Dodgers Dugout: Looking At The Nl West Catchers; Meet Our New Columnist

Hi, and invited to different version of Dodgers Dugout. My sanction is Houston Mitchell. Today we commencement a bid looking astatine nan NL West, position by position, and we meet our caller sports columnist.

NL West, nan catchers

It seems for illustration a bully clip to look astatine nan starting lineups for each nan teams successful nan NL West. The Dodgers are prohibitive favorites to triumph nan division, pinch immoderate prognosticators reasoning they will beryllium nan only squad successful nan section to decorativeness supra .500.

Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projection has nan NL West finishing for illustration this.

1. Dodgers, 105-57
2. San Francisco, 81-81
2. San Diego, 81-81
4. Arizona, 79-83
5. Colorado, 61-101

It seems to maine astatine slightest 1 different squad will decorativeness supra .500, but, that’s why they play nan games. A batch of projections had Toronto not moreover making nan postseason past year. So return it pinch a atom of salt.

Now, let’s look astatine nan catchers, classed from champion to worst. Click connected nan player’s sanction to beryllium taken to their afloat stats page.

Dodgers
Will Smith
Last season: .296/.404/.497, 20 doubles, 17 homers, 61 RBIs
Career: .264/.358/.476, 128 OPS+

Smith, who turns 31 connected March 28, is nan champion catcher successful shot and he is simply a bargain astatine only $14 cardinal a play done 2033. Of catchers who started astatine slightest 81 games past season, he was eighth successful caught stealing astatine 25.5%. Some will reason that Cal Raleigh aliases Alejandro Kirk are better, but erstwhile you see nan full package, I put Smith first. Of course, if Raleigh’s immense measurement up successful discourtesy that he took past play is for real, past he could surely slot up of Smith.

Arizona
Gabriel Moreno
Last season: .285/.353/.433, 12 doubles, 9 homers, 40 RBIs
Career: .281/.349/.404, 108 OPS+

Moreno has inflammation successful his correct elbow, but it appears he will beryllium fresh for opening day. He has had rather a fewer injuries nan past mates of seasons.

Colorado
Hunter Goodman
Last season: .278/.323/.520, 28 doubles, 31 homers, 91 RBIs
Career: .248/.292/.482, 102 OPS+

Goodman was 1 of nan fewer agleam spots for nan Rockies, who mislaid 119 games past season. Last play was his first bully play astatine nan plate. He was an All-Star and won nan Silver Slugger award. Earlier this outpouring training, he had this to opportunity astir his defense: “I mean, past twelvemonth for nan full first half, was benignant of for illustration I was successful fight-or-flight mode nan full crippled down nan dish. So conscionable trying to get to wherever I’m comfortable connected nan sheet and moving to get these guys strikes and telephone amended games and worldly for illustration that.”

San Francisco
Patrick Bailey
Last season: .222/.277/.325, six homers, 55 RBIs
Career: .230/.287/.340, 78 OPS+

Bailey is coagulated defensively, and has proven to beryllium a maestro astatine erstwhile to situation a ball/strike telephone nether nan caller Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System (more connected that successful a early newsletter). Bailey has besides focused connected his plaything successful nan offseason and has been a overmuch amended hitter this spring.

San Diego
Freddy Fermin
Last season: .251/.297/.339, 13 doubles, 5 homers, 26 RBIs
Career: .264/.309/.376, 91 OPS+

The Padres acquired Fermin from nan Royals astatine nan waste and acquisition deadline past season, and loved really he handled nan pitching staff, overmuch for illustration nan Dodgers pinch Ben Rortvedt. He will beryllium backed up Luis Campusano, who deed .336 successful triple A but isn’t precisely Johnny Bench down nan plate.

Meet our caller columnist

We person a caller columnist astatine The Times, Mirjam Swanson. She will beryllium covering each sports, but here’s guessing she will beryllium penning rather a spot of sentiment astir nan Dodgers. So, let’s get to cognize her.

Q. Welcome to The Times. What was nan roadworthy that led you here?

Swanson: Thank you! Oh, it’s been a agelong and windy road, scenic let’s say. I grew up successful Southern California, truthful it was ever my dream to activity for nan L.A. Times. But publicity is a reliable business. And I cognize I’m not nan only mom retired location who has turned down and/or taken jobs based connected what was champion for her children. Plus, I’ve ever had this problem of getting really into immoderate I’m covering, whether it was action sports aliases section authorities aliases World Series runs. So while nan dream of moving astatine nan Times persisted, I was besides ever happy pinch what was correct successful beforehand of me, ne'er hopeless to move on. But present I americium now, finally, amended for nan journey, I think.

Q. You will beryllium an all-sports columnist, but we’ll attraction connected nan Dodgers since this is simply a Dodgers newsletter. Do you person a favourite infinitesimal successful Dodger history?

Swanson: The infinitesimal successful Dodgers history that will instrumentality pinch maine astir is …

… hmm. The Dodgers’ history books could capable a room — wherever to start?

I was successful nan backseat of nan family car connected a freeway location successful Southern California listening to Kirk Gibson put his signature connected nan improbable 1988 play pinch his impossibly clutch pinch-hit location tally successful Game 1 of nan World Series. And I was successful nan ballpark erstwhile Gibby met Freddie successful 2024, emotion nan stadium shingle and watching connected a TV successful nan overflow media workspace, emotion awe and angst. Freddie Freeman pinch expansive timing that night, correct connected deadline.

Watched Shohei Ohtani move Game 4 of nan 2025 NLCS into a Little League crippled pinch 10 strikeouts and 3 location runs. There mightiness ne'er beryllium a greater individual crippled — aliases location mightiness be. Put thing past Ohtani, including nan inconceivable.

And I won’t hide my L.A. vicinity erupting complete Miguel Rojas’ “no-way!” ninth-inning solo changeable successful Game 7 of past season’s World Series.

But each of that is simply a agelong and windy measurement to get astatine this: It’s Andy Pages’ catch.

That’s not recency bias, either. It’s that nan play was truthful confounding, truthful unexpected, nan crippled twist nary 1 saw coming. Violent and diversion and hilarious. A full movie successful 10 seconds.

We mightiness not person expected it to beryllium Rojas to deed that season-saving location run, but our brains are trained to judge seeing a location tally successful specified a moment. But an outfielder coming retired of nowhere, moving down and complete his ain teammate to make an improbable, intolerable season-saving drawback for nan last retired successful nan ninth inning of Game 7? Wasn’t connected my bingo card.

I deliberation astir that play daily, it was truthful cool.

Q. What do you spot arsenic nan biggest obstacle for nan squad this season?

Swanson: The reply is health, of course. But nan Dodgers are truthful deep, they’ve done arsenic overmuch arsenic a nine tin to fortify itself against inevitable injuries and ailments passim a season, truthful it feels for illustration little of a interest than it’s expected to be.

So it’ll beryllium mental. Having to grip nan weight of trying to three-peat, of everyone either desperately wanting to spot them do it aliases rooting desperately against them doing it. Every different squad is going to dainty their games against nan Dodgers for illustration it’s nan World Series. That should make for bully baseball, but it besides will trial these guys’ psychological stamina.

Manager Dave Roberts said nan different nighttime that he felt much unit to repetition than three-peat, and that astatine this point, nan Dodgers are playing pinch location money. That mightiness beryllium true, but there’s nary ignoring nan historical opportunity, either. Heady worldly for a squad that’s group up arsenic good arsenic a squad tin beryllium to do it if players tin support their edge.

Q. I get rather a spot of email from fans saying Roberts is overrated and that anyone could negociate this squad to nan World Series. What are your thoughts connected Roberts arsenic a manager?

Swanson: I cognize immoderate of these people.

And I dream they’re connected nary one’s jury, because grounds evidently intends thing to them.

A feline I know, an different comparatively logical dude, told maine aft nan Dodgers repeated: “The only bad point astir this is Dave Roberts is going to beryllium astir longer.”

As if location was any bad point for fans of nan squad astir nan Dodgers’ repeating. You really person to want to beryllium unhappy astir thing if you’re anti-the head who has won 3 World Series crowns successful six seasons.

As if it’s automatic to aviator a squad pinch truthful galore talented players, to support them happy and motivated and locked in, to negociate these millionaires pinch understandable egos. That’s really truthful overmuch harder to do than to coach up a squad of prospects pinch humble expectations.

And to propulsion truthful galore of nan correct levers on nan way, too?

Yeah, Roberts is elite astatine what he does. And apparently his haters are elite astatine what they do too.

Q. Is a lockout inevitable aft nan season, and does shot request a net cap?

Swanson: Sigh.

Yes, probably.

No, astir apt not.

All nan net headdress is going to do is prevention nan smarter-than-you Dodgers’ ownership group money while everyone keeps chasing them. It won’t level nan playing field, but it will springiness owners screen for not paying their players arsenic overmuch arsenic they could — and perchance costs america each priceless opportunities to watch Ohtani play shot while nan owners and players limb wrestle complete finances offstage.

Sigh.

Q. Lastly, really galore games will nan Dodgers triumph this season?

Swanson: Fewer than 100.

Yes, they’re nan astir talented squad money could buy. But each different squad is going to springiness everything it has successful each crippled against nan Dodgers. And nan Dodgers aren’t going to lucifer that power each clip retired — aliases 117 times out, if you’re hoping nan awesome convention grounds + World Series three-peat combo is connected nan menu.

The regular play isn’t what it’s really astir for nan Dodgers. They’ll beryllium blimpish pinch their approach, they won’t push anyone to do thing that could diminish their capacity successful nan postseason. They’re going to play it cool … until they’re not.

And it’s going to thrust observers on nan measurement nuts, because it will costs them immoderate games. But let’s effort not to fret excessively much, Dodgers fans. Try not beryllium excessively difficult connected Roberts.

Because only 1 number really matters: Three.

Dodger Stadium has a caller section name

The Dodgers agreed to a woody granting Uniqlo naming authorities to nan section astatine Dodger Stadium. Though not officially announced by nan Dodgers, nan sanction apt will beryllium Uniqlo Field astatine Dodger Stadium.

Uniqlo is simply a Japan-based clothing brand. This is conscionable different illustration of nan gross nan Dodgers are generating because of Shohei Ohtani.

But here’s guessing that nary 1 will telephone it Uniqlo Field astatine Dodger Stadium.

Opening time starter will be...

Dave Roberts said Monday that Yoshinobu Yamamoto will beryllium nan opening time starter connected March 26 against Arizona astatine Dodger Stadium. It will beryllium nan 2nd consecutive opening time commencement for Yamamoto, and aft each he did successful nan postseason past year, it is overmuch deserved.

And nan number is....

Some of you who haven’t seen immoderate outpouring training games person asked what numbers nan caller Dodgers are wearing.

Edwin Díaz is wearing No. 3, past worn by Chris Taylor and besides worn by specified Dodger luminaries arsenic Steve Sax, Willie Davis and Billy Cox. He becomes nan 40th Dodger to deterioration No. 3.

Kyle Tucker is wearing No. 23, past worn by Michael Conforto (I dream that’s not a bad omen) and besides worn by, among others, Adrián González, Eric Karros, Kirk Gibson, Jim Wynn, Claude Osteen and Don Zimmer.

In lawsuit you missed it

Yoshinobu Yamamoto named Dodgers’ opening-day starter for 2nd consecutive season

Dodgers prima Shohei Ohtani apologizes for ‘shortcomings’ successful Japan’s early exit from WBC

Dodgers reportedly work together to woody pinch Uniqlo for naming authorities to Dodger Stadium field

Swanson: Yoshinobu Yamamoto mightiness not deterioration a cape, but he has ace powers

‘Bigger than baseball.’ Why being successful Puerto Rico for WBC meant truthful overmuch to Kiké Hernández

Blake Snell throws first bullpen convention of outpouring training, taking cardinal measurement forward

Dodgers imaginable James Tibbs III attempts to show staying powerfulness aft aggregate trades

And finally

Kyle Tucker hits his first location tally pinch nan Dodgers. Watch and perceive here.

Until adjacent time....

Have a remark aliases thing you’d for illustration to spot successful a early Dodgers newsletter? Email maine astatine houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter successful your inbox, click here.