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Los Angeles Dodgers: Five Dodgers that will exceed expectations in 2020

By Jason Reed

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the ball from teammate Will Smith #16 during the first inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Camelback Ranch on February 26, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the ball from teammate Will Smith #16 during the first inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Camelback Ranch on February 26, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

3. A.J. Pollock

I have never seen the Dodgers fanbase turn on a player so quickly than how fast fans turned on A.J. Pollock. When Pollock was signed last winter, there were a lot of fans that were very excited as Pollock was someone who, when he was on the field, looked like an elite talent.

Two things happened. First, ever Dodger fans’ biggest fear about Pollock came true and Pollock was injured last season and he played only 86 games, his fewest since 2016. Second, Pollock was nothing short of horrendous in the NLDS against the Washington Nationals.

In what had to be one of the worst playoff series of all-time for a hitter, Pollock went 0-13 with 11 strikeouts.

Was his NLDS awful? Absolutely. Could he get hurt again? We cannot give him the benefit of the doubt. However, when Pollock is on the field and at the plate, he is absolutely an asset to this offense and fans seem to be forgetting that.

He still finished last season with a .795 OPS and is a practical shoo-in to finish with an OPS around .800 or above. Not only that, when he was getting the chance to get consistent at-bats, he was tearing the cover off the ball.

Pollock had a .537 slugging and .885 OPS in the second half, hitting 13 home runs and 12 doubles in 205 at-bats. Not only that, but he hit .323 against southpaws last season with a .906 OPS.

At the very least, Pollock is going to be half of the best platoon in baseball alongside Joc Pederson, which should inflate his numbers even more, as every matchup will be a favorable one.

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