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Los Angeles Dodgers: Why a huge pitching signing will happen this winter

By Jason Reed

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during the third inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during the third inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

3. The Dodgers actually have the freedom to make the move

Although there is no hard salary cap in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ front office has been operating with respect to the luxury tax threshold and has gotten the payroll under it after years of being well over and racking up fines as a result.

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The front office does not have to worry about crossing that threshold this winter as the team has plenty of room to bring in Cole and then some. Right now, the Dodgers have just over $91 million in space under the threshold, leaving them with plenty of room to bring in a big-name pitcher and still hand out arbitration contracts.

It gets even better for LA as Justin Turner‘s big contract is freed up after this season (although he could always re-sign for less) with Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen’s big contracts expiring the year after (with a team option that LA can use on Joe Kelly).

They are not tied down to any big contracts for once, giving them the chance to make a splash on someone like Gerrit Cole while also having enough space to extend the homegrown guys when the time is deemed fit.

The result would be a terrifying rotation of Cole, Buehler, Kershaw, May and Urias. If the two young arms don’t work out then Kenta Maeda can be a starter instead of a reliever.

This also adds Ross Stripling and Tony Gonsolin to a bullpen that could use the help, assuming the Dodgers don’t trade either of them.

There are so many options that could open up by bringing in an elite pitcher and if May and Urias both pitch to their full potential then the Dodgers could field one of the best rotations we have seen this millennium.

Next. Top 10 teams in Dodgers' history. dark

Would they be fine without bringing in someone such as Gerrit Cole? Absolutely. But to get over that playoff hump that has plagued the team for seven years, they may have to finally make that big splash.

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