While the issue of a less regular selection than the second baseman and fielder is urgent, how the Dodgers fill the bullpen in the final week of spring training is still a focus of attention.

Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech couldn't make it in time for the March 18-19 Tokyo Series opener, but the good news is that the duo is back on a good remark. They have resumed their bullpen practice and will practice their strikes during the Dodgers' trip to Japan, with a return in mid-April.

"We were very cautious about their recovery plan at first because they threw a lot of high-pressure innings last year," said head coach Dave Roberts, "so it's not a bad thing to have them come back a little later." Seeing their current state, we are even more optimistic. ”

The Dodgers will also miss Brisdar Graterol, Michael Grove and 18th-ranked rookie Edgardo Henriquez. Enriquez's injury is recent, as he was spotted wearing a walking boot on his left foot on Tuesday. Roberts said he had a metatarsal injury in his left foot and would be out for 4-6 weeks, but did not disclose the exact cause of the injury, saying only that it was not related to baseball.

Here's what's going on in the Dodgers bullpen, from the lock-up to other options for the final week of spring training:

Those who have locked their seats

• Anthony Banda
• Tanner Scott
• Blake Treinen
• Alex Vesia
• Kirby Yates

Scott and Yates are the new high-leverage pitchers, both of whom have a record of successful rescues in 2024. Roberts said Scott would take on "most of the shutdown duties" but did not formally appoint him as the finisher to allow for flexibility in specific situations.

Long trunk option

• Tony Gonsolin
• Landon Knuck,
• Dustin May

All three are preparing as starting pitchers this spring, with either Gunsolin or May likely winning the No. 5 starting spot. Roberts said pitchers who are not on the rotation may still be on the roster as long relays, but the team won't make a decision until after the Tokyo series. The Dodgers needed just four traditional starting pitchers in Tokyo, with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow expected to pitch in the warm-up game, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki pitching in the main draw.

With shortened spring training and less preparation time than usual for the Dodgers' starting pitchers, the long-relay pitchers in the bullpen will play an important role in the Tokyo Series and beyond. Nack said he doesn't focus on his position on the Dodgers' roster, but he believes his starting or long-relay ability could help secure a spot. In his 2024 rookie season, he posted a 3.65 ERA in 15 games (12 starts).

Other names to keep an eye on

• Ben Casparius
• Jack Dreyer
• Luis García

Dodgers' No. 14 rookie Casparius last played last year in Game 4 of the World Series as the opening pitcher for the bullpen game. After his first experience in the major leagues last year, Casparius is expected to play a more important role this year – albeit with a small sample size, his speedball speed has improved this spring.

Dreyer was added to the 40-man roster in the offseason to avoid a Rule Five draft. In 2024, he posted a 2.20 ERA between 2A Tulsa and 3A Oklahoma City, with 72 strikeouts and just 12 nets in 57.1 innings pitched.

Garcia is not on the Dodgers' 40-man roster, so the team needs to free up a spot. This is not a problem, as a number of long-term injured players could start the season from the 60-day injury list. The addition of Garcia will add an experienced major league pitcher to the bullshed. The right-handed pitcher had an up-and-down season with a strong spell with the Angels (3.71 over 45 games) but declined after being traded to the Red Sox (8.22 over 15 games).

The Dodgers' cowpen configuration will gradually become clear in the final week of spring training, and their selection will have a direct impact on competitiveness for the new season.