"The Los Angeles Dodgers appear poised to begin the 2026 season with a six-man rotation, manager Dave Roberts said Friday. Speaking at spring training in Glendale, Arizona, Roberts confirmed that the team expects to utilize a six-man rotation, as they did last year. "I think early, it's hard to say it won't be," Roberts said, as reported by Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. "How beholden we are to that, for how long, I don't know.""
"General manager Brandon Gomes said after the season that the team was open to another year of the six-man rotation, and five of those pitchers are back with the team in 2026. Presumably, they'll hold their spots, but who will fill in for the retired Clayton Kershaw? Gomes previously said Roki Sasaki "absolutely" will be starting again after spending much of 2025 hurt or in the bullpen, where he found more success than he'd had as a starter."
"While it's easy to assume Sasaki will take Kershaw's spot in an otherwise unchanged rotation, Roberts wouldn't confirm the starters. "It's hard to say right now who those participants are. It really is," he said. "But I do think that with the starting pitching depth we have, it makes sense as I sit here right now.""
The Los Angeles Dodgers plan to begin the 2026 season using a six-man starting rotation, mirroring their approach from last season. Five pitchers from last year's rotation returned for 2026, creating continuity while leaving a vacancy after Clayton Kershaw's retirement. Roki Sasaki is expected to be in the starting mix after spending much of 2025 injured or pitching in relief, where he performed better. Manager Dave Roberts affirmed the likelihood of a six-man rotation but declined to confirm exact starters. Injuries, trades, and performance could prompt changes, with the roster outlook still uncertain by the end of April.
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