Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers and catchers are less than one week away from reporting for the start of Spring Training. They’ll be followed by position players five days later, and the club’s first full-squad workout will be held Tuesday, Feb. 21.
The Dodgers then begin Cactus League play on Feb. 25, facing their Camelback Ranch co-tenant Chicago White Sox. This spring is unlike the three previous years, as some MLB clubs will lose Major League players and/or prospects to the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
For the Dodgers that includes Ike Davis, Adrian Gonzalez, Kiké Hernandez, Dean Kremer, Drew Maggi, Vidal Nuño, Rob Segedin and Alex Verdugo.
Sergio Romo, who’s reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with the Dodgers, is slated to join Team Mexico, while Kenley Jansen (Netherlands) and Julio Urias (Mexico) were named to a designated pitcher pool.
The WBC also requires some adjustment from pitchers as the duration of camp is longer. Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt explained how he intends to handle the matter, during an interview with David Vassegh on Dodger Talk on AM 570 L.A. Sports Radio:
“The days in between, even their bullpens, in the past we’ve had to go pretty fast because Spring Training is shorter and the games get there quicker. Guys will still be pitching in games, but we’ll have the ability to stretch them out. I’m trying to get them into their five-day rotation as quick as possible, so they’ll have that routine and also give them more rest earlier in camp. The way I have it set up, hopefully with no rain-outs, I have six days for all the starters in the middle of camp to give them an extra day of rest.”
The Dodgers are expected to begin Spring Training with a surplus of starting pitchers for a second straight year. That seemingly proved futile last spring as multiple starters were lost to injury, which was a trend that carried into the regular season.
As it stands, Los Angeles projects to open camp with Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brock Stewart, Ross Stripling and Alex Wood vying to round out the rotation behind Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda.
Urias may factor into that as well, though he’s a candidate to remain in extended Spring Training when the Dodgers break camp.
Speaking during FanFest at Dodger Stadium last month, manager Dave Roberts acknowledged there’s a possibility Kazmir or McCarthy is moved to the bullpen, and said he may have a conversation with the veterans once camp began.
