Change of plan: Why Dodgers will open season with 5-man rotation

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Dodgers reversed course on how they'll configure their rotation to open the season, as president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Friday that the team will use five starting pitchers until Shohei Ohtani returns to the big league mound.

Throughout the offseason, the Dodgers maintained that they would likely use a six-man rotation to help manage the health of their starters and the schedules of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, who are accustomed to pitching on an extra day of rest.

Now, the Dodgers think that they'll be able to manage a five-man staff until Ohtani is back as a pitcher sometime in May by using their six off-days in March/April and calling upon depth as needed.

"I think we'll be able to fit whatever schedule makes sense for [Yamamoto and Sasaki]," Friedman said. "With the off-days and just the depth that we have, we'll be able to get creative."

Here are some of the other factors that led to the decision, as well as how it affects the pitching staff:

Ohtani's two-way status
Heading into Spring Training, there was some confusion over whether the Dodgers would be forced to designate Ohtani as a pitcher before he could re-qualify for two-way status. In that case, the team would've been down a pitcher until Ohtani's return to the mound.

When the two-way player designation was created, the rule stated that eligible players must start at least 20 games as a position player or DH -- with a minimum of three plate appearances in each -- and pitch at least 20 innings. They had to meet both criteria in either the current or previous Major League season.

The rule first took effect in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but it was revised so that players could qualify for two-way status if they met both criteria at some point in the current or previous two seasons. Starting in 2024, that same change was made to the two-way player rule going forward.

When Ohtani returns to the big league mound, the Dodgers will be able to staff a six-man rotation and an eight-man bullpen because Ohtani will not count toward their 13 pitcher roster spots.

Competition in the rotation
The news that Los Angeles will begin the year with five starters changes the projected makeup of the rotation. Blake Snell, Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Sasaki have always been the locks. But now there's only one spot for Tony Gonsolin or Dustin May.

"At this point, they're both building up, they're both viewing themselves [and] we're viewing them as starters," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "We'll see how the rest of the spring plays out, which obviously is a long ways away. That's really not impacted until Opening Day here, in the States, so we've got a lot of time."

Other candidates who could be fighting for that fifth spot include Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, Ben Casparius and Justin Wrobleski. Notably, Snell has taken it upon himself to be a mentor to Miller, who was expected to be a big part of the Dodgers' rotation last season but battled both injury and inconsistency.

Of course, the depth pieces that L.A. can turn to have another possible avenue to the Opening Day roster.

Fully staffed 'pen
Just one day earlier, Roberts had anticipated the challenge of managing a short bullpen for the first month-plus of the season. Now, it seems that's one thing he won't have to worry about.

The Dodgers figure to begin the season with Anthony Banda, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia and Kirby Yates in the bullpen. Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech are dealing with lingering injuries and could open the season on the IL, but if healthy, they would also be on the roster.

There are between one and three open spots, and whoever does not get the fifth-starter job could potentially make the Opening Day roster as a long reliever. It would serve the Dodgers well to have a contingency plan when Ohtani returns, too, as his buildup as a pitcher is not expected to include Cactus League games or a Minor League rehab assignment.

No matter how it all shakes out, a little competition could be good for an already-talented group of arms.

"I think it always brings out the best," catcher Will Smith said. "It's a hard game. We're playing to win each and every night. If we can compete against ourselves and push each other along, I think that only helps."