Dave Roberts Reveals 2 Pitchers Who Will Play in Dodgers’ Cactus League Opener vs Padres

On Tuesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced two of the pitchers who will play in the team’s Cactus League opener on Thursday. Roberts said Michael Grove and Gavin Stone will pitch to open Cactus League play. It’s not yet clear who will start the game.

Finally, after a long, exciting, offseason, the Dodgers will start playing games against other teams. This Thursday, the Dodgers and Padres square off for the first time ahead of their series against each other in Korea.

This game will feature two young Dodgers pitchers in Grove and Stone, both of whom are fighting to earn playing time on this team.

Grove, 27, made his Dodgers debut in 2022. He has pitched both as a starter and out of the bullpen for Los Angeles.

Last year, he had a 6.13 ERA in 69 innings pitched. After struggling as a starter, the team moved him to the bullpen at the end of the year. In his final three appearances, Grove did not give up an earned run and struck out six batters across 5 innings.

Stone, 25, made his MLB debut last year. At one point, some believed Stone to be the best pitching prospect in the Dodgers system.

In 2023, he struggled mightily with a 9.00 ERA in eight games. The right-hander finished strong though, only giving up three earned runs over his last 7.2 innings.

This year, both right-handers have the opportunity to take the next step forward. The Dodgers will need them at the back of the rotation or out of the bullpen at some point during the season. A strong showing in spring training can go a long way to earning innings during the year.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

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