Editorials

Dodgers Set 25-Man Active Roster For Opening Day 2015

Vincent Samperio-Dodgers Nation
Vincent Samperio-Dodgers Nation

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In total, the Dodgers elected to go with 14 position players and 11 pitchers (four starters and seven relievers). Their 25-man breakdown is as follows (alphabetical order in each category):



Starting Pitchers: Brett Anderson, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Brandon McCarthy

Relief Pitchers: Pedro Baez, Yimi Garcia, Chris Hatcher, J.P. Howell, Juan Nicasio, Joel Peralta, Paco Rodriguez

Infielders: Darwin Barney, Adrian Gonzalez, Alex Guerrero, Howie Kendrick, Jimmy Rollins, Justin Turner, Juan Uribe

Catchers: A.J. Ellis, Yasmani Grandal

Outfielders: Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Scott Van Slyke

A noticeable theme of the Dodgers’ roster, particularly the bullpen, is the number of young players to make the team. Pedro Baez and Yimi Garcia both made their Major-League debuts last season and figure to play a key role in a bullpen that in some regards has been patched together.

Paco Rodriguez hasn’t allowed a run or issued any walks in 10.2 innings this spring; he’s also added 13 strikeouts compared to just four hits. He had a similarly strong Spring Training last year, traveled with the Dodgers to Australia and was with them through mid-April — or until Brian Wilson was reinstated from the disabled list.

While a clause in Alex Guerrero’s contract prevents him from being optioned to the Minors without his consent, which he said he wouldn’t give, his play earned him a spot on the roster. Guerrero continued to swing the bat well and has developed into a utility man capable of playing third base and left field.

This marks Chris Hatcher’s first time making an Opening Day roster. He appeared in the first two games of the Freeway Series, retiring all four batters he faced. Hatcher was acquired from the Miami Marlins as part of the Dee Gordon and Dan Haren trade, and perhaps factoring into the decision to place him on the roster was him being out of options.

How long this group of relief pitchers remains unchanged is unknown and the final product figures to be far from settled. The Dodgers are expected to sign Scott Baker, and the eventual returns of Kenley Jansen and Brandon League will need to coincide with a roster move.

Brandon Beachy, Brandon League, Kenley Jansen, Hyun-Jin Ryu will all begin the season on the disabled list. None of the 20 non-roster invites to Spring Training made the 25-man active roster.

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Paco Rodriguez Discusses Improving Mechanics


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11 Comments

  1. While the team appears to be stronger with position players, pitching does not look strong and the expectations may be too much for the pitching group. Let’s hope for the best….however that may be define. Go Dodgers

    1. Maybe. We’ll have to see how McCarthy and Anderson do. But thankfully today it was the Padres’ bullpen that blew up instead of ours. 🙂

    1. That is being cocky. After the trade they pulled off yesterday the Padres just got a whole lot tougher.

  2. Biggest surprise? That 3 guys who pitched so bad this spring made the team..Hatcher, Peralta and Nicasio. While guys like Huff, Santos, and Liberattore were sent down……

  3. Well it seems Dodgers can’t send out Hatcher out on back to back games. He had nothing on the ball. Also what a surprise JP Howell stunk again. He has absolutely no velocity on the ball. I can’t believe the club didn’t send him packing.

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