3 Dodgers players who will make Opening Day roster but won’t last the season

The Dodgers and Padres got a head start on the rest of MLB by kicking their spring training games off on Thursday. They'll need it, too; they head into real games a week before everyone else on March 20 when they face off in Seoul.

That first spring training game featured a thrilling first inning, when the Dodgers put eight runs on the board and knocked out Joe Musgrove after only four batters. Out of 14 total Dodgers runs, 12 were thanks to prospects and non-roster invitees who are looking to make an impression on the club.

There may not be a chance for them to appear in the majors come Opening Day, though. The Dodgers' roster is packed with talent, leaving little space for the team to get experimental with their top prospects or many reclamation projects in the bigs ... for now.

With that small amount of wiggle room and inevitable changes and additions to come throughout the season, there are a few Dodgers players who might fight their way onto the 26-man, but who could be quickly shuttled back to the minors when the team needs to make big changes down the line.

3 Dodgers players who will make Opening Day roster but won’t last the season

Gavin Stone

There are very few spots left on the Dodgers 26-man roster around all of the stars and backup players who the Dodgers still owe a significant amount of money to, leaving openings confined to the bullpen (pending injury). It's likely that LA will keep eight arms in reserve there, with Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier, Alex Vesia, and Blake Treinen all guaranteed locks. That leaves two possible spaces for the rest of the Dodgers' many relievers at spring training to fight for.

Stone was the first LA pitcher to make his 2024 spring training debut; he pitched a spotless inning with a strikeout after 31 dismal innings last season, when he saw his ERA balloon to 9.00. He'll have some competition for a 26-man bullpen spot in Michael Grove and Gus Varland, but Stone's status as a top five prospect for the Dodgers may give him the edge when they come down to decision-making.

However, the last one in is also usually the first out. If the Dodgers secure any new relievers throughout the season, Stone will be scrutinized very closely, and if marked improvement isn't seen, the Dodgers could use one of his remaining two minor-league options to send him back down the minors without a fuss.

Emmet Sheehan

Unlike Stone and Feyereisen, Sheehan isn't fighting for a roster spot during spring training. He's a lock for the rotation as either their fourth or fifth starter, depending on how James Paxton looks. Sheehan pitched 60 innings last year after impressing Dodgers management in Double-A, but his first major league innings were rocky. He pitched to a 4.92 ERA in the majors and had a 3.9 walk rate through nine innings.

It was enough for the Dodgers to give him a more significant drive this year, but things could change as soon as Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw are back in the mix. Buehler will come first, presumably in May, which could set the Dodgers up with a six-man rotation, kick Sheehan to the bullpen, or send him back down the minors altogether. If he manages to remain on the 26-man until Kershaw comes back, then his future could be even more nebulous. With the Dodgers' roster as jam-packed as it is, it doesn't give them a lot of wiggle room to keep players just to have them in reserve.