The Los Angeles Dodgers have opened their pursuit of a third straight World Series title in emphatic fashion, looking every bit like the team to beat in the National League. Fresh off a sweep of the New York Mets, Los Angeles has raced to a 14-4 start.
The Dodgers’ rotation and bullpen have been the foundation of that fast start, ranking among the league leaders in ERA and strikeout production through the opening weeks of the season. Shohei Ohtani has now made three starts and has been outstanding, posting a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA across 18.0 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out 18 batters and carrying a 0.72 WHIP.
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto has also looked every bit like a frontline ace, opening the year with a 2.10 ERA through his first four starts, while Tyler Glasnow and Justin Wroblesk have continued to give the Dodgers reliable top-of-the-rotation production.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) in the dugout.Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
With the pitching staff already thriving, Los Angeles has moved to strengthen it further. According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the Dodgers have acquired right-hander Chayce McDermott from the Baltimore Orioles, adding a power arm with upside to an already formidable staff.
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Per the California Post’s Jack Harris, McDermott is expected to report to Triple-A after the move, giving the Dodgers another developmental arm in their upper-level pitching pipeline. The Orioles had designated McDermott for assignment on April 11, creating the opening for Los Angeles to make the deal.
McDermott gives Los Angeles a pitcher whose raw arsenal fits the organization’s proven development model. The 27-year-old right-hander is known for his mid-90s fastball, swing-and-miss breaking pitches, and ability to generate strikeouts at a high rate. In 2025, he split time between Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore, making four major-league appearances while continuing to flash strong strikeout potential in the minors.
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Before that, in 2024, he recorded 129 strikeouts in 91 innings at Triple-A. Though his MLB sample size was limited, his bat-missing ability has long made him an intriguing developmental piece.
So far in 2026, McDermott had been working in a relief role at Triple-A Norfolk, and boasted a 6.75 ERA across five appearances.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.