The Dodgers had four off days through the first three weeks of the regular season, including a Sunday off plus three Thursdays in a row without a game. Their longest stretch thus far has been six days in a row with games. But the schedule is about to get much busier.
The Dodgers have four games at Coors Field in Denver beginning Friday night, before completing the road trip in San Francisco for three games. Then comes a homestand against the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins. That’s 13 days in a row
with a game.
Get ready for the pitching carousel to really get moving. Going into the trip, the Dodgers bullpen is about as well set up as possible, outside of concerns about Edwin Díaz. Dodgers starters in three games against the New York Mets pitched 21 2/3 innings, leaving a well-rested bullpen going into this weekend. Dodgers relievers this season have pitched 58 1/3 innings in 18 games, the second-smallest workload in MLB.
That said, playing 13 days in a row will be taxing on any pitching staff. If anything goes awry, that could have a ripple effect over a few games. Reinforcements will be needed, and fresh arms will be required. You can count on it.
Last season, the Dodgers had five stretches of at least 10 game days in a row, and here are all the pitchers they added to the active roster during those times.
May 2-11
10 days, 3 additions
J.P. Feyereisen was called up, with Yoendrys Gómez designated for assignment. Then Feyereisen was optioned the next day to call up Landon Knack. Evan Phillips went on the injured list and Matt Sauer came up.
May 30-June 11
13 days, 9 additions
Noah Davis was called up when Luis García went on the injured list. Will Klein was acquired from the Mariners and Davis was optioned. Ryan Loutos was called up and Chris Stratton was designated for assignment. Klein was optioned after one day with José Ureña signed to a major league deal. Justin Wrobleski was called up with Knack optioned. Chris Stratton was re-signed with Loutos designated for assignment. Michael Kopech and Kirby Yates were activated off the IL, with Tony Gonsolin landing on the IL and Stratton designated for assignment again. Sauer was called up and Ureña was designated for assignment.
June 13-22
10 days, 3 additions
Emmet Sheehan was activated off the IL, and Sauer was optioned. One day later, Sheehan was optioned and Jack Little called up. Little was sent down one day later with Klein recalled.
August 15-27
13 days, 4 additions
Paul Gervase was called up with Alexis Díaz sent down. Gervase was optioned one day later with Sauer called up. Sauer was also optioned after one day with Tanner Scott returning from the injured list. Yates returned from the IL with Blake Snell going on paternity leave. Snell was activated three days later with Alex Vesia placed on the injured list.
September 12-21
10 days, 1 addition
Kopech was placed on the injured list, and Klein was recalled.
The September stretch came when active roster limits allow for 14 pitchers instead of 13, making it easier to absorb heavier workloads. But last season during the period with 13 active pitchers, the team had four stretches of playing at least 10 days in a row, and added at least three pitchers to the active roster during each stretch.
Having Shohei Ohtani fully stretched out now, and him not counting against the 13-pitcher roster limit, will mitigate the need for coverage somewhat, but pitching roster moves still seem inevitable for this stretch of games over the next 13 days.
Today’s question is how many pitchers will the Dodgers add to the active roster from April 17-29?
