, 27, had gotten off to a hot start to start the spring, hitting .462 with a 1.198 OPS, along with playing both second base and center field, but will now be leaving camp to join Team Korea in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Freeland, 24, has had a decent spring too, hitting .250 with a .861 OPS, and has the advantage of not only being a switch-hitter but also of being able to play third base and shortstop.

Then you have the battle for more bench depth, particularly who can fill in for Max Muncy, whether to give the 35-year-old a day off or start against a tough left-handed pitcher, and that battle is between two non-roster invitees, Nick Senzel and Santiago Espinal.

Both players have gotten off to hot starts this spring, with Senzel posting a .308 batting average along with a 1.136 OPS and three extra base hits, all while playing multiple positions, providing the Dodgers with some versatility.

Espinal, 31, was an All-Star in 2022 and recently signed to a minor league deal at the start of camp has also impressed, collecting six hits along with a 1.394 OPS and having better career numbers versus left-handed pitchers.

However, if I were to bet on who makes the team, I would say Espinal and Kim will be on the 26-man roster come Opening Day.

Dodgers Rotation Showdown: Two Spots, Four Contenders

Similar to the positional battle at second base, the back-end of the Dodgers s’ starting rotation is also up for grabs due to recent injuries.

Left-handed ace Blake Snell has yet to throw off a mound, and per Dodgers manager Dave Roberts yesterday, his chances of making the Opening Day roster are zero, which opens the door for someone to take his place.

Then you have the possibility of the Dodgers incorporating a six-man rotation, which gives them one more traditional starter than a team that uses a five-man rotation, taking advantage of the Shohei Ohtani rule.

That gives the Dodgers two additional spots, and so far, it’s a battle between four arms: Roki Sasaki, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, and Justin Wrobleski.

While the Dodgers brass has confirmed Sasaki will be a part of the starting rotation, the young right-hander still needs to prove that he’s worth it, especially after a shaky spring debut.

Stone and Ryan are each coming back from lost seasons, and by all accounts, it appears that Stone is a bit further along in his rehab than Ryan, but both arms tossed scoreless innings in their spring debuts last week.

Wrobleski is a name mentioned as a rotation possibility by Jack Harris of the California Post, and it would make sense, giving the Dodgers a left-handed option to replace Snell and tossing two scoreless innings of his own yesterday.

With October in Mind, Dodgers Increase Load Management for Veteran Players

Most pitchers vying for a spot in the bullpen or starting rotation have already played in a game, but the situation with position players has been different.

However, this is intentional, since many veteran players approached spring training this season seeking a more typical build-up. For example, players like Max Muncy, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman played little or not at all during the past week.

Most of the team’s veterans will remain at the Dodgers’ camp during spring training, with just four MLB roster players joining: Edwin Diaz, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Hyeseong Kim. With most veterans on site—the Dodgers have the oldest position player core in MLB—they can ramp up their training intensity as they see fit.

Freeman and Muncy are expected to take turns playing in the upcoming days, while Mookie Betts is likely to make his 2026 debut today.

Meanwhile, several non-roster invitees and top prospects will have their chance to showcase their skills, while veterans rest, as the WBC begins next week.

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