Let's Play What If
Apparently the Dodgers need 6 Aces to succeed. Although they have won back to back WS without that luxury. The season is 22 games in, and fans are not happy because Emmet Sheehan (26) is still rounding into form after a very slow start to Spring Training. Every start has…
Apparently the Dodgers need 6 Aces to succeed. Although they have won back to back WS without that luxury. The season is 22 games in, and fans are not happy because Emmet Sheehan (26) is still rounding into form after a very slow start to Spring Training. Every start has improved over the previous one. He could have gone 6.0 innings on Saturday, but that is not good enough for a #5 or #6 starter?
I understand the concerns about Roki Sasaki (24), but I do not believe the Dodgers are going to make a change…at least not until Blake Snell is ready to return.
I thought the Dodgers should have gone for more SP in the Winter, but most thought the Dodgers had enough depth, and did not want to block any of the youngsters. A very logical argument.
However, we seem to be playing the negative “What If” game, again. Most have been critical of Sasaki, while many have been critical of Sheehan. Many are negative towards Alex Freeland (24). Hyeseong Kim (27) has less directed negativity, but is also subject to his share of negative comments.
I certainly understand the perceived negativity after losing a pair to Colorado. So let’s continue the negativity that is bound to come about.
Andy Pages is off to a fantastic start. What if he cannot sustain this pace? His BABIP is .480, while it was .308 last year. His K% is up to 26.2% from 21.6% in 2025.
Are we watching the beginning of the downturn for Mookie Betts? He got sick last year, but did not have the resurgent energy to get back to where he was. This year he strained an oblique. We need to worry about players soft tissue injuries as they begin to age. What if we begin to see hamstring and groin injuries?
What if Tommy Edman cannot come back to play at an elite level after his ankle surgery. What if his ankle will not let him adequately roam CF to give Pages a break? Alex Call can, but what if he is not given an opportunity?
What if Shohei’s power regression continues as he focuses more on pitching? His SLG is down more than 100 points. His OPS is down to .915, after the last three years being north of 1.000.
What if Blake Snell cannot pitch well enough to be more than a #6 SP moving Roki Sasaki up to #5?
But what if I prefer to stay more positive? Let me turn around the what ifs.
What if Tyler Glasnow stays healthy all year? Who else besides me thinks that Tyler will start 23-26 games this year?
What if Tommy Edman comes back with a healthy ankle and becomes the elite 2B he was in the WS? What if he allows Andy Pages to take some valuable games off in the summer, and allows either Freeland or Kim to be a plus platoon partner at 2B?
What if Mookie comes back from the oblique strain and goes on to have a MVP level rest of the season?
What if Andy Pages continues to play elite offense and defense?
What if Dalton Rushing continues hit hot streak and allows for more time off for Will Smith? Freddie Freeman?
What if Max Muncy has another 35 HR season?
What if Blake Snell comes back and pitches like the 2-time CY Award winner he is?
What if Emmet Sheehan returns to his 2025 form?
What if Justin Wrobleski proves to be a full season SP in the LAD rotation?
And what if Roki Sasaki finds “it”? Some have pointed out that his velo is way down from last year. But statcast says that is not true. His current 4-seam velo is averaging 97.0. He averaged 96.1 in 2025. So it is not down. Is it straighter with less movement? Maybe. What if he is able to gain command of that fastball and then utilize the splitter and slider to put batters away?
This is just the beginning of a long season, and there will be multiple ebbs and flows throughout the year. We already know the Dodgers have lost their closer until sometime this summer. What if Tanner Scott returns to being an elite closer again, after so many gave up on him?
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Discussion (66)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Blake Snell will be starting his MiLB rehab with Ontario on Wednesday. He will need to be added back to the 26 man within 30 days, unless he has to go back on the IL and start the process again.
Thanks Bradley.
Thanks Jeff
His will be a short stint, that’s for sure. But who knows, mayhaps Freddie could scroinge a pleziasticus muscle and need some jacuzzi time. They’ll probably keep Ward warming up in the bullpen for the year, though I think he deserves better. Hey, you know what might could solve a few of these issues? Trade Rushing to Pittsburgh for Skenes. Rushing, DePaula, Hurt, Ryan, Hope, Tibbs, Root, Ferris the Ontario Buzzers and Timmons for Skenes. That oughta do it.
During spring training I didn’t think Rushing would hit. He has sure turned the corner.
Put him in LF and give Teo a night off. Rushing looked pretty good at first last night.
Ward will never start another MLB game with LA now that Rushing has broken out.
Espinal is a good player. A little redundant with Rojas but a capable utilityman nonetheless. I like him.
Freddie should be back by the next homestand.
Take your time Mookie and Freddie coming back
Pretty sure last year most didn’t think Rushing could hit either.
Good start regardless. 16-6. Hard to complain, but you know I love to complain. lolz Sheehan and Wrobleski are what they are. They are back end rotation/long men/spot starters. They are fungible and there to eat innings early in the season. Unlikely they start many games in October unless there are injuries. Although Wrobleski has pitched very well. In regards to Sasaki, I don’t know what more the Dodgers can do with him. Not every Japanese pitcher is going to turn out to be Ohtani, Hideo Nomo, Hiroki Kuroda etc. Sometimes the talent doesnt translate over, or the pitcher can’t make the adjustment to MLB hitting. To me even though he is a type of pitcher who frequently loses his mechanics, he looks like he has a dear in headlights look on his face every time he pitches. The Dodgers best bet is to move him to the bullpen and try to find another starter to fill his spot. The offense loooks good, but some guys are getting old. Mookie is starting to get injured alot. It happens when they get older. Freeland will get some rope early in the season. Similar to Lux or Vargas. They’ll play him until the all-star break. If he’s still hovering around the mendoza line I expect for the club to announce Tommy Edman is getting “close” to a return. Why is Santiago Espinal wasting a roster spot? Please free Kim. Four relievers have gotten off to good starts. T. Scott, Vesia, Dryer, and Klein. Treinen has been effective as well despite a bad outting in Colorado. Pick one of those guys to close. My vote is Scott for now. I know I know I wanted him gone last year, but looks like the Dodgers fixed him. I hope everyone is doing well over here.
Luke Fox was Texas League Pitcher of the Week. 9.2 IP, 2 hits, 2 BB, 10 K, 0.00 ERA He just turned 24, and it should not be too long before he gets the call to OKC.
Freeland can’t hit. I heard the same thing from most Dodgers fans about Miggy Ro.. I do not know if Freeland will ever be able to hit 100 for OPS +, but I do not assume that a 24 year old will never hit MLB pitching. But we agree that the Dodgers are fundamentally elite. They may not always execute as we would like, but they do not make mistakes. They are tied with the A’s for the least number of errors errors committed in the season. They lead MLB in DRS, and are tied for the MLB lead in OAA with the A’s.. They do not run a lot, but they also do not get thrown out a lot. They are 12-3 in SB attempts. 100% agree, this team is fun to watch play.
Bellinger, Seager, Joc
May 2, 2025 against Atlanta. https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-05-02/dodgers-muncy-eyewear
Of course something is going to go wrong. It always does. I just prefer to look at the team and expect them all to come through healthy. Not realistic, but I am not going to predict which player/pitcher is going to go down. I am an Alex Freeland fan, but I would never root for him over Kim. I want Kim to succeed so that the Dodgers succeed. But it is inevitable that at least one will be in OKC when Edman and Mookie return. I thought Kim won the battle out of ST, but the Dodgers saw otherwise, so I will not predict. Who knows what goes into those decisions. As far as Glasnow goes, I said between 23-26 starts. So technically, you are not disagreeing with me. If the Dodgers stick with a true 6 man, each SP would get 27 starts. The Dodgers will find a way to rest Glasnow during the summer. The Dodgers are going to want to get Ryan, Stone, and Knack some starts this summer, and undoubtedly before the deadline. AF/BG play the long game. I just do not assume that Glas is going to get injured. I think when Snell gets back, he will be good to go for the rest of the year. Maybe a start or two off in the summer. Ohtani has already pushed back a start a couple of days a couple of weeks back. I suspect that will happen again.
The Dodgers have first world problems. Their 5th and 6th starters aren’t good. Their “closer” is hurt but they have 3 other guys who can close on the active roster. One of their young guys (Freeland) can’t hit. BUT Ohtani hasn’t looked like himself at the plate all year – but his pitching – WOW. Mookie hurt and wasn’t hitting before he went out. Top of lineup guys aren’t really hitting – Teo back to chasing junk out of the zone, Tucker is unimpressive (he has a long loopy swing). The most impressive thing to me is that they almost never beat themselves. They play such strong fundamental baseball. The defense is great. They make great decisions. I love watching this team play.
Cody Bellinger would still fit in the outfield. I follow this sort of thing as well. Most MLB rosters have a former Dodger draftee or international signee on them. A fair number of fringe/bench type guys, and bullpen arms.
“Hit the ball in the middle”
Spot on Badger. I coached pitchers from day 1 to be able to throw a fastball strike low and away; in their sleep. It was our foundational pitch and set up everything else we did. It was a must and we worked at throw 75% strikes as a goal. 70% was typical, including chase pitches, for an outing. It can be done and being in the strike zone, challenging hitters was not a negative at the high school, legion and advanced travel ball level. That’s why a get so exasperated when I see 7+ walks in a game. Being effectively wild is one thing; being unable to command a pitch is something else.
I have no problem with the inclusion of Cruz, but not Alveraz. Alveraz was signed by the Dodgers July 15, 2016. Assigned to Dodgers DSL July 30, 2016. Traded to Houston August 1, 2016. He never played one minute with the Dodgers. The rumor mill at the time was that the Dodgers wanted Josh Fileds and the Astros wanted Alveraz. The Dodgers knew they could outbid Houston and did, thus setting up the trade. There were some transactions (or those that did not go through) at that time that I did have inside info on, but that was not one of them. But it did sound reasonable to me.
Slow day, so I decided to answer my own question about Muncy’s performance at the plate pre and post glasses: Muncy 2015 – 2024 before glasses, .228/.828 with 195 homers Prior to 4/30/25: Before glasses – 28 games, .180/.531 w/ 0 homers rest of 2025 stats, Post 4/30/25: with glasses – .71 games, 268/.969 w/ 19 homers 2026 – w/ glasses, 21 games, .303/.833 w/ 8 dingers. It seems like it’s easier to hit MLB pitching when you can see.