Dodgers Set Opening Week Rotation Featuring Yamamoto, Glasnow & Ohtani
The Dodgers have finalized their Opening Week rotation, led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Shohei Ohtani ahead of the 2026 season.
ANAHEIM, CA—The 2026 Major League Baseball season is fast approaching with Opening Day less than three days away.
The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up Cactus League play over the weekend and kicked off a three-game exhibition series against their Freeway rival, the Los Angeles Angels, where Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed the team's plan for the starting rotation come Opening Week.
It was announced earlier this month shortly after Team Japan’s defeat in the 2026 World Baseball Classic that 2025 World Serries MVP right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto would get the nod as the team’s Opening Day starter.
After that, it will follow with right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who racked up 11 K’s in five innings yesterday, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Shohei Ohtani, who is expected to make his final Spring Training start on Tuesday.
The hybrid sixth-man will be young left-hander Justin Wrobleki, who is expected to piggyback with Ohtani as the four-time MVP is only built up to 4-5 innings after a delayed ramp-up this spring.
The injuries to right-hander Gavin Stone and left-hander Blake Snell have allowed the team to give extended looks at Sheehan and Wrobleski to begin the season, with both of them already having experience in the rotation and bullpen.
River Ryan to Begin Season in Triple-A
One name that won’t be joining the Dodgers’ starting rotation to begin the season is young right-hander River Ryan, who was optioned to Triple-A last week.
Ryan, 27, has impressed at camp thus far for the Dodgers, which gave some hope that he could force the team’s hand and make the team out of camp, possibly in the starting rotation, and he continues to be built up as a starter.
However, the Dodgers likely want to give Ryan more time not only to ramp up, but also to get regular starts in the minor leagues as a way to reintegrate himself after missing all of last season recovering from season-ending Tommy John surgery in 2024.
Ryan should rejoin the team before the end of the first half of the regular season or even sooner, depending on any injuries to the current six-man rotation.
Cody when do you see River joining the Dodgers?