The Los Angeles Dodgers officially announced their 25-man Opening Day roster, and as expected begin the year carrying 13 pitchers and 12 position players.
The starting rotation presents no surprises, as the order consists of Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Last season, Wood cracked the roster as a reliever, while Maeda returns to his accustomed role after thriving in the bullpen during the Dodgers’ 2017 postseason run.
The bullpen features many new faces, as the only returnees from last year’s Opening Day roster are Kenley Jansen and Ross Stripling. Scott Alexander fills the left-handed void of Luis Avilan, who was traded to the Chicago White Sox during the offseason.
J.T. Chargois, an offseason waiver claim from the Minnesota Twins, looks to tap into his potential with a fresh start.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is unsure who will bridge the gap to Jansen, but nevertheless has many intriguing options to choose from.
Austin Barnes and Yasmani Grandal will once again form one of the league’s best catching tandems, while Kyle Farmer was included on the roster to allow Barnes the opportunity to play some second base.
The infield depth is somewhat depleted, given Justin Turner’s absence while he recovers from a fractured left wrist. Cody Bellinger enters his first full season as a Major Leaguer, while Logan Forsythe is expected to receive the bulk of his playing time at third base.
Chase Utley will see an increased role at second base, though he’ll still receive most of his plate appearances against right-handed pitching. After a strong spring, Kiké Hernandez could also see a lot of time at second base while Turner is out.
The outfield — left field in particular — was the biggest question mark in terms of roster construction for the Dodgers. Chris Taylor and Yasiel Puig will reprise their usual starting roles in center and right field, respectively.
Matt Kemp will begin the season as the team’s starter in left field, although Joc Pederson could also see some time at the position. Pederson beat out Trayce Thompson and Andrew Toles for the final spot on the bench.
Thompson, who was out on Minor League options, was designated for assignment, and Toles was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City so he can play every day and get at-bats as he continues to work his way back from last season’s knee injury.
Included below is a complete breakdown of the Dodgers 2018 Opening Day roster, with players listed alphabetically.
Starting pitchers (5): Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Alex Wood
Relief pitchers (8): Scott Alexander, Pedro Baez, JT Chargois, Tony Cingrani, Josh Fields, Wilmer Font, Kenley Jansen, Ross Stripling
Catchers (3): Austin Barnes, Kyle Farmer, Yasmani Grandal
Infielders (4): Cody Bellinger, Logan Forsythe, Kiké Hernandez, Corey Seager, Chase Utley
Outfielders (5): Matt Kemp, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor
