3 roster questions still facing Dodgers after ‘boring’ spring camp

PHOENIX –– The most boring camp in baseball is over.

On Saturday, the Dodgers packed up their Camelback Ranch clubhouse into cardboard boxes, portable storage crates and moving vans bound for Los Angeles, departing Arizona after six largely unremarkable weeks of spring training.

“It’s been a quiet camp,” manager Dave Roberts quipped Friday. “Some people would say that it’s been a boring camp –– which I think has been good for us.”

Indeed, the Dodgers return home in about as strong a shape as they could have possibly hoped ahead of their World Series three-peat bid.

They encountered only one unexpected injury this spring, when Gavin Stone suffered a setback in his surgically repaired shoulder. They got all five of their World Baseball Classic participants back from the tournament unscathed. They have only one roster spot left up for grabs, with Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland waiting to learn who earned the final bench spot to begin the season.

Most importantly, the team largely played well, too, posting a Cactus League-best 19-8-1 record after a 5-5 tie against the Athletics on Saturday.

However, some lingering questions remain ahead of Opening Day on Thursday. Even six long weeks of spring haven’t brought total clarity to the state of the team yet.

Here are the three most pressing, as the regular season nears:

Rotation depth

The top of the Dodgers’ rotation looks dominant. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start on Opening Day after an impressive WBC showing. Tyler Glasnow became a spring standout with his improved mentality and delivery. Even Shohei Ohtani has seemed to handle his rushed pitching build-up following the WBC well. Add in the progress Blake Snell made this spring in his return from offseason shoulder problems –– putting him on track to return within the first couple months of the season –– and the Dodgers might have four potential aces before long.

The team’s rotation depth, however, is a potential red flag. Roki Sasaki’s spring training struggles were well-documented. Emmet Sheehan quietly struggled for much of camp, as well, finishing the spring with a 5.91 ERA after a 4 ⅔-inning, four-run, five-strikeout start Saturday.

For now, they will likely be the Nos. 4 and 5 arms in the rotation, with swingman Justin Wrobleski capable of piggybacking with them or being a spot sixth starter when needed (the Dodgers can get away with a five-man rotation for the first couple weeks of the season thanks to an abundance of off-days). 

After them, there are question marks, with Stone out injured, River Ryan being eased into the season in his return from Tommy John, and Cole Irvin and Landon Knack being the next best organizational alternatives.

Last year, the Dodgers’ inability to get length from their starters incurred season-long costs on the bullpen. And until Sasaki, Sheehan or someone else beyond them can show consistent efficiency, the risk of overburdening the bullpen with repeatedly short starts will be a concern.

No matter how good the team’s top arms look.

Right-handed relief

The Dodgers now boast one of the best right-handed relievers in baseball in new closer Edwin Díaz. How they get to him in the ninth inning, though, is something of a question.

While Alex Vesia, Jack Dreyer and a seemingly improved Tanner Scott provide plenty of left-handed weapons, the Dodgers’ righty middle relievers did not inspire much confidence this spring.

Blake Treinen was the biggest concern, allowing seven hits, seven walks and six runs over his final five Cactus League outings. Youngster Ben Casparius and Edgardo Henriquez also battled command issues.

Outside of Kyle Hurt, who had a strong camp but like Ryan was optioned as he returns from Tommy John, the most consistent right-handed reliever this spring might’ve been Will Klein, who followed up his heroics in last year’s World Series by allowing just one earned run and one walk in nine spring appearances while striking out nine batters.

Still though, Klein has just 22 career MLB appearances and was a journeyman before last year. 

Thus, while the ninth inning might no longer be of concern for the team, building a bridge there –– especially against right-handed-heavy portions of opposing lineups –– could be a challenge barring some rapid individual improvements.

Staying healthy

The Dodgers might have gotten through this spring healthy. But staying that way will nonetheless be a task.

Their rotation still has to manage the heavy mileage they took on in last year’s playoffs. The lineup is full of 30-somethings who are coming off two consecutive grueling Octobers.

That’s why, in this year’s camp, the Dodgers were cautious with playing time, slowing the progressions of virtually everyone except Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages. Once the regular season begins, they will no longer have that luxury. And whether they can keep everyone healthy over another 162-game marathon could be the defining question of their entire season.

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