Dodgers: Roberts Expecting As Many as 17 Pitchers to Break Camp With the Team
The Dodgers will have the added luxury of being able to carry 30 players for the first two weeks of the season. The new roster rules within Major League Baseball allow teams to keep an extra four players to start out the year.
While that number will eventually go down to just 26 players, the Dodgers have time early on to get starters built up. Dave Roberts clarified in a media session on Monday afternoon that the team could carry as many as 17 pitchers on their 30-man roster to start the year.
The Dodgers plan on opening the season with "between 15-17 pitchers" on the roster.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) July 20, 2020
If the Dodgers were to go with 17, that would mean they had 12 guys coming out of their bullpen. Ideal, given the fact that Walker Buehler likely will not be built up for an entire start. That also gives their starting pitchers to ease into games, getting relievers in early without putting a strain on the bullpen.
Roberts also gave updates on some guys in the bullpen, including Joe Kelly. Per Roberts, Kelly will be ready for Opening Day and does not need to appear in any exhibition games. Pedro Baez is another guy that will be ready to go when the season starts on Thursday.
Pedro Baez and Scott Alexander threw to hitters today. Baez is expected to make the roster, not clear with Alexander.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 20, 2020
The Dodgers are set to face off against the Giants on Thursday for their Opening Day. That series will be four games long, after which the team will head to Houston for a two-game set. They are set to play 13 games in the first two weeks before rosters will need to be cut down to 28 players.
Joe Kelly! Where is he btw? I haven’t seen him pitch. Reminds me of the end of last yr when he had some mysterious condition. I wonder.