Los Angeles Dodgers: Five bold predictions for the starting rotation in 2020

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5. Clayton Kershaw and David Price do not wow us, but provide a beacon of consistency

Clayton Kershaw and David Price were two of the best pitchers in baseball last decade. Kershaw was, unless you are a Max Scherzer fan, the best pitcher of the decade in the 2010s while Price was not far behind.

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Between the two there are four Cy Young awards, an MVP and 13 All-Star appearances. Both have had a track record for melting down in the playoffs. Price got rid of that narrative in 2018, Kershaw should have gotten rid of it in 2017.

Price and Kershaw are no longer what they used to be but that is just fine. The Dodgers are banking on the youth of the starting rotation and just need the two veterans to not only be a source of guidance but a source of consistency, which is exactly what 2020 will present.

Kershaw is going to have a year similar to last season, although I could see it be slightly worse. Gone are the days of Kershaw throwing nine shutout innings but we will consistently see 6-7 innings of work with 2-4 runs allowed every single outing.

Price will have the exact same kind of role and it is widely accepted that he will be better in LA than he was in Boston. Not only is he pitching in the National League for the first time in his career, but he is also pitching in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium.

I think both guys, because of the depth of the starting rotation, will have a handful of starts scratched throughout the year if there are any nagging issues in order to keep them healthy and ready for the postseason.

I see both guys starting around 25-27 games, throwing 150-170 innings with an ERA around 3.10-3.40.

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That is not the Clayton Kershaw we know and love but that is all the Los Angeles Dodgers need out of him, and Price, with an offense this talented.

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