LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation order is set for the first homestand of the season. And another wild spring training start from right-hander Roki Sasaki didn’t change the plan.

“He’s going to start the fourth game of the season,” manager Dave Roberts said Monday after a 7-7 tie with the Angels. “He’s got to go out there and attack hitters. It’s just one of those things where it’s tough to pitch when you’re working behind in counts, running deep counts and getting your pitch count up there.

“If it’s mechanical, if it’s mental, if it’s emotional, all of that we’ve kind of got to sift through and find some clarity when he takes the mound. Because at the end of the day, he’s got to go out there and get outs.”

To round out the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, after Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound Thursday on opening day, he’ll be followed by Emmet Sheehan and Tyler Glasnow. Sasaki is penciled in for Monday against the Cleveland Guardians, followed by Shohei Ohtani on March 31.

Off days on Sunday and April 2 make it possible for the Dodgers to give all their pitchers at least five days’ rest between their first and second starts without needing a sixth starter.

Left-hander Justin Wrobleski is pegged to be that additional starter when the schedule features less frequent days off. In the meantime, he’ll be available to throw multiple innings out of the bullpen.

That could come in handy if, for example, Sasaki runs into trouble again.

Asked if a week was enough time for Sasaki to make the necessary adjustments to go deep into his first start, Roberts said: “I’m not really concerned as far as deep into a game. I expect him to go further than he went this spring.”

After starting the season for the Dodgers in Tokyo last year, Yamamoto is looking forward to opening day at Dodger Stadium.

“It’s going to be a different game, and with a different atmosphere,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “And then we’re coming off the championship year, then this is the first time I’ll be pitching in front of the Dodgers fans [since then].”

Yamamoto, who was on the mound for the final out of the 2025 season, hasn’t pitched at Dodger Stadium since Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sheehan claimed a regular spot in the rotation after returning last June from Tommy John surgery rehab. He had a 2.82 earned-run average through 15 appearances last season.

“I was maybe throwing bullpens right now a year ago,” Sheehan said after his last spring start. “So it’s definitely nice. That’s the main thing, to have my health. Grateful for that every time.”

Sheehan wrapped up Cactus League play with a 5.91 ERA in three starts, but he was encouraged by the progress he made in syncing up his delivery.

Glasnow capped his strong spring with five innings of one-run baseball against the Angels on Sunday.

“When everything’s lined up and feeling good ... I think a lot of the other stuff follows,” Glasnow said. “And I was just able to go out and be myself.”

He recorded 11 strikeouts against the Angels, leaning on his curveball as his putaway pitch. It generated a 72% whiff rate, according to Statcast.

“Having my curveball feel so good, I kind of just leaned on it,” Glasnow said. “I’m sure things will change in-season, game to game. But tonight, it was a pretty obvious game plan for me.”

Sasaki’s struggles

Dodgers fans booed Sasaki in the first inning Monday when he walked the Angels’ Jorge Soler with the bases loaded. Then he walked the next batter, Yoán Moncada, prompting Roberts to temporarily pull Sasaki.

“I was trying to find a game feel [Monday], before the games start,” Sasaki said through an interpreter. “The results were really bad today, so I couldn’t really find it.”

Sasaki issued free passes to three of the first five batters he faced. It continued a pattern. Sasaki also was temporarily pulled from his last two Cactus League starts as he failed to reign in command issues. He only made it through 1 1/3 innings in his first spring outing.

Sasaki returned in the second and hit Zach Neto and walked Mike Trout. But this time, he got out of the jam with two ground balls.

Sasaki exited for the final time with no outs in the fourth inning. He walked six batters and recorded just six outs. He was charged with five runs.

“I know he was disappointed,” Roberts said. “But I’m not concerned. I know it’s in there. I’ve seen it in big spots. And so just want to get the mechanics and the confidence where it needs to be.”

Ohtani to start in Freeway Series finale

The Dodgers wrap up spring training Tuesday with Ohtani on the mound. Roberts said last week he expects Ohtani to pitch about five innings in his regular-season debut.

Though participating in the World Baseball Classic as a position player slowed Ohtani’s ramp-up as a pitcher, he is much further along than last season, when he started building up from one inning in mid-June.

Ohtani said last week that he sees 25 starts as an important benchmark for starters. But added, through an interpreter: “What I think is more important is to just be flexible, adjustable, and making sure that we’re having the [larger] goal in mind rather than the starts that we need to make.”

Ribbon board delay

Dodger Stadium will be sporting Uniqlo Field sponsorship signs on opening day, but through at least the weekend, it will be missing its ribbon boards.

The Dodgers’ new ribbon boards were delayed by a shipping mishap. They could be installed as early as next week.

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