6 returns from injury that could change complexion of Dodgers' 2026 roster

Over the last several seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers have lost more calendar days to IL stints than any other team in baseball. The vast majority of these injuries, at least the long-term ones, have come on the mound.

Thanks to an embarrassment of riches, the incredible depth the Dodgers have compiled has allowed the club to not only weather the storm, but thrive in spite of it. With that said, heading into 2026, it looks like Los Angeles will be at its healthiest in a long while, and with these impending returns, the complexion of the roster may shift.

What might seem like an offseason priority now might not be such a great need thanks to these injury returns, while in other cases, the influx of healthy arms could lead to some big moves being made. Six players, all pitchers, look to make an impact as they work their way back into the fold after injuries wiped out all or most of their 2025 campaigns.

Six Dodgers hurlers could change the 2026 roster construction as they return from injury

The starters - River Ryan and Gavin Stone

The Dodgers have an absolute treasure chest when it comes to the starting rotation. The club is considering rolling with a six-man rotation, and the reasons extend beyond simply trying to provide comfort for their Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Roki Sasaki.

With Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Emmet Sheehan also in the fold, Los Angeles has six legitimate arms worthy of getting starts. They're about to add two more to the mix.

River Ryan and Gavin Stone are similar in that both are former top prospects who never really got a chance to launch their careers. Ranked No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, on the Dodgers' 2024 top prospects list, the two have rarely gotten opportunities. Ryan made just four starts in 2024, posting a 1.33 ERA. Stone has gotten more run, enduring a rough debut in 2023 before logging 25 starts and 140.1 innings in 2024, pitching to a 3.53 ERA before succumbing to injury.

On most teams, both would be considered strong rotation options, given their pedigree, and while both have minor league options and can serve as depth down at Triple-A Oklahoma City, they could also facilitate a bigger plan.

There have been rumblings that the Dodgers might consider trading oft-injured ace Tyler Glasnow, and the return of Ryan and Stone could be just the kick they need to pull off a blockbuster Glasnow deal that could ultimately help them solve their outfield issues.

The relievers - Brusdar Graterol and Brock Stewart

The addition of Edwin Diaz sent a message to the baseball world that the Dodgers are serious about a threepeat. The dominant closer clearly believes in LA's chances because he went into free agency seeking a five-year deal, then rejected such an offer from the Atlanta Braves in order to sign with the Dodgers.

With Diaz locking down the ninth, the bullpen looks a good deal better, but there are still reasons to be concerned. Tanner Scott can't be trusted, Blake Treinen is running on fumes, and the surefire options beyond Diaz are almost all left-handed.

With that said, a pair of righties are returning and could cross the need for another reliever off Andrew Friedman's list. It's been a while since we have seen Brusdar Graterol take the mound, as the 27-year-old could only muster 7.1 innings in 2024 before a shoulder injury ended his campaign and cost him all of 2025. The last time Graterol was able to make it through a full season was 2023, when he was utterly dominant, posting a 64.4% ground ball rate and 1.20 ERA over 67.1 innings.

While he might not be ready for Opening Day, we'll see Brock Stewart joining Graterol in the bullpen mix shortly thereafter. Stewart was the Dodgers' move to fix their bullpen woes at the trade deadline, but managed just 3.2 innings in LA before suffering a shoulder injury of his own.

The free agent reliever herd has already thinned out, and the return of these two likely alleviates the need for the Dodgers to gamble on one of the remaining available bullpen arms. Their returns could also spell the end of one of many underperforming relievers' tenures in Los Angeles.

The wild cards - swingmen Michael Grove and Kyle Hurt

A notch below Ryan and Stone are swingmen Michael Grove and Kyle Hurt. While these two could simply hang out in Oklahoma City as break-glass-in-case-of-emergency options, there's a chance they could factor into the big league roster plans without an injury presenting them with an opportunity.

Hurt has rarely been seen at the big league level, making just four appearances, including one start, with the MLB club. However, in that small sample, the 27-year-old righty posted an impressive 1.04 ERA. He began working his way back at the tail end of 2025, tossing 9.1 innings and recording a 1.93 ERA for Oklahoma City.

Grove has more extensive big league experience, hurling 149.1 innings as both a starter and reliever from 2022 through 2024. His production hasn't matched his results, with a 5.48 career ERA versus a more optimistic 4.10 xERA. That said, his biggest bugaboo has been the long ball, and he cut that down significantly in 2024, posting a reasonable 1.04 HR/9.

Strong spring performances could vault either into the conversation, and while a rotation spot seems unlikely, a landing spot in the bullpen as a bulk-innings option is in the realm of possibility for either of these pitchers. Guys like Ben Casparius and Will Klein could have targets on their backs if they are outdueled by one or both members of this duo come spring training.