With Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech unlikely to be ready by opening day, a few bullpen spots are up for grabs in Dodgers camp.
We are still more than three weeks away from the Dodgers starting their regular season in Tokyo. While that will technically be opening day, the roster will be a little irregular in that exemptions allow for extra relief pitchers.
Last year when the Dodgers opened early in Seoul, for instance, the three starting pitchers who weren’t starting against the Padres — Bobby Miller, James Paxton, and Gavin Stone — were exempt. The Dodgers had 11 active relief pitchers in those first two games, 10 of whom pitched during the two days. Expect something similar this year.
But there are still roster battles to decide during spring training, even if some aren’t fully decided until the domestic opener on March 27, when every team has to cut down to 26 active players.
Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech are both expected to open the season on the injured list, which creates room for some other pitchers to see time in the bullpen in the early going.
The veteran trio of Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, and Kirby Yates are roster locks, as is left-hander Alex Vesia. Anthony Banda was a key piece last year and is out of options, so let’s also consider him a given in the Dodgers bullpen at the moment. That’s five relievers accounted for, leaving space for at least two roster spots and possibly three if one of Tony Gonsolin or Dustin May aren’t ready among the starting pitchers.
Today’s question revolves around the roster outside of those pitchers: Which Dodgers relief pitcher would you like to see make the roster for domestic opening day on March 27?
If you need a refresher as to which pitchers are available, here is the 40-man roster and the non-roster invitees.