Forgotten Dodgers pitchers on the road to recovery could be depth saviors soon enough

If there's one thing the Los Angeles Dodgers need in abundance, it's pitching depth. Whether it be covering for Blake Snell or Tyler Glasnow, or even managing Shohei Ohtani's pitch count as we reach the dog days of summer, the Dodgers could use all the help they can get. Thankfully for Dave Roberts and Co., reinforcements are on the way.

As the Dodgers visited Arizona to face the Diamondbacks early this week, they received some encouraging news on Gavin Stone, Bobby Miller, Ben Casparius and even Landon Knack. All four pitchers were hanging around the team in a brief break from their rehabilitation at the Dodgers' spring training complex near by.

When can the Dodgers expect Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller back?

The Dodgers thought they'd have Stone — arguably the biggest name on this list — back in the fold to start the season. Unfortunately, his injured shoulder flared up in spring training and he's been on the road to recovery ever since.

“He’s one that I’m really bummed out about,” Roberts said per the New York Post. “I think his makeup is off the charts, good, compete. Right now, his body’s just letting him down a little bit. There’s nothing else he can do. When he … ramps it up, it sort of shows itself again. So right now, I’m not sure exactly where he’s at in this progression. But I’m looking forward to seeing him, though.”

The last time Stone pitched off an MLB mound was 2024, when he went 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 25 starts. He was forced to miss the entire 2025 season due to shoulder surgery, which has lingered into 2026.

Much like Stone, Miller was a breakout rookie in 2023 before injuries put his Dodgers career at risk. Miller had an 11-4 record and a 3.76 ERA that season. While recovering from shoulder surgery this offseason, he also suffered a back injury that forced a setback. He has slowly ramped up his pitch count and is open to being used as a relief pitcher if it gets him back to the major leagues quicker.

Roberts is going to have to manage the Dodgers pitching staff carefully down the stretch, especially if he hopes to set LA up for a World Series threepeat. The wear and tear of three straight postseason runs will eventually take its tole on even the greatest of dynasties. So, while pitching depth is important for any MLB contender hoping to make a run, it means even more for the Dodgers.

Snell and Glasnow are on the injured list. The same can be said of Casparius, Edwin Diaz, Brusdar Graterol, Brock Stewart, and Evan Phillips. The returns of Stone and Miller, while small compared to some of the other names on this list, could loom large come October.

The MLB season is long, and the 162-game slate will often take double-digit starting pitchers, especially when some of those starters are injury-prone, as the Dodgers know all too well. It's ideal to have some reinforcements on the way, even if Roberts doesn't end up needing them.

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