Mike Salas
With Christmas behind us and the signing of Teoscar Hernandez with the Dodgers. What does the 2025 26-man roster look like?
The 26-man roster should consist of thirteen pitchers and thirteen position players for the regular season. This first of this two-part series will concentrate on pitchers.
There has been many reports and interviews with Dodgers GM Andrew Friedman on if Los Angeles will add a six-man rotation to 2025. Let’s take a look at the current starting rotation and who will make up the six starters.
Starting rotation: Yoshinobu Yamamoto / Blake Snell / Tyler Glasnow / Tony Gonsolin / Shohei Ohtani / Bobby Miller.
One key pitcher who helped carry the Dodgers into the playoffs and set them up to win the 2024 World Series, is Gavin Stone. Unfortunately, Stone will not be on the roster for 2025 after going through arm surgery before the end of the 2024 regular season.
Media, Dodger fans, insiders, and podcasters all have Roki Sasaki signing with Los Angeles in January. If Sasaki does sign with Los Angeles, does the front office trade pitchers? In my opinion Bobby Miller will be the odd man out if Sasaki signs and Clayton Kershaw re-signs another one-year deal. That would give the Dodgers seven starters and gives the team some time to ease Ohtani into the rotation.
Relievers: Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech, Anthony Banda, and Ryan Brasier.
One key missing piece to the reliever group is Brusdar Graterol. Graterol, who underwent right shoulder labrum surgery will miss the first half of the season and is not expect back after the All-Star break. If the Dodgers go with seven starters, then the group listed would be the reliever core.
Returning Pitchers: Los Angeles has three pitchers coming off the injured listed, Dustin May, Emmet Sheehan, and Kyle Hurt. Depending on what happens during spring training, I’m sure May, Sheehan, and Hurt will be assigned to OKC for rehab starters to build their arms up.
With all that said, the Dodgers will have excess pitchers that will need homes or be up for trade. Landon Knack, who had a good regular season but couldn’t get it done in the post season. Ben Casparius, a solid pitcher who can start, relieve, and proved last year he can close out a game. Michael Grove, he showed signs of getting it done but more inconsistent and not reliable in key situations. Nick Frasso, he is also coming off the injured list and I expect him to rehab in OKC after spring training. Justin Wrobleski, a solid LHP who needs to work on his control. Robo has the age, pitch mix, and ability to become a solid number three or four starter for the Dodgers. Edgardo Henriquez, the twenty-two-year-old flame thrower has ability and heart to become a dominate reliever or closer for the Dodgers. He will need to work on his control issues, and I see him being the replacement for Graterol.
I didn’t get into the number of pitchers that would be ready to be called up next year from the minors. The Dodgers have options and a core group of pitchers that can get the job done if the injury bug bites the team for a third straight year.
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