The Dodgers are indisputably the tale of the offseason already. Has a tendency to occur whilst you signal the largest loose agent in historical past with the largest contract in historical past that still is more or less the most eldritch contract in historical past. They’re additionally no longer completed, it sounds as if.
L.A.’s greatest hollow is the rotation. And after the industry for Glasnow, their greatest hollow is . . . nonetheless the rotation.
It’s no longer exhausting to peer why Glasnow is tantalizing. When he’s at the mound, he’s a celestial weapon. He’s struck out over a 3rd of the hitters he’s observed each and every season for the reason that Pirates, of their endless knowledge, moved him to Tampa. He additionally doesn’t stroll many, which has ended in sub-.300 FIPs the final 4 complete seasons. He displays off really ace stuff when he is taking the ball.
The issue is the ones “whens” that seem within the earlier paragraph. The 120 innings Glasnow threw final 12 months are a career-high. He’s 30. He’s best controlled over 100 innings in a single different season. He moderately merely can’t get at the mound steadily.
Perhaps the Dodgers suppose they just wish to have him at the mound come October, and possibly that’s true. That’s more difficult than it sounds, as Glasnow has best thrown 17 postseason innings in his profession. There isn’t a lot observe report of him getting there in a single piece.
We already know that Shohei Ohtani received’t be pitching one inning in 2024. Come 2025, he’ll be a starter coming off two Tommy John surgical procedures who has thrown lower than 500 innings in 5 seasons. Perhaps they’ll carry Clayton Kershaw again for 2024, apart from he’s in his overdue 30s coming off again surgical treatment. At the moment, the rotation is anchored via Walker Buehler, himself coming off Tommy John surgical treatment final 12 months. Dustin Might is now a ghost. Tony Gonsolin shall be consuming roadkill at the coaching desk after his personal bout with TJ illness. It’s no longer probably the most company floor.
And in step with Ohtani, the Dodgers have their very own organizational psychosis.
They instructed him that once an unrivaled decade. If the Dodgers are hinging their complete sense of self esteem on a handful of video games in October, they’ll by no means feel free. And Ohtani doesn’t make it possible for a lot more within the squeezed-down crucible of the MLB playoffs, Particularly when he received’t be at the mound for any other 12 months.
The Dodgers nonetheless would possibly seize Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who must navigate a 162-game season for the primary time and already comes with the odometer lovely excessive. The rotation could be extra stitched up with him, however once more, would lift an excellent quantity of possibility.
All of that is simply to mention that the Dodgers can’t ensure themselves a International Collection subsequent 12 months, for individuals who are already full of dread. And if the Dodgers are telling Ohtani that not anything they’ve completed prior to now 10 years issues (we knew that 2020 International Collection didn’t rely), then possibly the interior drive has performed an element within the Dodgers spitting up come the autumn. Perhaps it nonetheless will.
It’s almost about all we need to hold onto nowadays.
After which there may be this
Ever see a staff utterly surrender? You realize you may have when the social media staff can see it:
Practice Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @felsgate.bsky.social
