Early Opening Day roster projection for back-to-back champs

LOS ANGELES -- After becoming the first team in a quarter century to repeat as World Series champions, the Dodgers have the opportunity to do something even more special this year.

With a rare bid for a three-peat in play, L.A. spent the offseason filling the holes on a roster that was already loaded with talent, bringing in stars such as outfielder Kyle Tucker and closer Edwin Díaz. With those moves, the roster appears mostly set, but its finishing touches will take shape as Spring Training goes on.

Before the Dodgers officially kick off camp at Camelback Ranch, let's take a stab at projecting their Opening Day roster:

Catchers (2): Will Smith, Dalton Rushing
With Rushing backing him up about two days a week last year, Smith put together the best offensive season of his big league career. This year should bring a similar timeshare behind the dish, although the Dodgers may look for ways to get Rushing, their former top prospect, more playing time in order to unlock his bat.

First baseman (1): Freddie Freeman
While first base is one spot where Rushing could get more opportunities, Freeman tends to have the same goal every season: Play 162 games. Freeman has been a pillar of consistency in his four years as a Dodger, and the team expects nothing less from him in his age-36 season.

Second baseman (2): Miguel Rojas, Hyeseong Kim
Coming off right ankle surgery, Tommy Edman is not ruling out the possibility of being ready in time for Opening Day. But he's taking his rehab slow, and considering how his ankle troubled him last year, it would not be surprising if he began the season on the injured list. Rojas is a top candidate to take over at second, and it would make sense to have a left-handed bat in the mix. We'll give Kim the nod for now, but it feels like a competition between him and the switch-hitting Alex Freeland.

Shortstop (1): Mookie Betts
All of Betts' hard work in the previous offseason paid off when he was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop in his first full season at the position. Now the question is whether he can get his bat back on track after a down year at the plate.

Third baseman (1): Max Muncy
Though there were times last year when Muncy's defense was called into question, his presence in the Dodgers' lineup was irreplaceable. That was apparent when the team's offense scuffled when Muncy had to miss a large chunk of the year due to a bone bruise in his left knee and a strained right oblique.

Outfielders (5): Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Kyle Tucker, Alex Call, Michael Siani
Do the Dodgers really need two extra outfielders beyond the starting trio of Hernández, Pages and Tucker? Here's the reasoning behind this projection: If Edman starts the year on the IL, the team will lack depth in center field behind Pages. Call has experience there, but his playing time up the middle has been sparing in recent years. That may open the door for Siani, whom L.A. twice claimed off waivers this winter, to make the Opening Day roster.

Two-way player (1): Shohei Ohtani
The four-time unanimous MVP will reprise his role as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter. After returning to pitching last June, Ohtani should begin this season as a member of the rotation as well. Because he has two-way status, he does not count toward the team's 13-pitcher roster limit.

Starting pitchers (5): Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki
Blake Snell has not been officially ruled out for Opening Day, but it's highly unlikely he ramps up in time. Given their early off-days and the fact that Ohtani may only be built up for two or three innings, the Dodgers could choose to carry five traditional starters with more length options in the bullpen instead of starting the season with a six-man rotation. Justin Wrobleski, Gavin Stone and River Ryan could all potentially fill a swingman role.

Relief pitchers (9): Edwin Díaz (closer), Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Jack Dreyer, Will Klein, Justin Wrobleski, Edgardo Henriquez, Gavin Stone
The Dodgers are counting on Díaz to lock down the ninth inning and Scott and Treinen to rebound from a tough 2025 season. There are others who should be in the mix for the last spot or two in the 'pen, among them Ben Casparius and Kyle Hurt.