Obviously, the Los Angeles Dodgers are not having a banner off-season. Lately, much of the subject matter has been about how little the Dodgers have done and if their organizational goal is to win a World Series or simply win the NL West.
Now, MLB Network Radio host C.J. Nitkowski raises concern about another possible achilles for the Dodgers. Notably, Nitkowski is worried about the team’s starting rotation as they enter the season. Have a listen to the sound clip below.
Walker Buehler ?? Clayton Kershaw ?? ?@CJNitkowski | #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/3be1kcykZm
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) January 9, 2020
First, Nitkowski takes the organization to task for not bringing in an additional starting pitcher.
“The question that’s out there that will continue to hang out there is their rotation. That is their biggest concern. When I think about their off-season the thing I am most surprised about is that secondary group of guys, even starting with Zach Wheeler and down. Dallas Keuchel and others, it seems like at least one of those guys would have been a good fit and an easy place for them to add dollars that they could have easily afforded. But that didn’t happen.”
I have to say, Wheeler is a real head-scratcher for me. He signed early in the off-season with the Philadelphia Phillies, but I thought that would be the player the Dodgers ended up signing. Instead, they countered with Jimmy Nelson.
From there, Nitkowski says the Dodgers need to be mindful and have a contingency plan in mind in case one of the big two goes down with an injury.
“The big thing is, what happens if Clayton Kershaw or Walker Buehler have to miss even a month? Does that scare you a little bit? Does that create an opening perhaps for somebody else in the division?”
Indeed, Nitkowski is talking to Stan Kasten and those of you who already have the Dodgers penciled in to win another division title. And he’s right, something unforeseen like this could be the silent partner in why the Dodgers miss the playoffs entirely.
Finally, Nitkowski goes on to mention the likes of Dustin May being able to fill in for one of the aforementioned starters should they get injured. However, he doesn’t really see the Dodgers as a postseason rotation right now.
Undeniably, the organization just didn’t get it done this winter. And that will make the 2020 season one of great intrigue from the onset.
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