PHOENIX — The back fields buzzed at Camelback Ranch as the Los Angeles Dodgers ramped up their spring workouts on Thursday morning.
The focus centered on Field 1, where Roki Sasaki, Edwin Díaz and Tanner Scott faced live hitters. Yet, one loud crack of the bat quickly captured considerable attention. During a live batting practice session, Andy Pages crushed an offering from teammate Alex Vesia, sending the ball high over the fence of Field 2.
Pages will be one of a handful of regulars making their 2026 Cactus League debut on Saturday, when the Dodgers’ spring training games begin. Manager Dave Roberts said Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the opener against the Los Angeles Angels, likely his only appearance before departing for the World Baseball Classic. Shohei Ohtani will be the designated hitter on Saturday and Sunday. Will Smith and Teoscar Hernández should be in Saturday’s lineup, while Kyle Tucker is likely to start Sunday. Roberts will ease in Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy over the next week.
New kids on the block. #PhotoDay pic.twitter.com/onB03ODmHw
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 19, 2026
The Dodgers will spend the first several games easing veteran players into game action. They are coming off another short offseason while expecting to play deep into October again. It is why the organization is being so conservative with its starting pitchers this spring, and why the Dodgers are carrying 32 non-roster invites in camp this year.
“I just know that being 33 now, I don’t have to hurry up and get here and be ready to play from Day 1,” Mookie Betts said earlier in the week. “So I can kind of embrace that. Not everybody is blessed to have that.”
Still, the Dodgers will have plenty to configure over the next five weeks. Here are three early spring storylines to watch as exhibition games get underway.
Competition at second base
While the Dodgers hoped this wouldn’t be the case, they were hardly surprised to learn that Tommy Edman (right ankle surgery) would not be ready for Opening Day. There is no timetable for Edman’s return, but he is on schedule with his rehab process.
Second base might be the only position battle this spring. Miguel Rojas will resume his usual role there against left-handed pitching, and Santiago Espinal, whom the Dodgers signed to a minor-league deal earlier in the week, could provide depth. However, the starting job is up for grabs for Hyeseong Kim or Alex Freeland, who are competing for the same role.
“Competition is a good thing,” Roberts said.
Freddie and Hyeseong went yard during live BP. 👀 pic.twitter.com/gqzsLQobgD
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 17, 2026
Kim reported to camp several days early and quickly garnered praise from Roberts. He should see a bulk of starts over the first week of games before departing to play for Team Korea in the WBC. That should open the door to more playing time for Freeland. The key for both players is improving their offensive production. In Freeland’s case, Roberts said he’d like to see a better approach. Freeland does not need to carry an offense — certainly not the Dodgers’ at least — but the team will need him to get on base more consistently than he did last year.
For Kim, adapting to major-league pitching from the KBO proved troublesome. He will need to showcase a more selective zone this spring, specifically with offspeed spin and high fastballs. Kim hit .280 over 161 at-bats last season but struggled against high velocity. “I think he got a good introduction to the major-league pitcher,” Roberts said. “I think he’s going to be better this year.”
Kim and Freeland offer defensive versatility, a trait the Dodgers love. Freeland can play around the infield, while Kim looks to be the backup option for Andy Pages in center field until Edman is healthy. It’s hard to say which player has the advantage, but this is shaping up to be a compelling roster battle that could take all spring to decide.
The starting pitching progression
Blake Snell has not thrown a bullpen, and yet the odds of his Opening Day status continue to dwindle. Ohtani will not pitch in a Cactus League game before leaving for the WBC, and the Dodgers are unsure how he will continue his throwing program while in Japan. There is a clearer plan for Yamamoto, who will pitch in the tournament. However, the Dodgers will remain cautious with his usage as they contemplate opening the season with a six-man rotation.
Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow should see relatively normal progressions through spring, but they are coming off shoulder injuries last year. Emmet Sheehan, a top candidate to break into the rotation, is behind schedule after managing an illness that kept him out of camp for most of this week. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman touted Gavin Stone and River Ryan, both of whom missed all of last year recovering from surgery, as pitchers he’s excited to watch this spring. Landon Knack and Bobby Miller, while further down the depth chart, will have an opportunity to put themselves back on the team’s radar.
Los Angeles will have to get creative with its rotation to start the regular season, especially if Snell starts on the injured list and Ohtani is not built up. The Dodgers know they will need several layers of their depth to manage through late March and April.
“Where our pitchers are built up to is going to fall out of a thoughtful progression this spring,” Friedman said. “Any little hiccup can kind of slow that down a little bit. Once we have a feel for that, it’ll give us a better sense of how to build out our eight-man pen to support our guys and make sure we’re not stepping on anybody too aggressively.”
Dalton Rushing’s role
Rushing is in line to be the backup catcher behind Will Smith again, but Roberts would like to find ways to get Rushing more at-bats. That could mean using Rushing at first base on days when Freeman needs a spell. The outfield, Roberts said, will not be an option for Rushing.
“I do want to get him at bats when I can,” Roberts said. “Ideally, we’d love for him to get 500 at-bats this year, to continue to evolve and catch innings.”
However, the Dodgers depth chart doesn’t allow for that. The more important thing for Rushing to do this spring is to show how he can adapt to a bench role.
“I want him to understand his role as a backup catcher,” Roberts said. “Really learn the pitchers, learn a swing that works for playing a couple times a week. He’s used to playing a lot more. But I think that just kind of still maturing, because it’s not easy to not play every day when you’re used to that.”
Rushing will see more time behind the plate this spring with Smith playing for Team USA in the WBC. Yet, the adjustment to a bench role can be tough for a top-rated prospect who has never had to split time. Roberts expects Rushing to have a better understanding of how that works. He’ll need to show that this spring.
“(It) comes with experience, knowing that you don’t know when you’re going to come into a game, but you’re watching, and you’re expecting to go into the game,” Roberts said. “As you start to watch and learn, you expect those spots. And you shouldn’t be surprised. So I expect that to be gone now this year.”