Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2023
Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers made the Tyler Glasnow and Manny Margot trade official. Are they done this offseason?
No.
If the Dodgers’ starting rotation hadn’t collapsed during the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers might have gone to the World Series. During the NLDS, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman looked like they were pressing. Even with Shohei Ohtani, the offense will still feel pressure to produce unless they upgrade their starting rotation.
For the first time since 2009, the Dodgers won’t have Clayton Kershaw in their Opening Day starting rotation. He might come back after the All-Star break. He had his first significant arm surgery during his 16-year career, and no one knows how Kershaw will respond to the surgery. So far, his shoulder feels “great.” Kershaw wants to pitch again. He may choose to play for the Texas Rangers.
Glasnow will help the Dodgers starting rotation, but he hasn’t pitched more than 120 innings a season. While he had Tommy John surgery in 2021, he has been injury-prone during his career. While on the mound, Glasnow dominates. The Dodgers need him to make 30 starts a year, something that he hasn’t done in the major leagues, and expecting him to do it now is unfair. Glasnow fulfills a lifetime dream of playing for the Dodgers, his childhood favorite team and he is thrilled to sign a four-year contract extension. Glasnow will be a bargain for the Dodgers if he remains healthy and effective.
While Walker Buehler is returning to the active roster, he will have an inning limit in the 2024 season, and no one knows how effective he will be, coming off his second Tommy John surgery. He might need to adjust to diminish velocity and learn how to win. He can win without high velocity but would take a few starts. He might need to go on the IL.
The Dodgers wouldn’t have Julio Urías. It will be determined if he will pitch in the major leagues in the 2024 season.
Bobby Miller has proven he belongs in the starting rotation. However, after hurling a career-high in innings, he might digress in the 2024 season or go on the IL. After his disastrous NLDS start, his confidence might have shaken. Miller will be fantastic but perhaps in 2024.
Emmet Sheehan needs more seasoning in the minor leagues. Unusually for the Dodgers, last year, the Dodgers were forced to rush many starters to Los Angeles. Despite having a few growing pains, the Dodger young starters did reasonably well until the NLDS.
Everyone wants the Dodgers to sign Yoshinboto Yamamoto, a 25-year-old Japanese starting pitching star. While he was outstanding starter, winning three Japan equivalent Cy Young Awards, he hasn’t pitched in the American major leagues. He is going to demand a long-term lucrative contract. Nevertheless, Yamamoto throws a split-finger fastball. Though effective, split-finger fastball puts undo stress on the elbow, making Tommy John surgery eventible. The Dodgers should be cautious with Yamamoto.
Even with Glasnow, the Dodgers must have at least two more starters to be an elite team. Now, the media has Ryan Yarboro slated in the Dodger starting rotation. Coming from the Kansas City Royals, Yarboro wasn’t that impressive but still effective. His value is being able either to start or relieve.. currently, he is the only left-hander in the rotation, and he throws junk.
The Dodgers’ top priority should have been upgrading the starting rotation. Signing Shohei Ohtani will help the offense and the starting rotation in the 2025 season. Glasnow should help, but the Dodgers need to upgrade their starting rotation still.
