Wednesday, February 12

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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dodgers pitchers and catchers are in the swing of things at Camelback Ranch, and at long last, Spring Training is here.

Along with the opening of camp comes plenty of intrigue for the season ahead, especially for the Dodgers, who spent the offseason gearing up to defend their World Series title. Here are three storylines to follow this spring: 

1. How will Shohei Ohtani fare as a two-way player once more?

This question won't be answered fully during the spring, as Ohtani is not expected to pitch in a Major League game until May. Still, we're inching closer to what everyone has been waiting for since Ohtani signed with the Dodgers -- his return to two-way superstardom. 

In all likelihood, it won't be a layup. It's difficult to return from two major elbow surgeries. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery as a Major League rookie in 2018 before his ’23 procedure to repair his right ulnar collateral ligament -- and the left shoulder surgery he had last November further complicated matters. 

Ohtani's second major elbow surgery didn't affect him much as a hitter, as he created the 50-50 club and brought home his third MVP Award in 2024, but it could be a different story on the mound. The Dodgers witnessed it firsthand when Walker Buehler struggled in his return from a second Tommy John surgery, then hit his stride in the postseason in 2024. 

In recent years, no player has pushed the boundaries of what seems possible at the Major League level more than Ohtani, and that could be true with his rehab, as well. Nevertheless, there are obstacles for Ohtani to navigate. 

2. How will Mookie Betts' return to shortstop go?

Betts' move to the infield -- and later on, to shortstop -- was the talk of the previous spring. It's a hot topic now, too, as we'll soon see how a full offseason of work has helped Betts prepare to hold down shortstop for the foreseeable future. 

Many of the fundamentals were there last year for Betts, who was shifted to shortstop late in spring after Gavin Lux struggled defensively. The main issue for Betts was throwing, even though he has had a strong and accurate arm from the outfield throughout his career. 

With months to adjust to throwing from the infield in low-pressure situations, Betts should be better equipped to make the change this spring. A six-time Gold Glove Award winner in right field, Betts isn't merely looking to be serviceable out there -- he wants to be elite.

Betts thrives when facing down a challenge, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him figure it out at shortstop. If he struggles to the detriment of the team, though, the Dodgers have several in-house options who could take over in a pinch, such as Miguel Rojas, Hyeseong Kim and Tommy Edman. 

3. How will the rotation shape up come Opening Day?

When it comes to potential, the Dodgers' rotation could be one of the best in recent memory. But no matter how talented and deep the group is on paper, there is some uncertainty.

The projected season-opening rotation likely consists of this group: Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May. None threw even 135 innings last year, and Gonsolin and May haven't thrown a pitch in the big leagues since 2023 while recovering from major injuries. If a spot is up for grabs in the rotation, it could be one of theirs, depending on what they show in Cactus League play.

And even though Sasaki's reputation precedes him, he hasn't thrown a pitch in the Majors and could need time to adjust. He has the raw talent, but there's no guarantee that he pitches like an ace this season. 

Like with Ohtani's rehab, it's entirely possible that things will go to plan. The risk in this assembled rotation comes with a real reward if everyone is fully healthy and firing on all cylinders. Plus, the Dodgers know they have reinforcements coming in Ohtani and, presumably, Clayton Kershaw -- so there might not be too much strain on their other starters who are returning from injury. 

So while there is some question of how this group will perform -- and endure -- over the course of a 162-game season, the Dodgers' rotation-related questions are ones that, quite frankly, many teams would love to have. 

Five years ago on Monday, the Dodgers traded for Betts, also receiving veteran pitcher David Price and cash from the Red Sox, in exchange for Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs. 

Looking back at the deal now, it feels like an era-defining trade for the Dodgers. At that point, the team's bread and butter was homegrown talent -- and L.A. still produces plenty of that. But this was the beginning of the front office making more aggressive pushes for proven external talent, which has led to the bustling offseasons of the past couple of years. 

As a side note, I was in Boston when the trade was initially reported. I attended Boston University, and there was a semifinal game against our rival, Boston College, in the Beanpot college hockey tournament that night at Walter Brown Arena. When the news broke, I remember the booing from the stands momentarily drowned out the action from the game we were actually there to watch.

At that moment, at a game for another sport deep in baseball's offseason, it struck me how deeply Boston fans cared about Betts. Nowadays, it's just as apparent how much he means to the city of Los Angeles.

The Dodgers announced more promotions for the 2025 season last week, including theme nights such as Japanese Heritage Night on April 28, LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 13 and Black Heritage Night on June 19. The full slate of theme nights and special ticket packages can be found here.

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