The Los Angeles Dodgers leave for South Korea in just a few days, and with 41 players on their Spring Training roster, they’ll need to decide which 10 are not traveling with them.
The Dodgers and San Diego Padres are permitted to bring 31 players with them on the trip for the two exhibition games, and that number will then be cut down to 29 for the Seoul Series with three players on the taxi squad and 26 active for the two regular season games.
Brusdar Graterol and Emmet Sheehan have already been ruled out for the trip while they deal with injuries, and Daniel Hudson is expected to be on the roster.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also shared some more updates with Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone and Michael Grove all making the trip, while James Paxton will not be included, via David Vassegh of AM570 L.A. Sports:
Dave Roberts shared that Bobby Miller will travel to Seoul, Korea and pitch in one of the exhibition games.
Gavin Stone and Michael Grove will be part of the traveling roster to Seoul, Korea.
James Paxton will remain at camp and continue to build up for the season and be…
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) March 11, 2024
Miller will start one of the two exhibition games when the Dodgers face the Kiwoom Heroes and the Korean National Team. The starter for the other game has yet to be determined.
The fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation has not been set, but Stone and Grove are both in consideration, along with Kyle Hurt and Ryan Yarbrough. Stone seems to be the favorite due to his impressive spring thus far and pedigree as a top prospect, and he could be in line to pitch the other exhibition game with Paxton not making the trip.
Grove has made most of his appearances out of the bullpen so far this spring, and he projects better as a reliever due to relying mainly on his slider rather than having multiple plus-pitches. It also appears the Dodgers also prefer to keep Yarbrough in the swingman role.
As for Paxton, nothing is physically wrong with him, the Dodgers just decided to let him continue to build up at Camelback Ranch to prepare for the start of the season. It’s expected he will start one of the Freeway Exhibition Series games against the Los Angeles Angels when the Dodgers return from South Korea.
Dodgers name starters for Seoul Series
Tyler Glasnow is starting for the Dodgers on Opening Day, which is Wednesday, March 20, with the start of the Seoul Series at the Gocheok Sky Dome. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to pitch the second game against the Padres.
Yu Darvish was named the Padres’ Opening Day starter, and Joe Musgrove is starting opposite Yamamoto in the finale of the Seoul Series.
Both games at Gocheok Sky Dome are starting at 7:05 p.m. local time and 3:05 a.m. PT.
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