Dodgers have time to bounce back from a bad start
The Dodgers’ 2017 season has got under way to a shaky start.
As the Dodgers currently have a .500 record at 8-8 and sit in third place in the NL West.
In recent years, the Dodgers have started with a positive record. The last time the Dodgers started with a negative record was in 2013.
When looking at the start of a season until April 20th, the Dodgers have had the following records:
Which is quite interesting, as they have made the playoffs in every one of those years. This year, Los Angeles will be looking to clinch a playoff berth for the fifth consecutive year.
So it’s too soon for anybody to panic about the Dodgers not making the postseason.
What is a concern is what the Dodgers need to improve on, in order to ensure another playoff berth?
Last season and every season since 2013, the struggles that have plagued the Dodgers is injuries and lack of depth, in particular with starting pitchers and relievers.
The injury bug has already started to swarm the Dodgers locker room. With many key players in and out of the lineup.
It may not seem like a big deal now but could cost the Dodgers a game here and there, which adds up.
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The starting rotation is currently without Rich Hill and Scott Kazmir who were both placed on the 10-day DL.
Hill was placed on the DL April 17 due to blisters on his left middle finger, and Kazmir has been out since the start of the season with hip problems.
As of right now, both don’t have an exact date when they’ll return.
Which could be alarming to LA. As the starting pitching besides Clayton Kershaw and Brandon McCarthy hasn’t been too good.
The Dodgers bullpen on the other hand, has turned from a weakness into a strength.
Leading the National League and second in MLB with a 1.33 ERA.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Dodgers are without Logan Forsythe (placed on 10-day DL April 19), Franklin Gutierrez (placed on 10-day DL April 12) and Justin Turner, who is day to day after being hit by a pitch on April 18.
Luckily, they have retooled their roster with more depth to fill in the missing holes but is costing them.
Their offense still continues to struggle versus lefties. Ranked 20th in the MLB.
Compared to being 7th in the MLB versus righties.
The defense is struggling as well and has the 9th worst FPCT in the MLB.
At the looks of it so far, they look like a team that needs to work on getting better on both sides of the ball.
Thankfully the MLB season is long enough where great teams can zone in and improve game from game.
Los Angeles could turn things around this weekend with a 4-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and get back on track in the NL West.
Next: Dodgers Trade Options to Hit Left-Handed Pitching
The first place Colorado Rockies currently sit 2.0 games ahead of them.