The state of the LA Dodgers heading into Spring Training 2018
With consistent stability throughout the season, Dodger pitching will be unstoppable.
Pitchers get hurt. Stability in this game, especially in the rotation is rare, but last season the Dodgers managed to be as stable as a starting rotation can be. Pitching, among other historic feats, is why they got to the World Series.
As of now, the rotation looks like this; Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda, and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
That, in it of itself, is a strong rotation. Chances are, it will be getting even better. Yu Darvish has yet to sign with a team, but that team could easily be the Dodgers. The team wants him back; he wants to play here.
Of course, there are other options, options we may not even know about yet. Regardless, the Dodgers’ rotation can only get better, and it’s already great as-is.
The bullpen is a different story.
The loss of Brandon Morrow will be noticeable. He held the lead, handing the ball to Kenley Jansen in the 9th, many times in 2017. He became the epitome of everything a set-up man should be. Morrow, who is now a Chicago Cub, strengthened the Dodgers bullpen in more ways than one. For a while, I doubted the Dodgers would find anyone else like him.
Enter Scott Alexander.
The Royals reliever, who the Dodgers acquired earlier this month, is slated to fill not only Morrow’s shoes but also those of Tony Watson.
Alexander boasts a 2.78 ERA. Over the span of his three-year career thus far, he’s pitched 94 innings over the course of 79 games. But there’s one stat, one incredibly important stat, that sets him apart from the rest; since being called up to the majors, he’s only given up 4 home runs.
Alexander is exactly who the Dodgers need, and if he proves all of us right during Spring Training, the Dodgers will have a new weapon in their bullpen heading into 2018.
Alexander won’t carry the entire bullpen on his back, nor will Kenley Jansen, but if the role of Alexander is solidified during Spring Training, everything else will fall into place around him and the best closer in the game.