Dodgers vs Yankees Series Preview: Injuries, Probables & Matchups
The Dodgers kick off the second half with a three-game series vs the Yankees. Preview the pitching matchups, injury updates, records, and key storylines.
Los Angeles Dodgers (61-36) versus New York Yankees (54-42)
NEW YORK CITY, NY—The second half of the 2026 MLB season opens with one of the sport’s premier matchups as the Los Angeles Dodgers head to the Bronx for a highly anticipated three-game series against the New York Yankees, a rematch of the 2024 World Series. It also marks the Dodgers’ first trip to Yankee Stadium since clinching the franchise’s eighth World Series championship in Game 5 of the Fall Classic, adding another layer of intrigue to an already marquee showdown between baseball’s biggest brands.
Despite entering the All-Star break on a sour note, the Dodgers still own the best record in Major League Baseball at 61-36. Los Angeles was swept for the first time all season by the Arizona Diamondbacks in its final series before the break and enters the weekend having gone 5-5 over its last 10 games. The Yankees haven’t exactly caught fire either, posting a 6-4 record over their last 10 contests. At 54-42, New York sits second in the American League East, trailing the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays by three games as it looks to gain ground in the playoff race.
With postseason aspirations on both sides, star power throughout each roster, and memories of the 2024 Fall Classic still fresh, this weekend’s series has all the makings of another memorable chapter in one of baseball’s most iconic rivalries.
Pitching Probables
Game One: Roki Sasaki (3-5, 5.33 ERA) vs Gerrit Cole (3-4, 4.04 ERA)
Game Two: Emmet Sheehan (4-6, 4.81 ERA) vs Ryan Weathers (LHP) (3-7, 4.15 ERA)
Game Three: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (9-6, 2.85 ERA) vs Cam Schlittler (9-5, 2.05 ERA)
Game Times
Game One: 4:05 PM PT, SportsNet LA, YES Network, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)
Game Two: 5:05 PM PT, FOX
Game Three: 4:20 PM PT, NBC, Peacock
Who’s In & Who’s Out
The Dodgers are hopeful they’ll begin getting several key contributors back shortly after the All-Star break, though their injured list remains one of the longest in baseball. Catcher Will Smith continues to recover from neck inflammation and has resumed some baseball activities, but manager Dave Roberts indicated he is still not particularly close to returning. Smith is targeting a return in late July or early August.
The bullpen could receive reinforcements sooner, as Edwin Díaz began a rehab assignment with Single-A Ontario on July 11th after missing nearly three months with loose bodies in his right elbow. Because he is expected to return in a one-inning relief role, the Dodgers anticipate he may not require an extended rehab assignment. Blake Treinen has also resumed playing catch while recovering from right elbow inflammation and is expected to return sometime after the All-Star break.
The starting rotation is also inching closer to getting healthier. Blake Snell threw his first live batting practice since undergoing elbow surgery on July 11th and is expected to begin a rehab assignment during the weekend following the All-Star break, putting him on track for an early August return. Tyler Glasnow has begun a bullpen progression after being sidelined with lower back spasms and is currently throwing only fastballs as he works toward a possible August return.
Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani had his scheduled pitching start on July 10th scratched because of inflammation in his left knee. He continued to serve as the designated hitter, had the knee drained on July 12th, and skipped the All-Star Game, though Roberts said the procedure is not expected to impact Ohtani’s pitching plans during the second half of the season.
The Dodgers are also making progress elsewhere on the roster. Utilityman Kiké Hernández has resumed taking live at-bats while recovering from a left oblique strain and is nearing the start of a rehab assignment, with a late July return in sight.
Several pitchers, however, remain on long-term absences. Gavin Stone continues to work through a throwing program in Arizona after shoulder inflammation slowed his recovery and is not expected back until 2026. Brusdar Graterol remains without a timetable after undergoing an additional back procedure while rehabbing from shoulder surgery.
Ben Casparius is also rehabbing from right shoulder inflammation at the Dodgers’ Arizona complex and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Jake Cousins continues recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in June 2025 and is viewed as a possible second-half option in 2026, while Bobby Miller remains at the Dodgers’ Arizona complex rehabbing right shoulder soreness and is also not expected to return until 2026.
Day-to-day (00):
10-day IL (2): Kiké Hernández, Will Smith
15-day IL (1): Blake Treinen
60-day IL (8): Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, Jake Cousins, Edwin Díaz, Brusdar Graterol, Ben Casaprius, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow
The Yankees continue to navigate several key injuries heading into this weekend’s showdown with the Dodgers, particularly in their pitching staff. Left-hander Max Fried has been sidelined since mid-May with a left elbow bone bruise but took a significant step forward by throwing 44 pitches over three simulated innings during a live batting practice session at Double-A Somerset on July 11th.
Manager Aaron Boone said everything went well, and Fried is expected to begin a rehab assignment around July 17th, putting him on track for a return later this month. Fellow starter Carlos Rodón is also progressing after landing on the injured list with left elbow inflammation. Boone said Rodón recently had “a few good days of throwing” and is scheduled to throw daily beginning July 13th before progressing to a bullpen session, giving him a chance to return before the end of July.
The Yankees’ rotation depth has also been impacted in the minors. Top pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange (No. 4 in the organization, No. 83 overall) is recovering from a right capsule strain and is not expected to resume throwing until mid-August, leaving his chances of contributing in the majors this season uncertain. Meanwhile, Clarke Schmidt continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
The right-hander has been building up through bullpen sessions and is expected to begin facing hitters later this month, with the possibility of returning as either a starter or reliever sometime in August. Luis Gil remains on the minor league injured list with right shoulder inflammation but resumed throwing during the weekend of June 13th-14th and is targeting an August return.
Offensively, the Yankees are still waiting on the return of several impact bats. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton has resumed running after suffering a setback with a right calf strain in June and has received multiple PRP injections in hopes of accelerating his recovery. He could rejoin the lineup later this month if his rehab continues without issue.
Superstar Aaron Judge remains out with a stress fracture in his first right rib and is scheduled for follow-up imaging during the All-Star break. Positive results could allow him to increase baseball activities, though an August return remains the most likely scenario. In the minors, top prospect George Lombard Jr. has resumed hitting and throwing after spraining multiple fingers on his left hand following an injury suffered on June 16th, and is expected to return to game action around the All-Star break.
10-day IL (2): Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge
15-day IL (2): Max Fried, Carlos Rodon
60-day IL (1): Clarke Schmidt