Who gets 6th spot? Who's the odd man out? And more Dodgers staff questions

This story was excerpted from Sonja Chen’s Dodgers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI -- No matter what the Dodgers get done ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. PT Trade Deadline, they're expected to make a big move this week by activating left-hander Blake Snell from the 60-day injured list.

Snell stretched out to 4 2/3 innings on 76 pitches in his fourth and final rehab start last Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. While manager Dave Roberts has not specified when he expects Snell to return, it seems likely that he'll slot back into the rotation on Saturday or Sunday against his former team, the Rays, in Tampa.

After joining the Dodgers on a five-year, $182 million deal this past offseason, Snell made just two starts before going on the IL with left shoulder inflammation. A pitching staff that has seen 16 pitchers make at least one start -- including a handful of openers -- will be about as close to full strength in the rotation as it has been all season.

Here are a few storylines to watch surrounding the Dodgers' rotation going forward:

Six-man rotation

The Dodgers had been envisioning using a six-man rotation once Shohei Ohtani returned to the mound. They indeed did begin using six starters once Ohtani made his Dodgers pitching debut, but it was still functionally a five-man rotation, as Ohtani's spot was a tandem while he continued to ramp up his workload at the big league level.

Once Snell returns, the Dodgers will be able to employ an actual six-man rotation without being down an arm in the bullpen. Ohtani is scheduled to stretch out to four innings in his next start on Wednesday against the Reds, and Roberts told reporters in Boston on Sunday that he'll no longer need to be followed by a bulk arm.

It also helps that the team has an off-day on Thursday to reset the bullpen, if needed.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Snell and Ohtani are the rotation locks. The Dodgers have a choice to make when it comes to the sixth spot.

Odd man out

For the time being, the final starter's job is between Emmet Sheehan and Dustin May. Sheehan would appear to have the edge, in no small part because he's a fresher arm, while May has long exceeded his previous single-season career high in innings and could be better suited for a bullpen role.

But there's also a chance that there won't be much of a decision to make after Thursday. May's name has circulated in some trade rumors, and given that he'll be a free agent after this season, it could make sense for the Dodgers to include the right-hander in a potential deal.

Roberts has discussed the need to manage May's workload in the second half, so if he's still a Dodger by the time the Trade Deadline has come and gone, it doesn't seem likely that he will be used in a traditional starter's role.

Other reinforcements

Even once the current six-man configuration is finalized, the Dodgers are expecting to get another arm back around the end of August. Rookie Roki Sasaki, who has been sidelined since mid-May with impingement in his right shoulder, could face hitters later this week for the first time since going on the IL.

Once the time comes for Sasaki to begin a rehab assignment, his ramp-up will likely look similar to that of Glasnow and Snell, building up to the five-inning, 75-pitch range across three or four starts in the Minors. Depending on how things are going at the big league level, that could set up another competition for the sixth starter's job -- unless Sasaki isn't ready to return until after rosters expand in September.

The Dodgers are confident in getting Sasaki back in some capacity before season's end, but the same cannot be said for Tony Gonsolin. Gonsolin has yet to resume throwing after going on the IL with right elbow discomfort in June, and Roberts has acknowledged on multiple occasions that time is running out for him to build back up to a starter's workload.