Dodgers Rumors: How to handle seven starting pitchers

The Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts have a pleasant problem on their hands – how to allocate starts to seven effective starting pitchers. How should the team handle this problem according to these Dodgers rumors?

Winners of 10 of their previous 12 games, the Dodgers are finding the momentum that inspired many pundits to predict a long journey into October. Though the bats have thrived, the pitching rotation – and it’s league-leading 3.31 ERA – is the impetus for the charge up the National League west division standings. This is leading to many promising Dodgers rumors.

With Clayton Kershaw pitching like, well, Clayton Kershaw (5-2, 2.40 ERA, 53 K in 48 2/3 innings) and phenom Julio Urias sporting a 1.06 ERA, the wunderkind and his protegé are looking like a nearly unhittable duo at the top of the rotation. That part is not surprising. What is unexpected, however, is complementary lefties Hyun-Jin Ryu and Alex Wood combining for a 1.16 WHIP in their 10 starts.

Right-hander Kenta Maeda has ditched the four-seamer in favor of the cutter and has turned his season around over his last three starts. Pitching to a 2.21 ERA with a .181 batting average against over his last 20 1/3 innings, Maeda is showing the form that led to his phenomenal first half last season.

That fivesome provides a strong foundation for any pitching rotation, but this is where the ‘problem’ arises for the ball club. Rich Hill and Brandon McCarthy, both of whom have pitched capably for the team (Hill 3.38 ERA; McCarthy 3-0 with a 3.10 ERA) are slated to return soon from their respective stints on the disabled list.

This leaves the Dodgers with seven effective starting pitchers for what should theoretically be a five-man rotation. So how will Dave Roberts handle this pleasant problem?

Right now, Roberts and the organization are being very creative about the pitchers in the rotation, many of whom are fragile or injury-prone. Ryu, who made one start in 2015 and 2016 combined, has shown resilience this year in his 26.2 innings (29 K, 4.05 ERA), but is being coddled, as his pitching schedule has been anything but steady – four starts in the Dodgers first 34 games.

McCarthy was placed on the Disabled List – against his wishes – in order to give the lanky right-hander a breather. He recovered from Tommy John surgery and was only able to toss 63 innings in the previous two seasons.

And Wood, expected to be the most versatile member of the staff due to his ability to come out of the bullpen, has been the Dodgers’ second best starter this season as his 3-0 record and 2.73 ERA with an astounding 38 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings will attest. Thus, it’d be difficult to send him back to the bullpen, though the move may be pragmatic.

The certainty is Kershaw. Urias also will not be pitching out of the bullpen, and neither will Maeda. Rich Hill’s chronic blisters require a “medical miracle” so his status is fluid. And though the Dodgers already are utilizing the disabled list in very unique fashion, the league does not look kindly upon abusing the system. They can not simply continue asserting injuries that are not plainly evident.

One solution would be to go to a modified six-man rotation which each non-Kershaw pitcher being skipped once per month, leaving Kershaw on his normal rest. A sample rotation, with everybody healthy, would go something like this:

Game #11: Kershaw

More from Los Angeles Dodgers

• Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw can bury the narrative
• LA Dodgers: Julio Urias was key to winning a championship
• LA Dodgers: All parties to blame for Justin Turner COVID debacle
• LA Dodgers: Corey Seager was rightfully named World Series MVP
• Los Angeles Dodgers: World Series Champions by the numbers

and so forth.

This would enable extra rest for each non-Kershaw pitcher, thus lengthening the time between start, and ultimately relaxing the total of innings pitched for each starter. As the pennant chase heats up and the postseason approaches, the arms would be fresher.

The flip side to this is that the team would have to carry 13 pitchers, and the bullpen would be taxed. The Dodgers currently and typically carry eight relievers, so for this to come to fruition, they would only be carrying six.

That is a recipe for an overworked bullpen. But based on the shuttling back-and-forth of relievers Josh Fields, Adam Libertore, Josh Ravin, Chris Hatcher and others last season, it could behoove the organization to use those machinations again in 2017.

Next: Are we over-hyping Cody Bellinger?

If these Dodgers rumors can lengthen the rotation and keep everybody fresh for the playoffs, it could have serious benefits in October. Just ask the Cubs and Giants.