Twenty-nine different Dodgers players have hit the injured list, paternity list, bereavement leave, or family medical emergency list a staggering 36 times this 2026 season. That’s a wild number, making it one of the busiest IL years for LA, and it tells you everything about the grind this roster has been through already. It’s not just a few guys here and there, it’s a revolving door, and it impacts everything when you’re constantly shuffling the deck.
The Numbers Tell a Tough Story for LA
The sheer volume of players missing time is eye-popping. For context, last season, in 2025, 28 different Dodgers spent time on the IL, matching their 2024 total. Even in 2023, they saw 34 players sidelined. So while this year isn’t their highest total, hitting 29 different guys already for 36 stints shows a consistent, deep-seated issue with player availability. Pitchers are out a minimum of 15 days, position players at least 10, and when you’re losing guys like this, it makes every series a battle. Just before the regular season officially kicked off, both Evan Phillips and Kiké Hernández were already on the 60-day injured list with a left elbow surgery for Kiké, freeing up roster spots but also signaling early trouble. Then on Opening Day, another six Dodgers, including Blake Snell and Tommy Edman, were immediately shelved. That’s just a brutal start to any campaign.
Key Names Sidelined, Again and Again
The list of players missing significant time is long and impactful. Mookie Betts, for example, battled an oblique strain from April 5 to May 11, missing 32 games plus two rehab stints. That’s your shortstop out for a month. Edwin Díaz, a key arm, had not one, but *two* separate stints: first for right elbow surgery from April 20 to July 29 (86 games!), and then again for neck inflammation from August 18 to September 18, losing another 27 games. Kiké Hernández got hit twice too, with that left elbow surgery keeping him out from February 21 to May 25 (53 games), and then a left oblique strain right after, sidelining him from May 27 to July 28 (51 games). Talk about a tough run for one guy.
Other big names include Tommy Edman, out for 73 games with right ankle surgery from March 25 to June 16. Freddie Freeman even took a brief paternity leave in April for the birth of his daughter, a quick two-game absence but still a roster move. Shohei Ohtani hit the list with left biceps inflammation, which is always a scary one for a guy who does it all. Tyler Glasnow was out from May 8 to August 25 with back spasms, missing 94 games. Brusdar Graterol and Jake Cousins have been out since March 25, with shoulder surgery for Graterol and Tommy John for Cousins, both essentially season-long absences at 162 games missed so far. Bobby Miller has been out with shoulder soreness and a back injury since March 24, missing 141 games. This isn’t just a list of minor aches and pains; these are serious, long-term issues for a ton of their core players.
This injury list is a “living document” that keeps getting updated, and it’s going to be something to watch for the Dodgers all season long. With so many players in and out, the depth is constantly tested.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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