The “Endurance Test”: Why the Dodgers are Already Focused on Health for the 2026 Three-Peat Bid.vc
The Los Angeles Dodgers are chasing a historic three-peat, a feat last accomplished by the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. While the roster is loaded with superstars like Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman, the organization’s focus on the 2026 season has immediately shifted to an “endurance test” for one critical reason: the fragility and sheer workload of their pitching staff.
The Dodgers understand that the pursuit of a third straight title will be won not just by talent, but by availability over 162 games and a deep playoff run.
1. The Starting Pitching Injury Crisis
The core challenge for the 2026 three-peat bid is overcoming the injury history and workload management for their top-end starting rotation. The 2025 season saw the team survive a string of injuries to its starters, leading to instability and a massive reliance on depth.
- Shohei Ohtani’s Workload: Ohtani returned to the mound in June 2025 following his second major elbow surgery. While he pitched well (a 2.87 ERA in 47 innings), he still needs to prove he can handle a full season’s workload as a two-way player from Opening Day onward in 2026 (Source 1.3).
- Glasnow and Yamamoto: Newcomer Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto both missed time with arm injuries in 2024 (Source 3.6). Glasnow, despite his talent, has a lengthy injury history and his 2024 workload was a career-high (Source 3.6).
- The Depth Reliance: The Dodgers utilized a high number of pitchers in 2025—reportedly using 30 pitchers by mid-June—and relied on an influx of young arms (Landon Knack, Bobby Miller) to survive the injuries to their frontline stars (Source 3.4). Repeating that reliance on young, unproven depth is a massive gamble.
2. The Bullpen’s “Liability” Status
While the offense was elite, the bullpen was consistently the team’s greatest source of strain and anxiety in 2025.
- High Usage: Manager Dave Roberts frequently employed bullpen games, openers, and short starts to manage the workloads of his returning starters, naturally increasing the pressure and usage on the relief corps (Source 3.4).
- Performance: Reports categorized the 2025 bullpen as an outright “liability” or “abominable” (Source 1.5, 1.6). This lack of reliable relief requires the starting rotation to go deeper into games, which directly conflicts with the injury management plans for their star pitchers.
3. The Pressure of History
The Dodgers are approaching a rare threshold in baseball history. Only two franchises have ever completed a three-peat, most recently the Yankees from 1998-2000 (Source 1.4).
- Opponent Focus: Every rival club, including the Reds, Phillies, and Blue Jays, will enter the 2026 season actively “dreaming of revenge” and looking to dethrone the reigning champions (Source 1.2). This increased competition means the Dodgers cannot afford any prolonged slumps or periods of instability.
- Veteran Health: The pressure also falls on the non-pitching veterans. Mookie Betts dealt with an illness that affected his production for most of the 2025 season (Source 1.3), and Freddie Freeman is entering his age-36 season. Maintaining the health of the entire core is essential for the long grind (Source 1.6).
Ultimately, the Dodgers’ front office knows that their ability to achieve a historic three-peat rests almost entirely on their ability to manage the physical endurance of their high-cost, high-risk pitching staff through the long season.
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