GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani … and then who?
That's one question the Dodgers will need to answer with about three weeks of Spring Training exhibitions remaining. They know the aforementioned three arms will be in their season-opening rotation, and that Blake Snell and Gavin Stone will not, leaving two or three spots in question.
Now that Emmet Sheehan made his spring debut in Wednesday's 7-5 win over Team Mexico, the Dodgers have seen everyone they're considering for the rotation in action. Here are four starters to watch leading up to Opening Day:
Of these four, Sasaki is the one whom the Dodgers seem the most certain about breaking camp as a member of the rotation. But how he's performed in a small sample this spring has raised questions about whether that makes sense for both him and the team.
Sasaki's most recent outing on Tuesday was especially uneven: He gave up a grand slam and was pulled from the first inning after facing five hitters, then re-entered for two more innings and retired six in a row.
The Dodgers have maintained their confidence in Sasaki, but they are looking for him to show some signs of progress this spring. If he doesn't, that could open the door for another starter.
Manager Dave Roberts' take: "I just think there has to be continued progression. I do appreciate that he’s more open this year. He is voicing his thoughts, which I think is great. But I do think that he still needs to be coached. And he still needs to get those experiences. But I think really, there’s no concern."
Sheehan's return from Tommy John surgery was one of the best developments for the Dodgers last year. He rejoined the team in June and went 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 15 appearances (12 starts).
Earlier in camp, Sheehan caught an illness that delayed his throwing progression, leading to him not appearing in a spring game until Wednesday, when he gave up one run on three hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings.
Sheehan was such a key piece for the Dodgers that he should have the inside track for a roster spot this year, but his role remains to be seen. He should have just enough time to build up to a starter's workload, but pitching in long relief could also be on the table.
Roberts' take: "I trust him. He’s physical. He’s strong. He’s smart. The fastball plays. He gets right, he gets left. … He understands what he needs to do. So now it’s just getting him built up and giving him an opportunity to help us out."
Wrobleski thrived after shifting to relief last year, capping the campaign with five scoreless innings in the World Series. He was one of the first names mentioned by the Dodgers' front office as a possible replacement for Snell, and he's looked sharp through three scoreless innings this spring.
If Wrobleski does not make the rotation, he then becomes one of the Dodgers' top long-relief options. He could pitch behind Ohtani early in the year, since the two-way star has limited opportunities to build up his arm while exclusively serving as a hitter in the World Baseball Classic.
Roberts' take: "I think that [reliever] mindset worked good for his mentality and his stuff and filling up the strike zone and putting hitters on their heels. He did that. And I think that translates to two, three, four, five innings as well."
Ryan made his big league debut more than a year and a half ago, but he's coming into the season as the Dodgers' top pitching prospect, per MLB Pipeline. As he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery, Ryan could make a serious bid to win a rotation spot out of Spring Training.
As is often the case when a pitcher comes back from Tommy John surgery, Ryan has had to work to get back his command. After missing the zone with more than half of his pitches in his first outing, Ryan showed some improvement by landing 19 of his 28 pitches for strikes on Tuesday.
Roberts' take: "I just think his misses are the right misses. The delivery was consistent. Being able to strike the breaking ball, shorten it. Pitch ahead. The rhythm was good. Mound presence, good. All that stuff looked like a Major League pitcher."