Dodgers News: Alexis Diaz release, Yoshinobu Yamamoto Opening Day, Gavin Stone

From a Los Angeles Dodgers perspective, the Texas Rangers designating Alexis Díaz for assignment feels less like a surprise and more like confirmation of a downward trend fans in L.A. already witnessed firsthand.

Díaz’s brief stint with the Dodgers in 2025 showed flashes of the electric arm that once made him an All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, but the command issues were impossible to ignore. Even in a small sample, the walks piled up, the rhythm never settled, and it became clear he was no longer the high-leverage weapon he looked like in 2022–23.

Now, after continued struggles with Texas — including more walks than innings this spring — Díaz finds himself in roster limbo again. For Dodgers fans, it’s a reminder of how quickly reliever volatility can derail even the most promising arms.

Given the Dodgers’ bullpen depth and development pipeline, moving on when they did looks like the right call. Díaz still has raw stuff, but until the command returns, he’s a reclamation project — not a contender’s late-inning answer.

Dodgers News: Yoshinobu Yamamoto named Opening Day starter vs Diamondbacks

The Dodgers are once again handing the ball to their biggest-game pitcher, naming Yoshinobu Yamamoto as their 2026 Opening Day starter.

Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Yamamoto will take the mound March 26 at Dodger Stadium against the Arizona Diamondbacks, marking his second consecutive Opening Day nod and further cementing his status as the staff ace.

The decision comes as no surprise after Yamamoto’s dominant 2025 campaign, where he posted a 2.49 ERA across 30 starts and finished third in NL Cy Young voting. Even more impressive was his postseason run, earning World Series MVP honors while delivering multiple signature performances, including complete-game efforts on the sport’s biggest stage.

Yamamoto now joins rare company in franchise history, becoming one of the few Dodgers pitchers to throw the final outs of a championship season and start the next Opening Day — a testament to both durability and dominance.

As Los Angeles begins its pursuit of a third straight title, the message is clear: the road to another championship starts with Yamamoto on the mound.

Dodgers News: Gavin Stone set to resume throwing soon after shoulder injury setback

The Dodgers received a cautiously optimistic update on Gavin Stone, even as the right-hander has been ruled out for Opening Day following a spring setback.

Stone, who missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from major shoulder reconstruction surgery, had been progressing through a careful throwing program and even made an early spring start. However, renewed discomfort forced the Dodgers to shut him down from throwing in recent weeks.

Encouragingly, manager Dave Roberts indicated the club “dodged a bullet,” framing the pause as precautionary rather than a sign of serious re-injury. Stone echoed that optimism, noting he expects to resume playing catch next week and hopes to return to mound work within a month.

While the timeline removes him from immediate roster plans, the Dodgers remain focused on the long-term picture. Stone showed promise in 2024 with a 3.97 xERA across 25 starts, flashing mid-rotation upside before his injury.

For now, Los Angeles will prioritize patience, with the goal of getting Stone fully healthy and contributing later in the season.