Los Angeles Dodgers will benefit from having a DH

The Los Angeles Dodgers really benefit from a designated hitter slot

For the first time in National League history, there will be a designated hitter in the lineup hitting instead of the pitcher. A bunch of teams including the Los Angeles Dodgers benefit from this move.

The team has multiple position players but not enough spots on the field to give everyone at-bats to. With the season starting on Thursday, the positions across the diamond for the Dodgers seem set in stone barring any injuries.

If there was no designated hitter, that would have left Enrique Hernandez, Chris Taylor, A.J. Pollock or Joc Pederson and others without guaranteed playing time. Thankfully for the Dodgers though, that’s not the case.

With a designated hitter slot now in the lineup, it allows manager Dave Roberts to use one of the players mentioned above in the lineup. This would give the Dodgers extra pop in their already strong lineup.

With the Dodgers now having the benefit of a DH, it prevents a dilemma for Dave Roberts in deciding who should be the primary left fielder. Pollock didn’t do great in his first year in Dodger blue but benching him with three years and a significant amount of money left on his contract doesn’t look great. That would basically signal that they gave up on Pollock in the first year of a five-year deal.

The DH opens up playing time for both of them. Pederson seems to be the primary designated hitter as his style of play, good power, mediocre contact, fits the typical designated hitter description.

Having the luxury of a designated hitter also allows the pitcher a less chance of suffering an injury and to focus solely on pitching. The Dodgers rotation comes with some injury risk as all of Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias and Alex Wood have suffered serious injuries at some point throughout their respective careers. This is also going without mentioning Jimmy Nelson who hasn’t pitched a full season since 2017

Those pitchers also have stuff to prove on the mound. While still great, Kershaw is no longer as dominant as he used to be but can get back to his former self by working on his craft. Many peg this season as the year that Urias will breakout and he will do everything he can to show that he can be a good pitcher. Wood and Nelson have former health injuries they need to overcome and need to show their healthy for future earnings.

The National League implementing a designated hitter significantly helps the Dodgers all around and should pay big dividends for the shortened 2020 campaign.