The Dodgers have had nothing short of a phenomenal 2024 season. After years of falling short, the Los Angeles team held the Commissioner’s Trophy last October. Most teams, after winning the World Series, wouldn’t want to make too many changes—not the Dodgers.
The Dodgers were aggressive in this free Agency, pursuing two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell. Along with Snell, the Dodgers re-signed future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw. They also acquired two all-star relievers, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates. However, the most anticipated signing from last winter was Roki Sasaki, the 23-year-old phenom from the Japan Pacific League. These moves along with resigning offensive juggernauts Teoscar Hernandez, Kike Hernandez and signing defensive super star Hyeseong Kim from the Korea Baseball Organization, painted the Dodgers as the eventual champions.
With a super team like this, the reigning champs were set to go back-to-back. Injuries might stop the Dodgers’ path back to the mountaintop. To begin the year, the highly anticipated debut of the young Sasaki was cut short after a rigid but not rough third inning. Star Pitchers Glasnow and Snell fall to the IL, and Ohtani’s return seems to be delayed more as we get deeper into the year. Now, almost a third into the season, there are 14 players on the injured list for the team. These injuries have caused drastic measures for the Dodgers’ pitching staff.
Manager Dave Roberts has leaned on his bullpen heavily since the rise in injuries. They’ve pitched over 200 innings so far and are rapidly rising, leading the league by a wide margin. This caused fans to point the finger at Roberts’ bad situational decision-making in games. Due to the overwork of the bullpen, their quality has dropped below expectations. Their ERA has risen to 4.03, ranking 22nd in the entire league and allowing 29 home runs. These pitching blunders have pitching coaches and medical staff scratching their heads. An IL crew of All-Stars and Cy Young award winners has the Dodgers clinging to the 3rd-best record in baseball.
With their season seemingly slipping away, should they mix up their rotation? One option would be to acquire Minnesota Twins’ All-Star Pablo López. López is entering the second year of his 4-year, 73.5 million-dollar extension. His 22 million AAV (Average Annual Value) would take up 15% of the Twins’ Payroll. A trade with the Dodgers could send young, promising talent to a Minnesota team whose ownership is looking to sell. Another move the Dodgers could make would send Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Martinez to LA. Martinez is on a one-year rental in Cincinnati for $21 million. Cincinnati is searching for a young outfielder for their rebuilding team. Los Angeles’ centerfielder James Outman fits their needs. As a last-ditch effort, the Dodgers could reunite with a controversial player. Trevor Bauer hasn’t pitched an MLB inning in almost 3 years. In 2021, just 4 months after signing a three-year, $102 million deal, Bauer was accused of sexual assault by Lindsey Hill. After this accusation, the MLB announced that Trevor Bauer received a 324-game suspension, the longest in MLB history. Bauer never faced criminal charges, and Hill was sued and later found guilty of defamation. Bauer has been reinstated in the MLB and is awaiting a contract.
With the Dog Days of summer coming ahead, and reinforcement still a ways away, can the Dodgers keep up offensively to compensate for their pitching?
