In MLB, the five-man rotation has been the standard for more than 50 years. Things have slowly started to change in that regard. Several teams have tried six-man rotations over the years, and it’s a necessity for the Dodgers because of the presence Shohei Ohtani and his unique needs as a two-way player. It’s become more common for teams other than the one hiring Ohtani, though. MLB.com’s Mike Petriello wrote before the 2025 campaign that starting with five days off is more common than four days off combined with a five-man rotation.
Of course, a start can happen with five days off for more reasons than using a six-man rotation. Days off for the team, posting bullpen games, even something like a returning starter from the IL or a promotion from the minors can bring a pitcher’s scheduled start back to life without a long-term plan to use a six-man rotation. No matter how it’s done, more pitchers’ rest can often only be a good thing.
Most pitchers perform better and have an easier time getting deep into games when they get more rest. For teams with pitchers on the schedule used in Nippon Professional Baseball, a six-man rotation comes with the added benefit of keeping those players in a familiar schedule. That extra rest can help stave off injuries and late-season fatigue, helping teams feel confident about their chances heading into October and entering the playoffs in top shape.
The main arguments against using a six-man rotation in the past have mainly been about volume. The larger the rotation size, the more often your best pitchers are there. It’s hard for other teams to find even five top quality starters, let alone six. Even those with six decent starters will have to be willing to cut their bullpen, due to the 13-pitcher limit. Despite the setbacks, the tide may turn no matter what.
The 2025 campaign has seen teams like the Red Sox and Mets enter the season with more starters than they can fit on paper, though injuries have left those teams using six-man rotations less throughout the year. They have as much (if not more) starting depth this year, however, and other teams have started to follow suit. If you look at the depth charts of some teams, others can struggle not using a six person rotation if everyone is healthy at the same time. The Cubs and Orioles both added more starters to their rosters this offseason than will enter the healthy rotation, while the aforementioned Red Sox have five starting sheets that fail to include two consensus top-50 prospects in the sport (Payton Tolle again Connelly Early) and two starters expected to return from injuries early in the year (Patrick Sandoval again Cutter Crawford).
These are not the only groups facing potential weapons. Even with Shane Bieber will start the year on the injured list, the Blue Jays will be pushing for one Jose Berrios or Eric Lauer in the bullpen—and that’s before considering the top long-term prospect Ricky Tiedemann. Gerrit Cole again Carlos Rodon they can push young impressive arms Is Warren again Luis Gil out of the Yankees’ rotation before the end of the first inning if the injury bug doesn’t do it before then. The Mets will currently be able to use a six-man rotation with or without Tobias Myers in a helping role as well Jonah Tong in Triple-A. Even a team like the Astros that struggled to find a healthy rotation last year currently has more than ten arms in the conversation to start on opening day, with reinforcements coming from the injured list at about the same time.
Of course, it should be remembered that pitching injuries have always been inevitable and have increased significantly over the years. Some of these teams will struggle to find a five-man rotation at one point or another this year, and a few likely won’t have enough healthy starting depth that a six-man rotation becomes a reality for more than a few weeks at a time. As more clubs abound with depth, however, it’s becoming easier and easier to see rival front offices looking to the example of the reigning World Series champions and implementing some of their tactics.
If the Dodgers open the season with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake SnellOthani, Emmett Sheehanagain Roki Sasaki all ready to start games, that group of six will be supported by an incredibly deep squad that includes them Ben Casparius, Ryan River, Kyle Hurt, Justin Wrobleski, Gavin Stone, Landon Knackagain Bobby Miller (not to mention unregistered invitees like Cole Irvin again Nick Frasso). That’s the kind of depth that would make it easy to field a six-man roster for the rest of the year despite injuries, and while no team has that level of depth, teams like Boston, Queens, and North Chicago come close.
For those clubs, a big hangup could end up being a threat to wear out their bullpens. While the Dodgers have three spots available in their bullpen expected for relief, the Mets and Cubs both have just two spots (one of which, in Chicago’s case, is a closer. Daniel Palencia). Teams with less flexibility in the bullpen can struggle to keep their bullpen fresh throughout the season, and that will be more difficult with seven spots instead of eight.
How do MLBTR readers think the six-man rotation will fare in the league in 2026? Will we see more teams rather than the Dodgers using one for most of the season or the entire season? Or will it be more of the same where teams prefer to find other ways to get their starters more rest, such as occasional starts and bullpen games? Have your say in the poll below:
