Jake Arrieta or Yu Darvish: Who could be with the Dodgers on Opening Day?
With two All-Star starting pitchers on the free agent market this off-season, could one of them join (or re-join) the reigning NL champs?
Here we are, two days post-postseason, as nearly every Dodger fan attempts to find the strength to turn on the TV and watch off-season baseball coverage. For me, that day is not too far off. Until then, I have allowed myself to embrace the excitement of free-agent signings and off-season trades. I considered taking a baseball-free day but wisely decided against it.
This game can be heartbreaking, but would we really love it as much if it weren’t?
So, with the World Series over and Spring Training still 3+ months away, we are left with the off-season, and all the excitement it brings. The free agent class this season is pretty intriguing, as it includes names like Wade Davis, Eric Hosmer, and CC Sabathia, among others.
Atop that list are two starting pitchers that will, undoubtedly, be wearing major league uniforms come Opening Day.
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Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish will be standing on the field for Opening Day, and one of them could be wearing Dodger blue.
Darvish, who was traded to LA at the deadline, could return to the team in which he won a pennant with. In 9 regular season starts with the Dodgers, he put up a 4-3 record with a 3.44 era.
His presence gave the Dodgers one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball. In his first playoff start with the Dodgers in the NLDS against Arizona, Darvish gave up 1 run on 2 hits, helping the Dodgers to a 3 game sweep of the Diamondbacks. His second start went virtually the same way, giving up 1 run on 6 hits, giving the Dodgers a 3-0 series advantage in the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs.
In the World Series, though, Darvish got the loss in both games in which he started, giving up 8 runs in 3.1 total innings.
Here’s a couple ways things could play out.