Los Angeles Dodgers: Breakdown of why LA is still better than the Phillies
By Jason Reed
Starting pitching:
This is where things really start going in the Los Angeles Dodgers direction, even though they have been going in the team’s direction already. Most of the positioned players are close and some can go either way. The pitching really can’t.
Starting rotation: Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Rich Hill, Ross Stripling v. Aaron Nola, Jake Arrieta, Nick Pivetta, Zach Eflin, Vince Velasquez — Los Angeles Dodgers
It is hard for any Phillies fan to make the case against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although the Philadelphia Phillies have a better rotation than most people give them credit for, the Dodgers are still the better staff.
You could even make the case that Aaron Nola is the best pitcher right now out of all 10 guys. He was a Cy Young finalist after all and is certainly better than the injured version of Clayton Kershaw.
The conversation between Walker Buehler and Nola is closer but I would still give it to Nola, for now. However, Buehler easily could have a better year and a healthy Kershaw is better than Nola.
Aside from that is really is not close. While Jake Arrieta is a big name and is a good number two, the entire rest of the staff is better than the Phillies’ second arm. Not a single one of those names listed had an ERA above four and that is without Kenta Maeda or Julio Urias.
The biggest reason why the Dodgers have had this run of success is that deep starting pitching year in and year out. That is no different in 2019.