Los Angeles Dodgers: Why its better to be patient with Clayton Kershaw
By Jason Reed
2. It helps to figure out the backend of the rotation
One of the problems that the Los Angeles Dodgers have, and is a problem that every MLB wants to have, is the team simply has too much starting pitching. The Dodgers are so deep in starting pitching with only five spots in the starting rotation to give.
There are seven legitimate choices to be in the starting rotation, leaving three legitimate choices to get the fifth and final spot. The top four are already set with Kershaw, Buehler, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu. It is that fifth spot that is up for grabs.
Fighting for it is going to be Kenta Maeda, Ross Stripling and Julio Urias. With Kershaw playing, only one gets their shot at the starting rotation. With Kershaw out, the Dodgers get to start two of these guys and really examine which way the team wants to go.
It is very interesting as well as each of the three guys has their own stories heading into this season that will affect how much the Dodgers want to use them.
Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling are both groomed to be starters but have both thrived out of the bullpen. Maeda is arguably better out of the pen whereas Stripling burnt out at the end of 2018, which hurts his case.
Urias might be the obvious answer as he is the future of the Dodgers staff alongside Walker Buehler. He is still two years younger than Buehler with Cy Young potential, he is that special.
However, he is likely going to be on a fairly strict innings limit in 2019. That could mean using him out of the bullpen or having him throw shorter starts in AAA. Either way, having Kershaw out is going to help the Dodgers figure out what exactly to do with this complex equation.