Best Dodgers Pitchers Right Now: Ranked
If you want a quick answer to who the best dodgers pitchers right now are, the crown currently belongs to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, closely followed by a fully healthy Tyler Glasnow and two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
Los Angeles boasts arguably the deepest pitching arsenal in Major League Baseball. Between a reloaded starting rotation that blends high-octane velocity with surgical control and a lockdown bullpen featuring electric late-inning stoppers, manager Dave Roberts has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal. But when the game is on the line and October baseball looms, certain arms clearly separate themselves from the pack. Here is our breakdown and ranking of the top Dodgers pitchers taking the mound today.
1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto: The Poised Big-Game Ace
When Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed his historic 12-year, $325 million deal, the pressure was immense. He silenced any remaining skeptics during his rookie postseason run, delivering ice-cold, dominant outings on the biggest stages. That poise under pressure is what makes him the premier name among the best dodgers pitchers right now.
Yamamoto's repertoire is a nightmare for opposing hitters. His mid-90s fastball plays well above its velocity because of elite extension and late life, but his split-finger fastball is the real wipeout weapon. Paired with a rainbow curveball that disrupts timing and an improving cutter, Yamamoto keeps hitters off-balance in any count. His strikeout-to-walk ratio consistently sits near elite territory, and his ability to work out of high-stress jams without blinking gives the Dodgers the true ace they envisioned when they signed him out of Japan's NPB.
2. Tyler Glasnow: Pure Stuff and Strikeout Dominance
From a pure, unadulterated stuff perspective, nobody on the Dodgers staff rivals Tyler Glasnow. Standing 6-foot-8 and generating extreme extension toward home plate, his 98 mph heater feels like 103 mph to opposing batters. When Glasnow is dialed in, he is virtually unhittable.
His primary weapon alongside the high fastball is a devastating slider/curveball combination with absurd vertical drop and sharp bite. His strikeout percentage consistently ranks in the top 98th percentile across MLB, and his swing-and-miss rates inside and outside the zone make him an absolute terror. The only reason Glasnow doesn't hold the undisputed top slot is durability; managing his innings and workload remains the Dodgers' primary focus. When he is toeing the rubber, however, he undeniably ranks among the best dodgers pitchers right now.
3. Blake Snell: The Two-Time Cy Young Southpaw
Adding Blake Snell to an already stacked Dodgers staff was an absolute flex by the front office. Snell brings a rare pedigree as a two-time Cy Young Award winner across both leagues. When Snell catches fire, he can string together months of sub-1.50 ERA baseball that completely breaks opposing offenses.
Snell is the ultimate high-strikeout, swing-and-miss southpaw. He relies on a biting curveball and a fading changeup that generate chases well outside the strike zone. While walks have historically been part of the Blake Snell experience, his knack for stranding base runners with inning-ending punchouts is unmatched. Pitching in front of a championship-caliber lineup and utilizing Dodger stadium's pitcher-friendly dimensions solidifies Snell's place at the top tier of Los Angeles arms.
4. Shohei Ohtani: The Looming Elite Factor
It feels unfair to list a designated hitter who just put up a 50-50 season among the team's top pitchers, but Shohei Ohtani is built differently. As he finishes his recovery and eases back onto the mound, baseball fans get a reminder of just how devastating his pitching repertoire truly is.
Before his elbow procedure, Ohtani featured an upper-90s four-seamer, a sweeping slider (sweeper) that broke horizontal movement records, an aggressive splitter, and a heavy sinker. He generated whiff rates near the top of the league while holding hitters to batting averages under .200. Because he is ramping up his pitching volume cautiously, his workload will be tailored carefully, but his ceiling guarantees that Ohtani must be factored into any serious breakdown of the best dodgers pitchers right now.
5. Michael Kopech & Evan Phillips: High-Leverage Bullpen Bullets
Starting pitchers dominate the headlines, but the Dodgers' championship aspirations rely heavily on their late-inning bridge. That bullpen unit is anchored by two distinctly different, equally terrifying arms.
Since arriving in Los Angeles, Michael Kopech has transformed into one of the most feared relievers in baseball. Pumping triple-digit fastballs with elite rise alongside a sharp cutter, Kopech regularly overpowers batters in high-leverage situations.
Counterbalancing Kopech's raw heat is Evan Phillips, the cerebral escape artist. Phillips relies on pinpoint command, a sweeping slider that sweeps clear across the plate, and a deceptive cutter. Whenever the bases are loaded in the 8th inning, Phillips is the arm Dave Roberts trusts. Together, Kopech and Phillips ensure that the Dodgers' bullpen features some of the best dodgers pitchers right now when protecting tight late-inning leads.
Frequently asked questions
Who is currently the Dodgers' number one starting pitcher?
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is widely considered the Dodgers' true number one ace right now, thanks to his durability, elite command, and proven poise in high-stakes postseason games, backed up closely by Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell.
How does Shohei Ohtani fit into the Dodgers' pitching rotation?
Ohtani is returning to a six-man rotation setup to allow sufficient rest between starts while continuing his role as the everyday designated hitter. When active on the mound, he performs at a top-tier ace level.
Who is the primary closer for the Dodgers right now?
Manager Dave Roberts often uses a committee based on matchups, but Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips are the two primary options closing out tight games in the 9th inning.
Are there other young pitchers pushing for spots on the staff?
Yes. Young arms like Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, and River Ryan have tremendous upside and give the Dodgers exceptional organizational depth to cover injuries throughout a 162-game season.