Sunday, February 1, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Dodgers held their fan fest. Nothing was revealed that should surprise any casual Dodger fan.

The Dodgers want to win a three-peat. If they succeed, they will be the first National League team to win three consecutive World Championships.

Can they?

Definitely.

Is it likely?

No!

Since the National League Western Division is weak, the Dodgers will make the 2026 postseason unless everyone on the projected Opening Day roster misses time on the IL. The Dodgers have an old roster so injuries will be a factor in the 2026 season.

But the Dodgers have the best minor league system. I think Dodger fans will know the names of Kyle Hurt, River Ryan, and Ryan Ward. By the way, Gavin Stone, who was the best Dodger starter in 2024 before injuring his right shoulder and requiring surgery, should be back in the rotation.

While the baseball world is focusing on the new Dodger acquisitions of Edwin Dìaz and Kyle Tucker, the Dodgers are a complete team. Undoubtedly, Dìaz and Tucker will play valuable roles on the 2026 Dodgers. They aren’t the ones who will determine whether the Dodgers will have a three-peat.

It is the Dodgers’ pitching staff that will determine whether the Dodgers will have a historical performance. Pitching is what makes a team memorable. And the Dodgers are no different.

On paper, the 2026 Dodgers may have the best starting rotation in baseball history. As Dodger fans, we know starters get injured as we sneeze. I am prepared to write about who will be starting in June. However, the Dodgers have more depth in the starting rotation.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the 2025 World Series hero, leads the Dodgers’ starting rotation. This spring, he will be pitching in the World Baseball Classic. After he pitched a ton in the 2025 postseason, he probably will spend time on the IL. While Yamamoto has a different physical routine, he will need a break.

Blake Snell is going to vamp up for the 2026 season. His troublesome right shoulder didn’t feel right until this offseason. Although some media outlets have reported that Snell would miss Opening Day, Snell doesn’t know this. Snell is a ten-year veteran, and he has played only two full seasons during his major league career. In those two seasons, he won both American and National League Cy Young Awards. Snell probably will miss some time at some point during the 2026 season.

Tyler Glasnow has missed a significant amount of time during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Glasnow is a tall pitcher who has back problems. It is a distinct conclusion that he will miss at least ten days during the 2026 season.

Shohei Ohtani will participate in the World Baseball Classic for Japan but won’t pitch. He will be a two-way player for the entire season. Though he is healthy, he won’t be ready for the Opening Day roster since he is playing in the World Baseball Classic. Since Ohtani has the right elbow problem history, the Dodgers want to supervise Ohtani’s revamp.

Nobody knows who will be Dodger fifth and sixth starters. They should give a huge opportunity to Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, and Stone to earn those spots.

This week, both Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman said that Roki Sasaki will be a starter, but he needs to develop a third pitch. Sasaki is a very talented, right-handed pitcher at 24. I think Sasaki starts the year in Oklahoma City, but he will be a factor in Los Angeles by the All-Star break.

Baseball fans think the Dodgers are ruining baseball with their huge payroll. What a team spends on its players doesn’t guarantee that the team will win a World Championship. The 2026 season will have to be played to know which team will reach the pinnacle. Certainly, the Dodgers are loaded with talent and experience, but no one knows how it will translate on the field.