The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a strong start in 2025, with a 32-21 record, first in the National League West. While the Dodgers are off to a strong start, they have dealt with a litany of injuries throughout the organization, most of which have been with the pitching staff.
Dodgers President of Baseball Operations, Andrew Friedman, has had a tough task managing the Dodgers' injury-riddled roster. In an article from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Friedman commented on the Dodgers' roster and how he's approaching it amid the many players out due to injury.
"Everything from my brain is about what we can do," Friedman told reporters. "It's like a game of Whack-a-Mole, and things keep popping up, and we're doing the best we can to hit them down and keep our guys in a good spot to win as many games as we can."
Friedman's task of managing the Dodgers' roster is a tricky one, despite the heavy investment in the offseason. Nightengale outlined the issue best. He wrote, "The Dodgers have committed more than $740 million the past two winters on seven free-agent pitchers. Only two are healthy."
Those two healthy pitchers are Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tanner Scott. Yamamoto has a 1.86 ERA and 68 strikeouts through his first 10 starts, and is firmly in the Cy Young race. Scott, meanwhile, has a 3.42 ERA and 10 saves as the Dodgers' closer.
The injured players have stacked up for Friedman and the Dodgers. Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow, Kirby Yates, Emmet Sheehan, River Ryan, Gavin Stone, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, and Blake Treinen are all on the injured list.
There are plenty of other players also out due to injury, like Brusdal Graterol, Edgardo Henriquez, Kyle Hurt, and Michael Grove, who are also on the injured list.
There are 14 pitchers on the Dodgers staff who are out due to injury. That also doesn't factor in Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin, who missed time in 2025. Shohei Ohtani is also not ready to return to the mound either.
Friedman's comments on dealing with the injury-riddled roster are warranted. With all the injuries to the pitching staff, Friedman is trying to keep the Dodgers' starting rotation and bullpen afloat.
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