Dodgers Looking for Their Sixth Man in 2026

Dodgers Have a Plethora of Options for Their Sixth Starter

Notable Departures and Additions

The Dodgers operated with a six-man rotation last year as well, but a few familiar faces are gone. Clayton Kershaw retired, and Dustin May, who was traded to the Boston Red Sox, is now with the St. Louis Cardinals. Blake Snell‘s shoulder is still cranky from last season, and he won’t be ready for Opening Day. However, Roki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan will rejoin the rotation after recovering from significant injuries and playing pivotal roles in the bullpen in 2025. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani will round out the starting five.

Wrobo

Roberts has been bullish on Justin Wrobleski, saying that the left-hander has a legitimate shot at the final spot in the rotation this year. Wrobleski came up in 2024 when the starting rotation was struggling to stay healthy. The rookie had an up-and-down year, but his repertoire showed promise. He joined the World Series roster in 2025 and got some vital outs to keep the Blue Jays at bay in game seven to enable the Dodgers to engineer a comeback. His five-pitch arsenal is headlined by 95-plus four-seamer that has the capability to blow hitters away.

The Stabilizer

Gavin Stone has been a study in contrasts. He struggled out of the bullpen in 2023 with an Earned Run Average of 9.00 and gave up a lot of hard contact, including home runs. However, he seemed to figure it out in the rotation the following year. The ERA shrank to a respectable 3.53 in 140 innings. He stabilized a starting rotation that was riddled with injuries until he needed shoulder surgery himself, missing all of 2025. If he can recover fully, he could be an asset in the rotation or as a long man out of the bullpen this year.

The Young Gun

River Ryan is back. Originally a product of the San Diego Padres, he came up to spell the ailing starting rotation in 2024. Ryan made four starts and featured a 1.13 ERA. The 18 strikeouts were a bonus.  Ryan was not only unhittable but unflappable when he was on the mound. Tommy John surgery ended his season, and he missed all of 2025 due to recovery. He entered with 30 more pounds on his frame that may help him endure the rigors of an entire season. If Ryan stays healthy, the sky seems to be the limit.

Names to Keep in Mind

Ben Casparius was a life-long starter at Triple-A for the Dodgers. However, when he reached the majors, he was an incredibly effective long man. Out of necessity, Los Angeles inserted him into the rotation as a spot starter last season, and he struggled mightily. Hopefully, he can regain his footing this season.  Finally, there is Landon Knack, who is a serviceable depth piece. Knack has the ability to be effective if he keeps the ball in the yard.

Don’t be surprised if the Dodgers use every one of these pitchers in 2025 in order to sustain the rigors of a full season. Los Angeles will use this depth in order to be as healthy as possible for October.