Los Angeles Dodgers: Who is LA saving money for in 2020?
By Jason Reed
2. Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Cole has the same hometown dynamic as Nolan Arenado, which again, will play an impact if Cole does indeed hit the market.
The Houston Astros traded for Cole prior to the 2018 season and the young right-hander got even better in Houston. The now two-time all-star finished the year with 200.1 innings pitched, a 2.88 ERA and finished fifth in Cy Young voting.
Cole just barely started to scratch the surface of what he is capable in this league and at the time of signing with the Dodgers, he will be 29. The Dodgers would be getting at least four prime years out of Cole and could net the right-hander to a six-year deal to help ease the potential future loss of Clayton Kershaw.
Cole likely would get a contract similar to Patrick Corbin got this offseason and would undoubtedly make the Dodgers rotation, which is going to likely lose Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu, better.
A top-three of Kershaw, Walker Buehler and Cole is about as good as it gets. If Julio Urias even starts to show his potential (which is being a perennial ace) then the Dodgers would have the best 1-4 by a longshot.
With options in Ross Stripling and Kenta Maeda or even young candidates like Dennis Santana or Yadier Alvarez to fill the fifth spot, the Dodgers would boast an elite starting rotation.