Dodgers: Every player rating in MLB The Show 18 and what it should be

Starting pitchers:

Clayton Kershaw — 99 Overall

Well, you can’t really argue this one, can you?

Clayton Kershaw is easily the best pitcher in baseball and will likely go down as one of the best to ever do it on the mound. Kershaw is a once in a generation talent and at 30 years old is still in his prime. There are only four 99 overall players; Mike Trout, Jose Altuve, Clayton Kershaw and another Dodger.

What it should be: 99 Overall

Rich Hill — 89 Overall

This one was a bit surprising to me. I would not consider Rich Hill the second-best starting pitcher on the Dodgers, but according to The Show, he is.

Hill has nasty stuff when he is clicking. The weird use of arm angles and a different yet same curveball make him one of the most interesting pitchers in baseball. However, his inconsistencies can be worrisome at times and his injury history is not promising.

I love Hill’s stuff, but this rating is more reflective when he is in the zone; something that does not happen consistently enough.

What it should be: 86 Overall

Alex Wood — 86 Overall

Alex Wood should be the second-best pitcher on the Los Angeles Dodgers. While Wood did falter late in the season due to fatigue, his stuff was consistently better than Hill’s throughout the year. At his best, Wood was unhittable. When he came back down to Earth, he was still a really, really good pitcher.

What it should be: 87 Overall

Kenta Maeda — 83 Overall

Kenta Maeda is perhaps the most interesting pitcher to watch on the Dodgers heading into 2018. Dodger fans have seen two versions of Maeda; one that is a workhorse and is a quality start machine and one that floats his stuff into the zone and gets smashed.

The difference in Maeda’s game is so stark it is hard to pinpoint exactly where his rating should be. An 83 rating is around the ballpark of where it should be, however, I think I would go a tad lower.

What it should be: 82 Overall

Hyun-Jin Ryu — 70 Overall

This one does not make sense to me. While I do think Maeda is better than Hyun-Jin Ryu, the vast difference in rating is hard to justify. The two players were really in the same boat in terms of up and down production.

Again, Ryu is not as good as Maeda, but the difference should not be this high.

What it should be: 75 Overall