While we all wait to exhale and celebrate the Mookie Betts trade from the Boston Red Sox if it happens, the baseball world is still anticipating what the Dodgers will look like following the blockbuster deal.
Recently, ESPN’s Jeff Passan joined The Rich Eisen Show to talk about how incredible the Dodgers will be with Betts. Wait until you hear what he says about their ceiling, and floor as a team.
First off, it’s not all roses. Passan opens with the slight concerns the Dodgers could have. It’s important to recognize that he realizes the Dodgers won’t be invincible in 2020.
“I mean David Price’s stuff is down. He’s not the same pitcher he once was, he’s in his mid-30’s now and it’s going to be interesting to see how he can adjust to diminished stuff. Still for a left-hander he’s actually pretty good. Average fastball is around 92 miles per hour which; he was the hardest throwing lefty in baseball for a half decade. So 92 is nothing to sneeze at, but the big question for the Dodgers is their pitching. They wanted Gerrit Cole this off-season and they were willing to go to $300 million for him.”
From there, Passan mentions that Clayton Kershaw’s adjustment to diminished ability will also be interesting to watch. Without question, he feels concern with the Dodgers’ staff beyond Walker Buehler.
Still, not all Passan mentions is bad. He points towards the fact the Dodgers have the prospects to fortify their pitching staff come July if problems exist. Finally, he sees them as a team with historical upside.
“It’s all about October for the Dodgers. April through September is not a question if they will win the NL West. Rather it’s how many games will they win? Could they win 110 or 115, even more potentially? I don’t think that’s out of the realm of possibility. I think the floor is 100 wins for the Dodgers.”
Personally, I feel Passan is pretty accurate if this trade goes through. The Dodgers will be a machine that racks up wins at an alarming pace. However, without Betts; I feel they are merely a good team amongst other good teams that will still need a big move.
That’s why this trade is so important.
NEXT: Minnesota and Boston Trade on Life Support, Affecting Betts Trade
