Injuries to Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill not only forced the Los Angeles Dodgers to juggle their starting rotation for Opening Day, but the bullpen outlook as well.
Assuming full health, the Dodgers’ relief corps was expected to consist of Scott Alexander, Pedro Baez, Dylan Floro, Yimi Garcia, Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, Ross Stripling, and Caleb Ferguson or Julio Urias.
However, Stripling and Urias were moved into the rotation, which cemented Ferguson’s place on the Opening Day roster and created one other opportunity. The Dodgers sought length from the final spot in their bullpen, and were down to deciding between Dennis Santana and Brock Stewart.