Whos pitching for the dodgers today: Why It’s Not Who You Think

Whos pitching for the dodgers today: Why It’s Not Who You Think

Look, I get it. You woke up, saw the date is January 13, and immediately went looking for the box score. You want to know whos pitching for the dodgers today because, honestly, this rotation is basically a video game roster come to life.

But here’s the cold, hard truth: nobody is taking the mound today.

It's the middle of January. It is freezing in most of the country, though probably a nice 68 degrees at Dodger Stadium right now. But the stadium is empty. The mound is covered. The only thing "pitching" right now are the front office guys making phone calls to finalize the remaining bullpen spots.

We are currently in the heart of the MLB offseason. If you're looking for a game, you’re about six weeks too early for Spring Training and over two months away from meaningful baseball.

When does the real rotation actually start?

If you are dying to see a live arm, you have to circle February 21, 2026, on your calendar. That is when the Dodgers officially kick off their Cactus League schedule against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

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Even then, don't expect the big guns right away. Usually, the first game of Spring Training is a "look-see" for a young prospect or a non-roster invitee trying to prove they belong on the 40-man.

The real answer to whos pitching for the dodgers today—if "today" means the games that actually matter—starts on March 26. That is Opening Day. The Dodgers will be hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chavez Ravine. And since this team is coming off back-to-back World Series titles, the energy is going to be absolutely nuclear.

The 2026 Projected Rotation: A Total Nightmare for Hitters

The 2026 Dodgers rotation is, frankly, unfair. While we don't have an official "starter" for a game today, we know exactly who the heavy hitters are going into camp.

  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto: The 2025 World Series MVP. He’s the ace. Period. After a 2.49 ERA last season, he’s the guy you trust with your life in a Game 7.
  • Shohei Ohtani: This is the big one. After spending 2025 primarily as a DH while recovering from surgery, 2026 is the year he returns to the mound full-time.
  • Blake Snell: The lefty specialist who seems to get better as the lights get brighter.
  • Tyler Glasnow: When he's healthy, his stuff is top-three in the league.
  • Roki Sasaki: The newest sensation. If you haven't seen his splitter yet, prepare to be annoyed on behalf of every hitter in the NL West.

Why January matters for the rotation

Even though there isn't a game, today is actually a huge day for the pitching staff. January 13 is right in the window where arbitration figures are settled and physicals are being cleared.

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Take a guy like Brusdar Graterol or Brock Stewart. These guys just signed one-year deals to avoid arbitration for 2026. They aren't "pitching" in a stadium, but they are in a lab somewhere in Arizona or Florida, tracking their spin rates on a Rapsodo machine.

The Dodgers have a massive depth problem—but the good kind. They have too many starters. Between Gavin Stone, Landon Knack, and River Ryan, there are guys who would be a #3 starter on most teams who might start the year in Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The Bullpen Shuffle

We also have to talk about the back end. The Dodgers recently landed Edwin Díaz to be the hammer at the end of games. Seeing him come out to the trumpets in a Dodgers uniform is going to be surreal.

The "who is pitching" question usually focuses on the starters, but in modern baseball, the guys pitching in the 7th and 8th innings are just as vital. With names like Alex Vesia and Anthony Banda locked in, the bridge to Díaz looks solid.

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What you should do while waiting for Opening Day

Since you can't watch a game today, the best way to stay prepared is to track the injury reports. The Dodgers' biggest enemy isn't the Padres or the Giants; it’s the IL.

  1. Check the Spring Training schedule: Tickets for the February 23 home opener at Camelback Ranch against the Mariners are already moving.
  2. Monitor Shohei’s throwing sessions: The beat writers are posting clips of his bullpen sessions almost daily now. His velocity is the biggest storyline of the spring.
  3. Watch the World Baseball Classic hype: Several Dodgers pitchers are expected to suit up for their home countries in March, which might change who actually starts the first week of the MLB season.

The wait is almost over. While nobody is pitching for the Dodgers today, the most dominant rotation in the history of the franchise is currently warming up behind closed doors. March 26 cannot come soon enough.

Keep an eye on the official MLB transactions page and the Dodgers' social feeds for the first official Spring Training mound assignments, which usually drop in early February.