Latest On Dodgers, Kyle Tucker
Kyle Tucker is the top free agent in this year’s class. That more or less guarantees that he’ll be linked to the two-time defending champions. Jon Heyman of The New York Post wrote last month that the Dodgers were likely to make a run at Tucker this offseason.
That may well be the case, but Jeff Passan of ESPN writes that the Dodgers don’t seem inclined to make a decade-long commitment to the star outfielder. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic wrote last night that while the Dodgers aren’t ruling out a Tucker pursuit, they’re also not opposed to making a short-term outfield move while awaiting the arrival of internal reinforcements.
In the short term, the Dodgers’ biggest weaknesses are the outfield and late-inning relief. Michael Conforto certainly won’t be back after his one-year free agent deal busted. Kiké Hernández, their primary left fielder in the postseason, is also a free agent. Andy Pages had a poor second half that carried into a dreadful playoffs. Tommy Edman battled an ankle injury late in the season that led the Dodgers to prefer him at second base. (He’s undergoing surgery and is expected to be full go for Spring Training.) Even Teoscar Hernández was a relative weak point in right field. He hit .247/.284/.454 while playing very poor defense.
Assuming the Dodgers intend to keep Mookie Betts at shortstop, the outfield isn’t currently in great shape. It’d probably line up with Pages, Edman and Hernández as the primary options. Alex Call and Ryan Ward — the latter of whom was just added to the 40-man roster to keep him out of minor league free agency — could platoon in left field if the Dodgers want Edman in the infield.
They’ll need to make some kind of external acquisition, but it’s understandable if they don’t want to make an extended free agent play. The long-term outfield picture is more promising than the current mix. In August, Baseball America included four Dodgers outfielders (Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Mike Sirota and Eduardo Quintero) among the sport’s top 60 overall prospects. That doesn’t include top catching prospect Dalton Rushing, whose path to playing time behind the plate is blocked by Will Smith. Rushing didn’t play any outfield during his rookie season but has logged a little less than 300 career innings as a left fielder in the minors.
Of the aforementioned prospects, only Rushing will be in the mix for an MLB roster spot early in 2026. Sirota and Quintero have yet to reach Double-A. De Paula and Hope have played a combined 10 games at that level. None of the four have any Triple-A experience. It’s unlikely all four will pan out given the attrition rate of prospects who are that far from the majors, but the Dodgers will want to have long-term opportunities available for each of them.
The balance could be to turn to the trade market. Steven Kwan, Lars Nootbaar (recovering from heel surgeries), Brendan Donovan and Wilyer Abreu are among the outfield-capable players who might be available. The Dodgers were tied to Kwan and Donovan at last summer’s deadline. They certainly have the farm system to make a strong offer for a controllable outfielder. Rushing could be a trade chip if the Dodgers don’t feel he’d be an above-average regular in left field, for instance.
The Dodgers obviously have the spending capacity to make a run at any free agent as well. They’ve generally preferred making shorter-term commitments at huge annual rates to offering decade-long deals, though. They’ve broken that precedent for Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but both were special cases. Ohtani is the best player in the world and Yamamoto was a 25-year-old ace. Tucker is an excellent player but not that kind of unique free agent. The Dodgers would probably be more amenable to a five- or six-year deal at a premium AAV if Tucker winds up going that route, but it stands to reason his camp will try to pull a ten-plus year commitment in the early part of the offseason.
Tommy Edman To Undergo Ankle Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
Dodgers infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman will undergo surgery on his right ankle next week. General manager Brandon Gomes provided the news to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. No details on the surgery were provided but Gomes says Edman is expected to be ready around the start of spring training.
The ankle issue seemed to hamper Edman throughout the 2025 season. Inflammation in that right ankle put him on the injured list at the end of April. He returned a few weeks later but landed back on the IL with a right ankle sprain in August. The second IL stint lasted a little longer than a month.
Though the missed time was fairly minimal, it’s possible the injury impacted Edman’s performance on the field. He hit .225/.274/.382 this year. That translated to an 81 wRC+, the lowest such mark of his career. He had a .252/.295/.523 line and 120 wRC+ through April, when he first landed on the IL. He slashed .213/.264/.315 for a 62 wRC+ the rest of the way. He only attempted four stolen bases, with three successful steals, far less than previous seasons.
It’s possible that we haven’t seen a fully healthy Edman for a while. Back in 2022, with the Cardinals, he slashed .265/.324/.400 for a 106 wRC+, stole 32 bases and received strong defensive grades. FanGraphs credited him with 5.4 wins above replacement that year. In 2023, right wrist issues popped up, dragging down his offense. He underwent surgery after that season. He was rehabbing from that wrist surgery in June of 2024 when a right ankle sprain set him back. The Dodgers acquired him at the 2024 deadline while he was still on the IL. He got into 37 games down the stretch.
Despite the nagging injury issues in 2024, the Dodgers felt comfortable enough with Edman to make a big bet on him. Edman and the Dodgers agreed to a five-year, $74MM extension for the 2025 to 2029 seasons. The first year didn’t really work out so well, but the hope will be that Edman can be healthy and back to his old self in 2026.
Edman is capable of playing multiple positions. In 2025, when on the field, he split his time between second base, third base and center field. As of right now, the easiest spot to slot him in for 2026 is second base. The Dodgers have Max Muncy at third and Andy Pages in center. Edman’s main competition at the keystone would be light-hitting Hyeseong Kim, with Alex Freeland also in the mix. Of course, the offseason is still in its early stages and it’s possible things look different a few months from now, depending on what moves the club makes.
Photo courtesy of Jason Parkhurst, Imagn Images
KBO’s KT Wiz Sign Matt Sauer
Former big league pitcher Matt Sauer has signed with the KT Wiz of the KBO league, the team announced Thursday. The 26-year-old inked a one-year, $950K deal that includes a $750K salary and a $200K signing bonus. “Sauer is a power pitcher with extensive starting experience, and we expect him to anchor the rotation with his strong fastball and diverse pitches,” general manager Na Do-hyun said in a statement.
The Dodgers designated Sauer for assignment and released him in September. He returned to the team on a minor league pact later in the month. Sauer will now leave MLB to pursue an opportunity abroad.
Sauer made 10 appearances for Los Angeles this past season, struggling to a 6.37 ERA over 29 2/3 innings. His overall numbers were tanked by a disastrous outing in June. A slew of pitching injuries led the Dodgers to recall Sauer for a June 10 game against San Diego. With few options behind him, Sauer was left out there to throw 111 pitches over 4 2/3 innings, allowing nine earned runs on 13 hits.
The Yankees drafted Sauer in 2017. He posted strong strikeout numbers at multiple minor league levels, but never reached the big leagues with New York. The Royals scooped him up in the Rule 5 draft following the 2023 season. Sauer made 14 appearances with Kansas City in 2024, posting a 7.71 ERA. He was returned to the Yankees at the end of May. Sauer elected minor league free agency last offseason, ultimately landing in LA.
KBO teams can carry up to two foreign-born pitchers. The Wiz opened last season with lefty Enmanuel De Jesus and righty William Cuevas, then swapped out the latter for righty Patrick Murphy in July. It’s unclear whose spot Sauer will take for 2026.
Giants Claim Reiver Sanmartin, Justin Dean
The Giants have claimed reliever Reiver Sanmartin and outfielder Justin Dean off waivers from the Reds and Dodgers, respectively. They opened a 40-man roster spot by designating righty Mason Black for assignment. The moves were relayed by Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Sanmartin, 29, has pitched parts of four MLB campaigns with Cincinnati. He has only made one big league appearance over the past two seasons, tossing 1 2/3 frames while allowing an unearned run against the Blue Jays on September 2. The Colombian-born southpaw otherwise pitched the entire season with Cincinnati’s top farm team in Louisville. He had a strong year, working 67 1/3 innings of 2.67 ERA ball behind a 58.7% ground-ball rate.
Dean is a speed and defense center fielder who just won a World Series with Los Angeles. He got into 18 regular season games and made 13 more appearances in the postseason. They only let him bat twice — he went 0-2 with a strikeout — but clearly valued him as a depth piece. The 28-year-old Dean (29 next month) has a full slate of minor league options and is coming off a .289/.378/.431 showing with 27 steals in Triple-A.
The moves probably spell the end of Black’s time in San Francisco. He’s a former third-round pick who was viewed as one of the organization’s more talented pitching prospects when he was called up in 2024. Black struggled to a 6.44 ERA across 36 1/3 innings during his debut season. He only pitched once in the big leagues this year, instead struggling to a 5.81 earned run average over 30 appearances (24 starts) in Triple-A.
Black will be traded or placed on waivers within the next five days. There’s a decent chance another team takes a flier. He turns 26 next month and still has a minor league option. Black sits around 93 MPH as a starter but could be a speculative relief target. He has posted middling Triple-A numbers in consecutive seasons but fanned nearly a third of opposing hitters in Double-A back in 2023.
Dodgers Designate Tony Gonsolin For Assignment
The Dodgers announced a series of roster moves today. MLBTR covered some of them earlier. In addition to those moves, the Dodgers have selected left-hander Robinson Ortiz to the roster, designated right-hander Tony Gonsolin for assignment and outrighted right-handed pitcher Michael Grove.
Gonsolin, 32 in May, is the biggest name here. Dating back to his 2019 debut, he has given the Dodgers 411 2/3 innings with a 3.34 earned run average, 23.2% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate. However, his health has been a big issue in recent years. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season. He was back on the mound in 2025 but more elbow troubles emerged. He required internal brace and flexor repair surgery in August.
When the Dodgers announced that procedure, they gave an estimated timeline of eight to ten months. Even in the best-case scenario, he’s going to be sidelined into the beginning of next season. Given that he’s missed a lot of the past three seasons, it’s anyone’s guess what kind of contributions he can make in 2026.
The Dodgers could have retained Gonsolin via arbitration for one more season. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected Gonsolin for a $5.4MM salary next year. Given the uncertainty, the Dodgers have apparently decided not to put that kind of money down in a bet on Gonsolin.
If some other club feels differently, the Dodgers could work a trade in the coming days. DFA limbo can last a week but the waiver process takes 48 hours, so that leaves the Dodgers five days for trade talks. If Gonsolin were to clear waivers, he would have the right to elect free agency.
Grove, 29 in December, tossed 149 1/3 innings for the Dodgers over the 2022 to 2024 seasons. In that time, he had a 5.48 ERA, 23.2% strikeout rate, 6.9% walk rate and 41.3% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, shoulder surgery in March wiped out his 2025 campaign. He crossed three years of service while spending this season on the injured list.
The Dodgers could have controlled him through 2028, with a projected salary of just $800K next year. However, given his uneven results and uncertain health status, they have moved on. He has enough service time to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency.
Ortiz, 26 in January, was an international signing out of the Dominican Republic back in 2017. Initially a starter, he has been pitching out of the bullpen in recent years. He has clear strikeout stuff but also control issues. He missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons due to injury. He only logged 11 innings in 2024.
Here in 2025, he tossed 59 1/3 innings across three different levels with a 2.73 ERA. He walked 13% of batters faced but also struck out opponents at a 28.3% clip and got grounders on 47.2% of balls in play. He appears to be a work in progress but the Dodgers see something they like. Adding him to the roster today prevents him from becoming a minor league free agent. He has a full slate of options and can be kept in the minors as depth as the club works on improving his command.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
Dodgers Exercise Club Options On Max Muncy, Alex Vesia
The Dodgers have exercised a $10MM club option to bring back third baseman Max Muncy. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic was among those to relay the news. They will also pick up their $3.65MM option on left-hander Alex Vesia, per Ardaya. In other news, Ardaya notes that the Dodgers are adding outfielder Ryan Ward to the 40-man roster.
There was never much suspense about these decisions. Munch has been a key contributor on the Dodgers for close to a decade now. He missed some time this year due to a bone bruise in his left knee and an oblique strain, but still managed to produce when he was on the field. He hit 19 home runs in 100 games and drew a walk in 16.5% of his 388 plate appearances. He put up a .243/.376/.470 line, which translates to a 137 wRC+.
He and the Dodgers clearly love each other, as the two parties have worked out multiple contract extensions. They signed a three-year, $26MM deal back in 2020. Late in 2022, they tacked another year on. After the 2023 season, they signed a two-year, $24MM extension with a $10MM club option for 2026 with no buyout. Barring some kind of surprising offseason trade, Muncy will be back to man third base for the Dodgers in his age-35 season.
Vesia, 30 in April, is going into his third and final arbitration season. In January of 2025, he and the Dodgers appeared headed for a hearing to decide on his 2025 salary. He had filed at $2.35MM with the team at $2.05MM. They avoided that hearing by agreeing to a one-year deal plus a club option for 2026. Vesia would get a $2.3MM guarantee in the form of a $2.25MM salary in 2025 plus a $50K buyout on the $3.55MM club option. Vesia could add $50K to the option by pitching in 60 games with another $50K for 65 games, plus another $75K for 70 games. He got into 68 contests this year, therefore bumping the option price to $3.65MM.
His performance was quite strong this year. He logged 59 2/3 innings with a 3.02 earned run average, 33.8% strikeout rate and 9.3% walk rate. He also made seven postseason appearances, though he had to miss the World Series due to a family matter.
Even if the Dodgers turned down the option, Vesia still would have been controllable via arbitration. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected Vesia for a $4.1MM salary next year. If the Dodgers had similar projections internally, then picking up the option was the cheaper path. It’s also the easier path, when considering the sides almost went to a hearing last year and Vesia has been dealing with that aforementioned family matter. Put it all together and triggering the option was the obvious call.
Ward, 28 in February, gets added to the roster to prevent him from becoming a minor league free agent. The Dodgers selected him in the eighth round of the draft back in 2019. He has proven to be a reliable power bat in the minors, having hit between 21 and 36 homers in each season since 2021. He hit 36 long balls in Triple-A this year with a 12.7% walk rate and 18.7% strikeout rate. He slashed .290/.380/.557 for a 132 wRC+.
A grain of salt is required since that was his third year at the level. He’s a bit old to be considered a prospect. He is also graded as a poor defender, even in an outfield corner. However, the Dodgers didn’t want him to get away. The Dodgers obviously have a strong roster but the outfield is a relative weak spot. The Michael Conforto signing didn’t work out. Andy Pages saw his bat disappear in the playoffs. Teoscar Hernández had some timely hits but also some defensive and baserunning mistakes. Ward gives them a bat-first depth option with a full slate of options.
Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images
MLBTR Podcast: Offseason Preview Megapod: Top Trade Candidates
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams and Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The 2025 World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays (1:55)
- The Cubs letting Shota Imanaga becoming a free agent (9:05)
- Ha-Seong Kim opting out of his deal with the Braves (19:00)
- MLBTR’s list of the Top 40 Trade Candidates for the offseason (28:15)
- The Cardinals having six guys on the list (32:15)
- Why the Nationals will likely make MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams available (42:40)
- The Twins, Joe Ryan, Pablo López and Ryan Jeffers (54:05)
- The Pirates have a bunch of pitchers they could trade (1:06:20)
- The Rays, Pete Fairbanks and Brandon Lowe (1:18:05)
- The Brewers and Freddy Peralta (1:25:50)
- The Marlins having some arms who could move (1:31:50)
- Tyler Soderstrom of the Athletics, who did not make the list (1:41:40)
- A theoretical trade sending Brady Singer to the Angels and Taylor Ward to the Reds (1:47:20)
Check out our past episodes!
- Bo Bichette’s Health, Kazuma Okamoto, And Dylan Cease’s Market – listen here
- The Phillies’ Outfield, Tarik Skubal, And Hiring College Coaches – listen here
- Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason, Managerial Vacancies, And More! – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images
Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series. They aren't losing any major contributors to free agency, so they'll go into the winter with a really strong roster and the ability to bolster it further.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH: $560MM through 2033 ($68MM of salary deferred annually)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP: $260MM through 2035 (deal includes multiple opt-out chances, beginning after 2029 or any season in which he is traded)
- Mookie Betts, SS: $235MM through 2032 (includes $40MM of signing bonus still to be paid out; $10MM of salary deferred annually in 2026-27, $11MM annually 2028-32)
- Blake Snell, LHP: $104MM through 2029 ($13.2MM of salary deferred annually; deal includes conditional club option for 2030)
- Will Smith, C: $83.45MM through 2033 ($5MM of salary is deferred annually)
- Tyler Glasnow, RHP: $81.5625MM through 2028 (2028 is either $21.5625MM player option or $30MM club option)
- Tanner Scott, LHP: $56MM through 2028 (includes $15MM of signing bonus still to be paid out; $5.25MM of salary deferred annually; deal includes 2029 conditional option)
- Freddie Freeman, 1B: $54MM through 2027 ($12MM of salary deferred annually)
- Tommy Edman, IF/OF: $52MM through 2029 (includes $3MM buyout on $13MM club option for 2030; $6.25MM of salary deferred annually)
- Teoscar Hernández, OF: $33MM through 2027 (includes $6.5MM buyout on $15MM club option; deal also includes conditional 2029 option; $8MM of salary deferred annually)
- Blake Treinen, RHP: $13.5MM through 2026 (includes $2.5MM of signing bonus still to be paid out)
- Hyeseong Kim, IF/OF: $9MM through 2027 (including $1.5MM buyout of $10MM two-year club option for 2028-29)
Other Financial Commitments
- Owe $4MM buyout to released IF/OF Chris Taylor
Option Decisions
- Team has $10MM club option on 3B Max Muncy with no buyout
- Team has $3.65MM club option on LHP Alex Vesia with $50K buyout (Vesia would remain controllable via arbitration even if option is declined)
2026 guarantees (assuming both options are picked up): $283.15MM ($127.7MM deferred)
Total future commitments: $1.559 billion ($792.55MM deferred)
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Brusdar Graterol (5.167): $2.8MM
- Tony Gonsolin (5.152): $5.4MM
- Evan Phillips (5.136): $6.1MM
- Alex Vesia (5.078): $4.1MM (Dodgers hold a $3.65MM club option with a $50K buyout)
- Anthony Banda (4.135): $1.7MM
- Brock Stewart (4.093): $1.4MM
- Ben Rortvedt (3.135): $1.3MM
- Michael Grove (3.031): $800K
- Alex Call (2.161): $1.5MM
Non-tender candidates: Graterol, Gonsolin, Phillips, Banda, Stewart, Rortvedt, Grove
Free Agents
- Clayton Kershaw (retiring), Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Enrique Hernández, Miguel Rojas, Michael Kopech
The Dodgers have a strong willingness to bet on talent and not worry so much about injury concerns. That is partly due to their almost unlimited budget, which allows them to take risks other clubs may not be able to afford. It's also because the lineup is so good that they are almost guaranteed to make the playoffs each year, which gives them the wiggle room to let their players get healthy as opposed to rushing them back during the regular season.
This has led to some inconsistency in how things end up when October rolls around. In 2023, they were so banged up that they were swept out of the ALDS by the Diamondbacks. In 2024, the Dodgers had just enough of a rotation to win the title. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler were the three traditional starters as the club relied heavily on the bullpen. In 2025, that flipped. The bullpen had been stripped down by injuries but the rotation had Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Shohei Ohtani all healthy. Manager Dave Roberts tried to avoid his traditional relievers as much as possible. He often allowed his starters to pitch deep into games. In Game Seven of the World Series, he used all four of Ohtani, Glasnow, Snell and Yamamoto.
Going into 2026, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Dodgers target more pitching, but the rotation is actually in good shape. The four starters they were using in this year's playoffs are all healthy and under contract. Roki Sasaki wound up in the bullpen due to some shoulder trouble but he could be stretched back out next year. Guys like Emmet Sheehan, Jack Dreyer, Ben Casparius, Landon Knack, Bobby Miller and Justin Wrobleski worked both as starters and relievers in 2025 and could be in the mix for starts again next year. Each of Kyle Hurt, River Ryan and Gavin Stone spent 2025 recovering from surgery but should be factors next year. Top prospect Jackson Ferris now has 33 Double-A games under his belt and should be in Triple-A next year.
Nick Frasso finished 2025 hurt and his current status isn't clear. Tony Gonsolin will likely be non-tendered since he underwent internal brace surgery and will miss at least the first half of 2026, though the Dodgers could afford to pay him and hope for a late-season return if they wanted to. Michael Grove missed all of 2025 due to shoulder surgery and could also be non-tendered, though he can still be controlled for three more seasons.
However it plays out, it's an impressive collection of talent, even with Clayton Kershaw retiring. The club has been very active in adding pitching in recent offseasons. After their aforementioned rough ending in 2023, they added Ohtani. However, he wasn't an immediate upgrade to the staff since he was recovering from surgery at the time, so they also added Glasnow and Yamamoto. Coming into this year, they signed Snell.
With the depth suddenly looking overwhelming, the Dodgers may not be as aggressive on the free agent starting pitching market. In fact, there are so many names on the chart that they could probably trade some away, though they could also opt to hold and just have lots of depth on hand for the inevitable injuries that will arise.
Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription
- Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.
- Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.
- Remove ads and support our writers.
- Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker
Dodgers Win World Series
The Dodgers are champions. Los Angeles outlasted Toronto in an epic Game 7 showdown. Will Smith delivered the game-winning swing, homering in the 11th inning to give the Dodgers their first lead, which they wouldn’t relinquish. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, pitching on no rest after throwing 96 pitches on Friday, closed out the win. Unsurprisingly, the all-time performance earned Yamamoto the Series MVP award.
LA becomes the first team to repeat as champions since the Yankees in 2000. New York won three straight titles (1998-2000). It’s the Dodgers’ ninth World Series title, moving them into a tie for third with the Athletics and Red Sox. It’s their third title in the past six seasons.
Miguel Rojas, an unlikely World Series hero, rescued LA’s season in the ninth inning. The light-hitting shortstop yanked a Jeff Hoffman slider over the left field wall to tie the game. Rojas joined Bill Mazeroski as the only players in World Series history to hit a game-tying or go-ahead home run in the ninth inning or later in a winner-take-all game (h/t Jesse Rogers of ESPN).
Rojas’ heroics allowed Yamamoto to do something just as special. After a complete game win in Game 2 and a quality start in Game 6, the ace entered in the bottom of the ninth inning with two runners on. He hit Alejandro Kirk with a pitch to load the bases, but wiggled out of the jam. Defensive sub Andy Pages leaped over teammate Enrique Hernandez to reel in an Ernie Clement drive to send the game to extra innings. Yamamoto then cruised through the 10th inning in order before getting into trouble in the 11th frame. With runners on first and third and one out, he coaxed a double play grounder from Kirk to seal the game.
Toronto was in control for much of the game. Shohei Ohtani, pitching on three days’ rest, labored through the first two innings. After George Springer singled to start the third frame, Nathan Lukes sacrificed him to second. Ohtani then intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr., before hanging a slider that Bo Bichette deposited into the center field stands for a three-run homer. The Blue Jays had multiple chances to extend their lead, including a leadoff double in the eighth inning, but failed to cash in.
The Blue Jays came out swinging in the Fall Classic, exploding for nine runs in the sixth inning to win Game 1 in blowout fashion. A dominant Yamamoto performance evened the series, then LA took a 2-1 lead after Freddie Freeman walked off Game 3 in the 18th inning. Toronto bounced back, winning Game 4 and Game 5 behind strong starts from Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage, respectively. Yamamoto cruised again in Game 6, pushing the series to its limit. Game 7 delivered an instant classic.
Dodgers Notes: Ohtani, Yamamoto, Lineup
Shohei Ohtani is slated to start Game 7 on the mound tonight. The two-way star will be pitching on three days’ rest after tossing six innings in Game 4 on Tuesday. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters, including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, that he’s “not sure” how long Ohtani will pitch. Roberts added that he wants to “withhold expectations and kind of read and react.”
After tearing his left shoulder labrum in the 2024 World Series, Ohtani was brought along slowly as a pitcher this season. He didn’t make his first appearance on the mound until mid-June. Since he’s a crucial part of the offense, Ohtani couldn’t take a few weeks off to go on a rehab assignment. Instead, he had to build back up at the major-league level. Ohtani tossed a single inning in each of his first two appearances. He eventually built up to three innings by the end of July. Ohtani made it through five innings in his final start of August, then capped off his regular season with his first six-inning outing.
Ohtani has had at least five days of rest between every pitching outing this season. The spread-out postseason schedule (along with LA’s success) has afforded him even more time off. Ohtani had 12 days between his NLDS and NLCS starts, then another 10 days until his first World Series outing.
While the workload has been a question for Ohtani, performance has not. He posted a 2.87 ERA across 47 innings in the regular season, and his xFIP (2.45) and SIERA (2.67) were even better. Ohtani rattled off three straight scoreless starts heading into the playoffs. He then posted quality starts in the NLDS and NLCS, winning both games. Toronto did get to Ohtani for four earned runs in Game 3, though he had six strikeouts and went six innings yet again.
Game 7s are typically all-hands-on-deck situations for the pitching staffs. Could that possibly include Yoshinobu Yamamoto? A video from Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times surfaced of the Game 6 victor throwing ahead of tonight’s game. Yamamoto wasn’t expected to be available tonight, but Roberts was asked about his status for Game 7. “He’s definitely interested,” Roberts told reporters, including Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
Yamamoto followed his dominant complete game in Game 2 with another sterling effort on Friday. He allowed just one earned run over six innings, throwing 96 pitches. Yamamoto now has a 1.56 ERA over 34 2/3 innings this postseason. He would be in the World Series MVP conversation if it weren’t for Ohtani’s impressive contributions. While Yamamoto seems ready to go 2001 Randy Johnson, he’s probably pretty deep on the depth chart tonight. Roberts only had to use relievers Roki Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski in Game 6, plus an inning from starter Tyler Glasnow, though he only threw three pitches. Every other pitcher, including Game 5 starter Blake Snell, has had at least a couple of days off.
Roberts is largely running back the same lineup tonight, outside of flip-flopping Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez. That means Mookie Betts is back in the cleanup spot. Roberts bumped the scuffling Betts from second to third in the order for Game 5, then moved him to fourth for Game 6. The move paid off, as Betts came through with the biggest hit of the game. With the bases loaded and two outs in the third inning, the shortstop lined a Kevin Gausman fastball through the left side, knocking in a pair of runs. Betts had been 3-for-24 in the series prior to the single. It was his first RBI since Game 3 of the NLCS.
Muncy will move up to fifth in the order for the second time this series. Both instances have come against Max Scherzer. While righties got on at a higher clip against Scherzer this season, lefties had far more power. The veteran yielded 13 home runs and a hefty .545 slugging percentage in 200 plate appearances against left-handed hitters. The lineup adjustment will allow Muncy to get an earlier look at Scherzer.