Will Klein looks ready for larger role with Dodgers – Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES — The impostor syndrome comes and goes for Will Klein, although the love the right-hander has received from Dodgers fans this week has started to break the cycle.

From an under-the-radar trade acquisition in June to World Series hero by October, Klien spent the winter still energized by his four scoreless innings in Game 3 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Except that on some days, the memory played out like a dream. And there were times when it seemed like the feat was accomplished by somebody else, in a moment Klein marveled and not necessarily achieved.

So Klein gave it some context.

“You see other people have big moments in national championship games, Super Bowls and you’re like, ‘That’s fun to watch,’” Klein said. “So to have that moment for myself and to hear it from fans and family, it reminds you of the stuff you grew up watching.”

Klein had that kind of moment for the Dodgers, who needed whatever edge they could get against the Blue Jays. Klein’s outing helped finish off an 18-inning victory, extending the game long enough for Freddie Freeman to hit a game-winning home run.

Klein arrived at spring training with confidence and channeled it into a 1.93 ERA over 10 Cactus League outings that earned him an Opening Day roster spot and the chance to be on hand for Friday’s championship ring ceremony.

And when his name was called and the fans roared as he walked the blue carpet to get his hardware, Klein said the reality of the moment impacted him like never before.

“I think when it really hit was getting the ring and seeing the fans,” Klein said of the raw emotions. “That was, ‘Oh crap.’ That’s when it was real. That was a huge moment. Now I just want to go do it again.”

In his perfect inning of relief during his season debut that followed, Klein sent a signal that he is here to stay.

“That look he had coming off the field (Friday), was a different guy,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Hitters feel that. He’s grown a lot with real confidence, and I just love the way he attacks.”

Heading into Saturday’s game, Klein had just 17 appearances in a Dodgers uniform, World Series included, but Roberts sees late-inning relief appearances down the road.

“He’s trending in the right direction,” Roberts said. “You attack, you throw strikes, you can get left and right out, you can change speeds with the curveball, you can throw close to 100 (mph), that’s an uncomfortable at-bat. So for me, he’s getting right there on that trust tree.”

Turning that World Series moment into an asset for this season was not as easy as it might seem.

“When I started this year, I was worried about living up to the four innings,” Klein said. “But I was like, ‘That’s just who I am as a pitcher. I don’t have to live up to anything because I did that.’ That’s what I will try to do every day, even if it’s one inning or one out.

“Don’t let that moment get bigger than it is. I was the one that did that and I can go out and do it again.”

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A WILL AND A WAY

Roberts said he will not make a habit of starting Will Smith behind the plate for three consecutive games in the early part of the season, but he did in the opening series. Smith caught on Opening Day and again Friday when the team received its World Series rings.

On Saturday, his start came on his bobblehead night.

Dalton Rushing will get his first start of the season at catcher during Monday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. A rare Sunday off day will give Smith two days of rest before he returns to the lineup Tuesday.

“He doesn’t love (it), but he’ll get two days off,” Roberts said.

UTILITY WORK

Kiké Hernandez and Tommy Edman took early batting practice on the field as they ramp up their rehabilitation from 2025 injuries.

Hernandez played through an elbow injury in October, while Edman was nursing an ankle injury. Both ailments required offseason surgery.

“I don’t know when Kiké comes off (the 60-day injured list), but I would be shocked if he wasn’t ready when that time’s up,” Roberts said. “Taking grounders, the way he’s moving, the way he’s throwing, catching it, the swing, the ball coming off the bat, if I didn’t know any better, I would think he was in the lineup tonight.”

NOTES

Freddie Freeman was in the No. 5 spot of the lineup Friday against Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, marking his first start in the five hole since 2013. … Santiago Espinal made his Dodgers debut, taking the place of Max Muncy at third base while batting seventh, ahead of Andy Pages and Miguel Rojas.