Tyler Glasnow made a successful return to the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation this week, delivering five strong innings on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Blake Snell is preparing to follow with his own comeback as he pitched two scoreless innings with four strikeouts for Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday, marking the start of multiple rehab outings. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Snell’s next appearance will be on Tuesday with the Arizona Complex League Dodgers facing the Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.
Roberts indicated that the timing and location for Snell’s rehab starts are influenced by the All-Star break, which paused the Dodgers’ top four minor league affiliates until Friday, making the Arizona Complex League the ideal setting. In addition, Blake Treinen recently pitched a perfect inning on Wednesday for Triple-A Oklahoma City and is scheduled to pitch again for the Comets on Saturday, continuing his rehab process.
Addressing the Dodgers’ Relief Pitcher Challenges
The Dodgers have faced numerous injuries among their right-handed relievers this season, including Treinen’s forearm tightness, Evan Phillips undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Michael Kopech having surgery for a torn meniscus. Due to these setbacks, the team has increasingly relied on left-handed relief pitchers such as Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, Jack Dreyer, and Anthony Banda to maintain bullpen strength.
Shohei Ohtani Reigns as MLB’s Top Jersey Seller
Shohei Ohtani continues to hold the title for the top-selling jersey in Major League Baseball for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, a distinction Major League Baseball reaffirmed on Friday. Ohtani maintained his leading jersey sales from the period immediately following the World Series through the start of this year’s season.
Since opening day of this season, Ohtani’s jersey remains the best-selling across all MLB players, with Aaron Judge in second place, followed by Dodgers stars Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts ranking third and fourth, respectively. Clayton Kershaw is the only other Dodger among the top 20 jersey sellers for 2025, positioned at number 20. The Associated Press has published the full list of the league’s top 20 jersey sellers.
Implications for the Dodgers and Major League Baseball
The ongoing rehab efforts for key Dodgers pitchers like Glasnow, Snell, and Treinen highlight the team’s commitment to strengthening their pitching staff amid injury challenges. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani’s continued dominance in jersey sales reflects his broad appeal and status as a major league icon, influencing merchandise trends and fan engagement. As Ohtani sets a high bar for athlete popularity, the Dodgers look ahead to the return of their rehabbing pitchers to deepen their roster for the remainder of the season.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Shohei Ohtani the only 50/50?
A. He and Ohtani are the only Dodgers to achieve this feat since at least 1901. Ohtani became the first to join the 50-50 club, and even at 43-43, he was exceptional. To give more context about the 50-50 achievement: His 51 home runs are the highest ever in a season with 50 steals in MLB history.