Dodgers Notebook: Rotation picture shifts as Stone suffers setback

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made it clear at the outset of camp: if this club is going to chase a third consecutive World Series title in 2026, it will do so with a six-man rotation.

On paper, that sounds like a luxury. In reality, it’s already a puzzle. The Dodgers have no shortage of arms. What they have, at least at the moment, is uncertainty.

The Locks at the Top

Start with the obvious. Shohei Ohtani. Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Tyler Glasnow.

That trio anchors any version of this rotation. Ohtani’s return to full pitching duties gives the Dodgers a frontline presence every sixth day. Yamamoto, now fully acclimated to the big leagues, remains one of the most efficient starters in the National League. Glasnow, when healthy, still misses bats as well as anyone in baseball.

That’s three.

The intrigue begins with the final three spots — and that’s where Roki Sasaki’s name becomes less automatic than it might seem.

Is Roki Sasaki a Lock? Not So Fast.

Roki Sasaki is the fan favorite. The electric arm. The pitcher with frontline stuff and postseason experience already under his belt.

But is he a guarantee?

Last season, Sasaki posted a 4.72 ERA across eight starts before shifting to a relief role late in the year and into October. In shorter bursts, he thrived. His fastball ticked up. His splitter regained bite. He looked freer, more aggressive.

Now, entering his second year with the Dodgers, the organization wants him stretched back out.

In his Spring 2026 debut:

• 1.1 IP

• 3 H

• 3 ER

• 2 BB

• 3 K

• 36 pitches

“I was able to finish my outing without getting hurt,” Sasaki said afterward — and that alone carries weight. Durability remains the underlying storyline.

He’s scheduled to make his second Cactus League start Tuesday against Cleveland. The stuff is there. The question is consistency over five or six innings at a time. In a six-man rotation, development can coexist with contention. But Roberts won’t hand out jobs based on projection alone.

The Blake Snell Variable

Then there’s Blake Snell.

Snell’s slow ramp-up this spring makes it unlikely he’ll be ready for Opening Day. That complicates things. If healthy, he’s a Cy Young-caliber arm. If unavailable, that’s one more temporary opening — and one more layer to Roberts’ calculus.

The Dodgers don’t need Snell in April. They need him in October.

The Setback That Changed Everything

The most significant development of the spring? Gavin Stone.

Stone, coming off shoulder surgery, made his first game appearance in nearly two years earlier this spring. It felt like a milestone. He threw a bullpen session afterward. Then came the soreness.

Roberts confirmed Monday it’s a setback. Stone’s surgically repaired shoulder flared up again, and he’s been shut down. There is no timetable for when he’ll resume throwing. That effectively removes him from Opening Day consideration.

It’s a tough break for the Dodgers and for Stone, whose rehab has been described internally as a grind. But it also widens the competition.

The Back-End Battle

With Stone sidelined, the door swings open for:

• Emmet Sheehan

• Landon Knack

• River Ryan

• Justin Wrobleski

Sheehan might have the inside track. His performance last season proved he can navigate major league lineups. If he strings together a solid spring, he feels like a natural fit at the back end.

Knack brings experience and strike-throwing stability. He’s logged more big-league innings than Ryan and has shown he can handle spot starts without unraveling.

Ryan, meanwhile, may have the highest upside of the group. Coming off injury, he’s reportedly looked sharp this spring. The Dodgers could choose ceiling over familiarity.

Wrobleski remains a legitimate dark horse if he forces the issue.

So What Does It Look Like?

If the season began today, a plausible six-man rotation might be:

1. Shohei Ohtani

2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

3. Tyler Glasnow

4. Emmet Sheehan

5. Landon Knack

6. Roki Sasaki
   
   

   

   Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

   Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher River Ryan throws bullpen during spring training camp.

But even that projection comes with caveats.

Snell will eventually factor in. Stone’s timeline could shift. Ryan could dominate over the next three weeks. Sasaki could sharpen command and erase doubt entirely.

The Dodgers aren’t short on options. They’re short on clarity. And maybe that’s the point. A six-man rotation isn’t just about October preservation. It’s about surviving 162 games while absorbing the inevitable — soreness, setbacks, stalled rehabs.

For a club chasing history, depth isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.