5 Dodgers about to lose their roster spot once trio of key players return from injury

Change is on the horizon for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not only is the trade deadline just around the corner, which may or may not bring about a wave of new faces, but even before the names come flying off the board, the Dodgers are going to face some roster turnover.

That's because there is a trio of injury returns on the horizon. Soon, Los Angeles will welcome back Blake Snell, Edwin Diaz, and Kiké Hernández, with returns beginning as soon as this coming week. With so many key veteran pieces coming back into the fold at virtually the same time, we're going to see a real roster crunch.

Moves will need to be made, and feelings will be hurt. There are a variety of candidates who will lose their 26-man roster spot in favor of these injured stars.

5 Dodgers who are on thin ice as Blake Snell, Edwin Diaz, and others return

Alex Freeland, Dodgers IF

Alex Freeland began the year by trying to refine a drastic swing change that the Dodgers had him working on throughout the offseason and spring training. He's gotten plenty of time to put it into practice and prove himself.

Despite a brief flash to begin the year, Freeland hasn't gotten it done. The soon-to-be 25-year-old has played 71 games and racked up 222 plate appearances, but unfortunately he hasn't been able to put it together. With a .232/.311/.314 line, three homers, and a 30.2% strikeout rate, Freeland doesn't hit for enough power to justify his high strikeout rate, but doesn't make enough contact to justify his lack of power.

The youngster still has options, so he is the easy choice to get sent to Oklahoma City once Hernandez is ready.

Emmet Sheehan, Dodgers RHP

After dazzling over his limited workload last season, Emmet Sheehan has come under fire for his lack of consistency this season. The right-hander all but had his fate confirmed when his July 20 debacle against the Philadelphia Phillies had an exasperated Dave Roberts talking about running him back out there until there's another alternative. Snell would be that alternative.

However, Sheehan's not the only option to get the boot, and there is a case for him to stay. He entered action on July 26 with a 5.13 ERA, but his 3.93 xFIP and his 3.66 SIERA indicate that a turnaround could be on the horizon. He turned in a strong performance against the New York Mets in his latest start, going five innings while allowing just three hits, two walks, and one earned run. Will it be enough to take the heat off him and save his job?

Roki Sasaki, Dodgers RHP

The Dodgers hoped to get more clarity on what they can reasonably expect from Roki Sasaki entering 2026. Instead, they've gotten more questions. He's still only 24 years old, and his peripherals are all better than what he put up in his injury-impacted rookie season.

Over his last three starts, he's posted a 1.92 ERA over 18⅔ innings. Is that him turning the corner? Can Los Angeles wait around to find out? Sending him down to Oklahoma City, especially after looking good of late, could be a blow to his confidence that does more harm than good. At the same time, the Dodgers aren't thinking about the future. They're thinking about finishing 2026 with yet another ring.

So, there's a chance that Sasaki gets the boot. There's also a chance that he's part of a domino effect that lands him in the bullpen and forces someone else off the roster in favor of Snell.

Eric Lauer, Dodgers LHP

Eric Lauer came out of nowhere to become a stabilizing force in LA's rotation. He's now logged 45⅔ innings for the Dodgers with a 3.35 ERA. While that looks good, the signs of regression are there. Lauer has managed just 5.12 K/9 as a Dodger, and while not every pitcher needs to be a strikeout artist to be effective, that number is still low for a pitch-to-contact arm. More concerning is the 1.77 HR/9 he's allowed, which is actually an improvement over his 2.72 HR/9 with Toronto.

What really foreshadows regression are his unfathomably low .207 BABIP and unfathomably high 88.5% left-on-base rate. Those two numbers coming back to earth make his 5.45 FIP look like a better reflection of the pitcher he is today. There's some chatter that the Dodgers could use him as a trade chip to beef up the farm system, so maybe that's his exit path. However, if negotiations stall, cutting ties to free up space for Snell might be the right call.

Charlie Barnes, Dodgers LHP

Charlie Barnes is essentially guaranteed to get sent back to Triple-A; the only question is which move is the one that bumps him. He could be the guy who goes to facilitate Diaz's return, which would then require someone to fill the long man role.

Or he could be a casualty due to a rotation arm, such as the ones we've already discussed, moving to the bullpen due to Snell's return. Either way, this one is a slam dunk.

Add us as a preferred source on Google