Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

On a beautiful Tuesday afternoon at Goodyear, Arizona, the Los Angeles Dodgers inched out the Cleveland Guardians 5-to-4.

After a miserable first inning, when he allowed three walks, a single, and a grand slam, Roki Sasaki was brilliant for the next two innings. He made a mechanical adjustment that corrected his arm-side control problem. If he can keep his mechanics the same, he will be an asset in the Dodgers’ rotation. He showcased “the thing” as his third pitch, and no hitter made contact with it.

Something was in the air at Goodyear. Every pitcher struggled with his command. By the start of the fifth, the teams had ten walks combined.

Returning from Tommy John surgery, River Ryan looked sharp. Before his left elbow surgery, he was dominant in five major league games with a 1.33 ERA in the 2024 season. He is still working on his command, the last aspect to return for a pitcher after arm surgery.

With Gavin Stone missing Opening Day with right shoulder inflammation, Ryan has an opportunity to make the starting rotation. He would be ready if he hadn’t had left elbow surgery in August 2024. Now, he is in the mix to replace either Blake Snell or Stone in the rotation.

Tanner Scott pitched the sixth. He feels better than at any point during the 2025 season. On Tuesday, he walked a batter and allowed a single while striking out two.

The Dodgers continue to evaluate pitchers for their pitching depth at the major-league level, so when an injury arises, they will know who to call upon.