Getting Ready to Rubble
Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on March 26 is approaching sooner than later. Except for 2B, which ultimately seems to belong to Tommy Edman, who will start the season on the IL, all the positions are set… barring injury… and there will be…
Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on March 26 is approaching sooner than later. Except for 2B, which ultimately seems to belong to Tommy Edman, who will start the season on the IL, all the positions are set… barring injury… and there will be injuries. Won’t there?
Breakout candidate: Christian Zazueta is a RHP who is 6′ 3″ and very skinny. He came to the Dodgers in the Caleb Ferguson deal with the Yankees. He has recently added 17 pounds but needs about 30 more. His fastball tops out at 98 MPH and has a killer changeup. He is working on a sweeper/curve, but he is a strike thrower. Last season, between Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga, he was 7-2 with a 2.41 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. In 67 IP, he struck out 81 and walked just 16, so he has incredible control for someone so young. He will start at Great Lakes, but he could move rapidly and could possibly see the show by fall. Watch this kid:
Players most likely to be traded: I am going to preface this by saying, “If he has a good spring.” The player is Hyeseong Kim. He is essentially Alex Freeland with less power and not able to hit from both sides of the plate. I can see him being traded if he has a hot spring. Oh, and if Freeland has a good Spring. Kim really isn’t the type of player the Dodgers seek. I prefer Freeland, and Kim has some real value to certain teams.
Some fans will say Miller or Knack, but that would involve selling low. We know that Graterol and maybe Snell will be late to the dance, along with Edman and Kike, so some pitchers will get an opportunity early. I think that after the World Series of 2025 and the long season, the Dodgers will slow-play a lot of the staff. Look for Wrobleski, Casparius, Stone, Sheehan, and Ryan, along with Knack, to get opportunities.
The Lineup:
Right about now, it looks like this:
- Ohtani DF
- Tucker RF
- Betts SS
- Freeman 1B
- Smith C
- Muncie 3B
- Teoscar LF
- Pages RF
- Kim/Rojas 2B
Bench: Rushing, Call, Freeland
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Discussion (110)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I don’t think Betts is a 3-hole hitter. He does his best work in the leadoff spot. But as long as Ohtani is here, he won’t do that anymore. He is ok in the 2-hole, .278/41/261 but he has only had 247 at bats as a #3 hitter. Freeman will hit well wherever he is. I have no book on Tucker but flipping him and Mookie makes sense to me. Tucker’s career numbers in the 3-hole better than at #2. He has hit .282 in the 3-spot compared to .268 as a #2, He has hit .304 batting sixth.
It’s easy to confuse our Max Muncy for the other Max Muncy…. but Muncie? I’m optimistic bout Kim. He had a solid rookie season that showed one significant problem in his jump from KBO to MLB–the strikeouts which led to a sub-par OBP. He’s been working through the winter on adjusting to higher velocity. This season, there will be less culture shock in every way. Why trade Kim if he has a hot spring? I don’t see the logic. Freeland’s debut in ’25 mostly showed that he’s not quite ready. The Dodgers are now so loaded that it’s tough to come up with plausible trade targets that would be an upgrade.
I consider Kim a longshot to be traded. Have to keep that Korean pipeline flowing.
… but he has never batted AFTER Tucker and BEFORE Freddie!
True, I just don’t see him in a spot that is usually reserved for RBI guys, and Tucker has much better numbers in the 3-hole
East Central Indiana. I only know Bloomington.
As per Plunkett: Teams are much more focused on getting their most productive hitter the most ABs. Not the old construction of: 1-Speed guy 2-Hit and run guy 3-High BA guy 4-Power guy
Any word on Hurt. He was nasty when healthy. Should be ready and a real relief option.
Judging by that, Freeman should hit 3rd. He and Smith had the highest BA on the team.
Judging by that, Freeman should hit 3rd. He and Smith had the highest BA on the team. Freddie is not really a power hitter. Betts isn’t for sure. Most of his homers came in the leadoff spot. He also strikes out a lot less than Ohtani. Which is why I prefer him there.
Hurt is on the 40-man roster and is in camp. Haven’t seen a video of him throwing, but he is there and active.
Hurt is on the 40-man roster and is in camp. Haven’t seen a video of him throwing, but he is there and active.
What about Chuck Muncie?
I might be proven wrong–it has happened–but I think the Dodgers would be slow to trade any of their Asian imports, especially before they have a chance to prove themselves. The organization has cultivated the Asian market, and it’s important to show respect. The Korean people are emotionally invested in Kim, etc.
Hell of a runner.
Thanks. My relief depth chart isn’t as deep as I once thought. Assuming Wrobleski replaces Snell early on, that leaves: Diaz Scott Treinen Vesia Casparius Dreyer Klein Henriquez With Graterol/Stewart/Phillips on the DL and Hurt/Miller/Gervase/Koppp in line along with potential SPs Stone/Ryan/Knack/Irvin. Room for an NRI to make the squad
I expect Mookie to bounce back on offense. If he does, I’m not worried where he bats. Check out the ’25 OBPs: Shohei .392 Tucker .377 Mookie .326 (but .369 career) Freddie .367 Will .404 Max .376 Mookie may not be a classic slugger, but his career OPS is .881. Over 11 seasons he has slugged 291 HRs, including 39 in ’23. (This includes his 52- game rookie season and 55 en route to the covid championship.) Just a ridiculously loaded lineup–and Teo and Pages could each slam 30 HRs.
Kyle Hurt threw 10 innings at OKC at the end of last year. Everything I have heard about him, Ryan and Stone is that they should be ready this Spring. Of course, an NRI could make it with a breakout Spring, but the pitching staff is way crowded. I can see Ryan or Stone in the rotation. I think the plan is to make Wrobs the bulk innings eater out of the pen.
Brian, I do not believe Bobby Miller has any chance at all of breaking into the bullpen crew. Even without Graterol, it figures to be Treinen, Diaz, Klein, Casparius, Vesia, Dreyer. That leaves one spot open. I would believe that depending on how he looks in spring, that River Ryan gets that spot. The six starters will be Ohtani, Yoshi, Sasaki, Wrobleski, Glasnow and Sheehan. Ryan seems better suited for bullpen duty than Stone, who has a better resume as a starter at this point in time. Longshot to make the pen, River’s brother, Ryder.
Brian, I do not believe Bobby Miller has any chance at all of breaking into the bullpen crew. Even without Graterol, it figures to be Treinen, Diaz, Klein, Casparius, Vesia, Dreyer. That leaves one spot open. I would believe that depending on how he looks in spring, that River Ryan gets that spot. The six starters will be Ohtani, Yoshi, Sasaki, Wrobleski, Glasnow and Sheehan. Ryan seems better suited for bullpen duty than Stone, who has a better resume as a starter at this point in time. Longshot to make the pen, River’s brother, Ryder.
The INDIANA BEARS
Any chance that Ryan Ward beats out Alex Call since he bats left and could sub for Teo when there is a nasty right hander on the mound?
Yeah, I hope Ryan is considered for the pen rather than stretched out in AAA. Piggybacking is a thing too.
“The Dodgers are bringing right-handed reliever Yency Almonte back on a minor league contract, The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports. The Rosenhaus Sports client will presumably be in big league camp. It’s the second stint with the Dodgers for the 31-year-old Almonte. He was with Los Angeles in 2022-23, combining for 83 1/3 innings with a 3.35 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate and 11.9% walk rate out of manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen. That production came in quite uneven fashion, however; Almonte delivered 35 1/3 innings of immaculate 1.02 ERA ball in 2022 but was roughed up for a 5.06 mark in 48 innings in 2023. The Dodgers traded Almonte to the Cubs alongside Michael Busch in a 2024 swap that brought prospects Zyhir Hope and Jackson Ferris back to Los Angeles. (Neither has made his MLB debut yet, but Hope currently sits No. 63 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list.)”.