2025 and Beyond – The Dodgers New 6-Man Rotation
The LA Dodgers will carry fourteen pitchers next year because they have the advantage of listing one as a position player. This will enable them to use the same number of bullpen pitchers as this season as Shohei Ohtani joins the Dodgers rotation. Clayton says he will be back…
The LA Dodgers will carry fourteen pitchers next year because they have the advantage of listing one as a position player. This will enable them to use the same number of bullpen pitchers as this season as Shohei Ohtani joins the Dodgers rotation. Clayton says he will be back, although I doubt that he will be ready to start the season after toe and knee surgery this offseason. Maybe the All-Star Break is a reasonable expectation.
As it stands right about now, the rotation looks like this:
- Tyler Glasnow (I know some think he will need Tommy John, but that would be really dumb of the Dodgers to put that off – If you think that, you are really dumb)
- Yoshi Yamamoto
- Shohei Ohtani
- Tony Gonsolin
- Walker Buehler (I think the Dodgers will give him the QO)
- Bobby Miller (way too early to write him off)
- Emmet Sheehan (Probably back around July)
- Clayton Kershaw (Sometime Mid-Season)
- Nick Frasso (He should be ready before the All-Star Break)
- Landon Knack (This guy is solid)
- Dustin May (I think they should convert him to a reliever)
Gavin Stone, River Ryan, and Kyle Hurt will likely miss the season. Jack Flaherty would be nice, but unless the Dodgers can steal him, they already have too many RHP. Kershaw is the only Lefty. I know fans will try to package Sheehan, Miller, Knack, Frasso, and Gonsolin (pick ’em) for Garrett Crochet, but I don’t see that happening. OTOH, the White Sox have lots of needs, and I think there is a decent chance Gavin Lux will get traded, especially after the Dodgers picked up Miggy Ro’s option. That gives the Dodgers a lot of options with Freeland, Kim (the free agent who wants to get away from the Clowns in SD), and maybe Adames. The thing is: they don’t have to do anything.
You can never have too much starting pitching, and I suppose that going to a six-man rotation will help reduce injuries. On a team that was devoid of starters last season, the Dodgers should have an abundance next year… especially if they go with a six-man rotation.
The Dodgers have already picked Austin Barnes 2025 Option, so it seems unlikely that Rushing is on the radar in 2025… unless there is an injury. I think it is very likely that the Dodgers reach a deal with Teoscar Hernandez and Walker Buehler, and I believe both will get the Qualifying offer. Then there is the Rule 5 Draft. The Dodgers have 10-12 players who are Rule 5 Eligible but I think the only players some team might consider taking are IF Austin Gauthier and LHP Jack Dreyer. Ben Harris, Damon Keith, and Ryan Sublette are also all good prospects but likely would not stick on an MLB Roster. If I had to guess, I would say that the Dodgers protect both Gauthier and Dreyer.
In the AFL, Zyhir Hope is sinking like a rock in the water. His OPS has dropped to .766, and he is hitting .233; Sean McLain continues to shine (.306 BA/.968OPS). Jake Gelof sits at .200. Eriq Swan has a 5.19 ERA with a 0.92 WHIP and has struck out 14 batters in 8.2 IP. Swan has a lot of potential in a back-of-the-bullpen role.
X-CITES
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Discussion (78)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Love Teoscar this season, but think we use the money to sign Willy Adammes, who can solidify SS and replace Teoscars production from the right side of the plate. The Teoscar deal was a win-win for both sides.
Keith Law has a Q&A @TheAthletic.
Open on www.nytimes.comhttps://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5889163/2024/11/01/live-qa-with-keith-law-on-free-agency-the-offseason-and-more/Couple of interesting answers:
Question:
Does the plague of arm injuries change the value proposition for high end pitching for front office bean counters? Does the increase in arm injuries affect the ability to insure a contract?
Keith Law
I don’t know the answer to the insurance question, but I do see a growing number of FOs who don’t want to go past 3-4 years for any pitchers, and I think this winter’s group will see a lot more 1-2 year offers. There’s just an increasing belief that pitchers are disposable assets – get ’em in, burn ’em up, throw ’em away. I hate it.
Question:
Moneyball spoke about finding value in market efficiencies Do you see any? Cleveland pretty much killed the market efficiency of bull pen arms this year. Prices will skyrocket.
Keith Law
Following on the answer I just gave, I wonder if pure innings are a little undervalued right now.
Question:
Now that it’s over, what do you think went wrong with Farhan Zaidi’s drafting and development system? Do you believe the issue was organizational, philosophical, or maybe even bad luck?
Keith Law
@Carl W. I think a LOT of bad luck, and that maybe led to some decisions they wouldn’t have made otherwise, like rushing guys (Luciano, Matos, etc.). Also the one 100-win season probably upended a lot of internal plans for building over the longer term. Once you do that, the expectation from fans and ownership that you will continue winning at a similar pace can overwhelm the kind of more patient strategy I expected from Zaidi.
Question:
I was sad for the Dodgers, though happy for him, when they traded Michael Busch to the Cubs for Jackson Ferris and Zyir Hope. That trade is looking good for all at this point. Your thoughts?
Keith Law
@Jay O. Agreed, looks good for both sides. Hope really took a big step forward this year. Still not sure about the pitch selection, but he is some kind of athlete and he’s gotten a lot stronger.
i just don’t see outman in the outfield picture. like James, but i don’t think he’s ever going to be a big time player with the dodgers. Teo in left, edman in center, pages in right, adames at ss. i agree on kike,make him a dodger for the rest of his career. dump taylor. barnes is who he is. i can’t see rojas hitting next year like 2024. got to have another good hitter in there somewhere. heck, instead of spending a fortune on soto, sign Anthony S . from the orioles, and teo! trade outman and or pages. the fun continues!
Signing another batter does not seem to be the most important thing, the pitching staff is where there are several unknowns, and you have already seen how difficult this season was, I hope they do not repeat the mistake of trusting and reinforce the pitching.
Right now without signing any free agents, what does the lineup look like?
1B Freeman
2B Lux
3B Munchy
SS Edman
LF Pages
CF Outman
RF Betts
DH Ohtani
Even if they sign no free agents, the lineup doesn’t look that bad.
Bench are Taylor Rojas, Barnes
You forget Wrobleski, Mark. I have him slightly above Casparius on the SP depth chart, although Casparius could be a weapon in the bullpen.
BlakeSnell has had one TJ and will be 32 next season. I would be down with a 2-3 year deal, and in a 6-man rotation, he might stay healthy.
Kike was the heart and soul of the Dodgers this year, and I cannot see them letting him walk. Kike will be 34 next year and should retire as a Dodger. He got his vision fixed and is a very useful player. I can see him signing a two-year $10 Million deal.
Many thought the Dodgers did not have enough pitching this year, but it turns out they had just enough!
I really think May goes to the bullpen. I think we have enough pitching right now, but we could use another LHP.
If the Dodger really wanted Skubal or Crochet, they have the prospect capital to get them, but would have to include Rushing and DePaula!
I agree that signing Miggy means not much room for Lux. I am also thinking that Kike will not be resigned, We have Edman now. Maybe we can sign him back at trade deadline after he bats .220 on his new team. As for Barnes, I guess he was cheap enough and they are not ready to turn to any ‘kids’ for backup. But WOW, he didn’t have 1 AB in playoffs
The Dodgers will only shop in the deep end of the pool with players first with character and then skills. It’s the AF way of doing business. I would like them to sign a couple of quality pitchers, one named Snell as they were interested at the trading deadline. I know we have injured pitchers coming back like Gonsolin and May but how will they perform after their injuries is anyone’s guess, Is Miller still a head case or has he seen a shrink in the off season? You NEVER NEVER have enough pitching.