The Dodgers leave Arizona for Tokyo on Wednesday, the morning after their final Cactus League game, setting the stage for a whirlwind week in Japan. It also means the roster will be eventually pared down to 26 active players for opening day on March 18 against the Cubs.
Let’s sort out how the roster will work for the trip. Luckily we have two previous early international starts to call on for guidance, including just last year. In 2014 the Dodgers opened the season in Sydney, Australia with two games against the D-backs, then in 2024 they played in Seoul, South Korea with two games against the Padres.
First up is designating 31 players for the travel roster to Japan. This the pool of players eligible to play in the exhibition games against the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers. Others might join the trip, but won’t be a part of the official travel roster, like Clayton Kershaw, for instance, who is rehabbing from left foot surgery.
Last year the Dodgers announced their travel roster the day after the flight to Seoul, so we can probably expect that list of players by Thursday. Last year’s travel roster included catcher Hunter Feduccia and pitcher Landon Knack, who were previously optioned during spring training.
Within that 31-player travel roster will be the 26 players who will be active for opening day on March 18. Because the Dodgers and Cubs are starting the regular season a week earlier than everyone else, they are also allotted an additional three exempt roster spots. In other words, the teams will pare down to 29 “active” players on March 18, but three players won’t be available to play in the two regular season games at the Tokyo Dome.
Last year, the Dodgers’ three exempt players for the Seoul Series were starting pitchers Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, and James Paxton, which allowed the team to carry three extra relievers for two games against San Diego. Miller and Stone pitched in exhibition games in South Korea, while Paxton was back at Camelback Ranch preparing for the season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the opener this year against the Cubs.
The Dodgers haven’t fully committed to Roki Sasaki starting the second game against the Cubs, but he’s expected to pitch in some role. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if another starting pitcher from the group of Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Tony Gonsolin is active to piggyback with Sasaki on March 19. At least one or two of those other three starters could very well be on the exempt list for opening day, and very well might start one or both of the exhibition games on the trip.
Speaking of Sasaki, he’s currently a non-roster invitee, so the Dodgers will need to add him to the 40-man roster when they finalize their opening day roster on March 18, which for us in the U.S. will likely be late night Monday, March 17. The team will need a corresponding move to make roster room for Sasaki, but there are a handful of injured pitchers for whom the 60-day injured list awaits.
All of the standard injured-list placements will be finalized by opening day as well, which adds another little wrinkle to opening the season early. The clock on said IL stints start on March 18, which gives a head start for players who might not have otherwise needed two full weeks from domestic opening day on March 27. Evan Phillips, who injured his shoulder during the postseason and has been working his way back this spring, fits this bill.
#Dodgers Evan Phillips threw another bullpen session today. Dave Roberts said he looked like he was in “midseason form.” Phillips will not travel to Japan, will face hitters in live BP in AZ. Activation in early April is “totally on the table,” Roberts said.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 5, 2025
By starting the season on the 15-day IL, Phillips would be eligible to return as early as April 2 if he is deemed ready.
Once the Dodgers return from Japan, they will still have three exhibition games to play with the Freeway Series against the Angels, set for March 23 in Los Angeles, then March 24-25 in Anaheim. By March 27, the Dodgers’ home opener and domestic opening day for the sport, they will need to finalize their 26-man opening day roster. That means the three “extra” pitchers active for the Tokyo Series will be optioned to make room for the three exempt players.
AloJapan.com