Dodgers Will Not Open Season With 6-Man Rotation: Here’s How the Starters, Bullpen Look
The Los Angeles Dodgers are going to utilize a six-man rotation in 2025 — but not from the start.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters Friday that the Dodgers will open the season with a five-man rotation and eight-man bullpen.
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While the Dodgers plan on moving to a six-man rotation during the season, the schedule allows them to begin the season with just five pitchers in the starting rotation.
Dodgers Starting Rotation Outlook
The first four spots in the Dodgers starting rotation to open the season are obvious. In no particular order:
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP
- Blake Snell, LHP
- Tyler Glasnow, RHP
- Roki Sasak, RHP
The fifth and final spot will be a competition in spring training.
Right-handed pitchers Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, both coming off 2024 seasons in which they didn’t play, will be competing for the final spot in the Opening Day rotation. So, too, will right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller, who struggled mightily in his sophomore season.
Gonsolin missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late August 2023. May missed the first part of the 2024 season recovering from a Tommy John revision surgery. Then, it was announced in July that he had suffered an esophageal tear, and underwent surgery that ended his season.
As for Miller, he went 2-4 with an 8.52 ERA across 13 starts in 2024. He spent most of the season in Triple-A.
All three pitchers are returning in 2025, though, and the expectation is for one of them to take the No. 5 spot in the rotation. Gonsolin or May — whoever doesn’t win the competition — could open the season in the Dodgers bullpen.
“Absolutely,” manager Dave Roberts said when asked about Gonsolin or May opening the season in the bullpen. “But I do think that right now, at this point, they’re both building up. They’re both viewing themselves, we’re viewing them, as starters. We’ll see how the rest of the spring plays out, which obviously is a long ways away. That’s really not impacted until Opening Day here, in the States, so we’ve got a lot of time.”
Dodgers Bullpen Outlook
There’s a good chance the Dodgers open the season with two key relievers — right-handed pitchers Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech — on the injured list. Thus, the bullpen would consist of right-handed pitchers Kirby Yates and Blake Treinen, and left-handed pitchers Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, and Anthony Banda.
That leaves three spots up for grabs. The loser of the Gonsolin/May battle will likely get one. Then, anyone on the 40-man roster or in camp as a non-roster invite would be competing for the final two spots.
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Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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Which is why I objected to giving away Brazier. If the Dodgers never made any trades, they would have Lux, Yordan Alvarez, Michael Busch, Ryan Pepiot, Oneil Cruz, Shortstop Trey Sweeney, Alex Verdugo but not have Kopech, Edman, Glasnow, Betts, and some prospects like River Ryan and would not have had Manny Machado, Max Scherzer and Jack Flaherty who all helped them in varying degrees in the post season. So, I guess the Dodgers have come out ahead in making trades. But I still object to giving Brazier away rather than asking Kirby Yates to wait 10 days to sign his contract.
YOU objected? Really?????
Get a grip and stay in your own lane! I promise that Dodger management knows a hell of a lot more about what they are doing!!! ????????????????????
I have to9 say that I am wondering a bit about getting rid of Brasier. Yeah he’s had some injuries and some down years but he’s been pretty good for the Dodgers. …..Yeah I do have to say that the Dodgers front office has way more hits than misses so I’m not feeling to into second guessing them here. I do wish Ryan Brasier the best though. I think he will be an assent for his team this year!
The Dodger’s management is going to make moves we do not always agree with at the time. The thing to look at is that Brazier was not as affective last year as he was the previous. Plus he was injured part of the year. With Evan and Michael on the IL to open the season, Friedman made the decision. Yates may have had another offer close to fruition; and Alex moved.