2023 Record: 100-62 (.617 win%, 1st in Division)
2024 Payroll: $214,721,666 (9th)
2024 Projected Lineup:
1. SS Mookie Betts, .279 AVG/.373 OBP/.512 SLG, 6.1 fWAR
2. 1B Freddie Freeman, .301 AVG/.389 OBP/.508 SLG, 4.5 fWAR
3. DH Shohei Ohtani, .272 AVG/.376 OBP/.550 SLG, 4.2 fWAR
4. C Will Smith, .257 AVG/.351 OBP/.461 SLG, 4.0 fWAR
5. 3B Max Muncy, .226 AVG/.347 OBP/.449 SLG, 2.2 fWAR
6. CF James Outman, .229 AVG/.323 OBP/.413 SLG, 2.0 fWAR
7. LF Teoscar Hernández, .258 AVG/.310 OBP/.470 SLG, 1.7 fWAR
8. RF Jason Heyward, .251 AVG/.321 OBP/.414 SLG, 0.9 fWAR
9. 2B Gavin Lux, .266 AVG/.343 OBP/.415 SLG, 1.8 fWAR
10. UTL Chris Taylor, .225 AVG/.312 OBP/.384 SLG, 1.0 fWAR
2024 Projected Starting Rotation:
1. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 183.2 IP/3.98 ERA/1.20 WHIP, 3.4 fWAR
2. RHP Tyler Glasnow, 154.0 IP/3.48 ERA/1.14 WHIP, 3.7 fWAR
3. RHP Bobby Miller, 150.2 IP/4.02 ERA/1.26 WHIP, 2.5 fWAR
4. RHP Walker Buehler, 130.2 IP/4.36 ERA/1.30 WHIP, 1.8 fWAR
5. LHP James Paxton, 129.1 IP/4.14 ERA/1.26 WHIP, 1.9 fWAR
2024 Projected Top 4 Relievers:
1. RHP Evan Phillips, 66.0 IP/3.63 ERA/1.21 WHIP, 0.7 fWAR
2. RHP Brusdar Graterol, 64.0 IP/3.66 ERA/1.27 WHIP, 0.6 fWAR
3. RHP Joe Kelly, 61.0 IP/3.12 ERA/1.22 WHIP, 0.9 fWAR
4. LHP Alex Vesia, 60.0 IP/3.78 ERA/1.23 WHIP, 0.6 fWAR
What Baseball Means to Los Angeles?
The Dodgers are one of the most storied franchises in all of Major League Baseball. The “LA” logo and ballcap have transcended the sport and embedded themselves in popular culture. Within Los Angeles itself, the Dodgers, who are arguably the most prominent non-Lakers team in the city, are a fundamental part of its atmosphere. The numbers and figures back this up, as the Dodgers have led the MLB in average attendance during every season of their current 11-year playoff streak. The city loves its baseball team, and recent additions to the roster should only enhance that.
2023-24 Offseason Recap:
Jackpot! The Dodgers won the Ohtani sweepstakes. Just when the whole world was convinced that Dave Roberts sold out his front office by openly discussing negotiations, and that Shohei was on a plane to Toronto ready to become a Blue Jay, news broke that the two-way superstar was coming to Los Angeles. Signing a contract with unprecedented team-friendly deferrals, Ohtani expressed his desire to win by allowing his $700 million contract to not consume the short-term payroll.
How did the Dodgers follow this up, you ask? How about by signing another Japanese superstar, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, to a 12-year, $325 million deal. That wasn’t all either. They also swung a trade for ace Tyler Glasnow and signed slugger Teoscar Hernández. To top it all off, they brought back a plethora of names including Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier, Kiké Hernández, Jason Heyward, and, of course, Clayton Kershaw.
This had been an offseason the Dodgers were eyeing for years, with Ohtani as the primary target. After previous winters of minimal splurging, this front office did not disappoint this time around. As a result, Los Angeles is in prime position to win its second World Series of the decade.
2024 Regular Season Preview:
The Dodgers are coming into the 2024 season with arguably the most well-rounded roster they’ve ever had. After suffering late-season woes resulting from a lack of starting pitching depth and a top-heavy lineup, Los Angeles filled out the fringes of its roster in addition to acquiring big-named superstars.
Beginning with the revamped rotation, the headliner is 325-million-dollar man, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Coming over from Japan’s Orix Buffaloes, the 25-year old’s career accomplishments already include five NPB All-Star appearances, three MVPs, and three Sawamura (Cy Young equivalent) Awards. Yamamoto boasts a fastball, splitter, cutter, and curveball with exceptional command, and has already blown away hitters such as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in spring camp.
Yamamoto is set to pitch in the Dodgers’ opening Seoul Series alongside fellow new addition Tyler Glasnow. Glasnow, when healthy, flashes some of the best stuff in all of baseball. However, his career has been extremely limited by injuries. Glasnow posted a career high 120 innings in 2023, just the second time he’s crossed the 100-inning threshold in his nine years as a big leaguer. Despite the lack of innings, Glasnow was in the 97th percentile in strikeout rate. If the Dodgers can get a full season out of him, he will be absolutely dangerous for this team.
After Glasnow in the rotation will likely be sophomore Bobby Miller. Miller is coming off of a solid rookie season where he posted a 3.76 ERA in 124.1 innings. With all the injuries and lack of depth in the starting rotation last season, Miller shouldered a larger amount of pressure than the Dodgers would have wanted for their rookie, and it may have been a factor in his poor showing against the Diamondbacks in the NLDS. With Yamamoto and Glasnow now on the roster, Miller should be more out of the spotlight while he continues to develop into what could eventually be a frontline starter.
Projected to throw the fourth-most innings for Los Angeles in 2024 is familiar face Walker Buehler. Buehler won’t begin the season on the Opening Day roster, as he is still working his way back from his second Tommy John surgery. However, he is expected to return relatively early in the season, and early reports from spring training suggest that he feels just as good as he did when he was regarded as one of the toughest aces in the league. Being a productive starter after two major elbow surgeries is extremely difficult, but even if Buehler is half of what he used to be, he could provide the Dodgers with quality innings, especially come playoff time.
At this point you should be sensing a theme amongst this rotation — extensive injury history. This theme continues with James Paxton, who made 19 starts for the Red Sox last season after missing most of 2021 and all of 2022 with multiple injuries. In these starts he was almost perfectly average, recording a respectable 101 ERA+. During his prime years with the Mariners, this number hovered around 115, and Los Angeles is hoping they can work similar magic with him as they did with guys like Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney.
Emmet Sheehan was a surprise player the Dodgers called on when the injuries started piling up during the 2023 season. Making the jump straight from AA, Sheehan pitched eight full innings before giving up his first hit as a major leaguer. However, as the season progressed, hitters started adjusting to him, and he finished the campaign with an underwhelming 4.92 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Sheehan, an option for the fifth rotation spot, has had a slow start to spring training, but, as of right now, is expected to be ready to join the roster for Opening Day at Dodger Stadium should the team choose to include him.
Another name under consideration for the Opening Day fifth rotation spot is swingman Ryan Yarbrough. Yarbrough was acquired by the Dodgers from the Royals at the 2023 trade deadline to eat innings for a depleted pitching staff. In 11 appearances (two starts), Yarbrough registered a 90 ERA+, averaging a strikeout per inning. Yarbrough is almost guaranteed to make the Opening Day roster, but he could carve himself out a more significant role with a strong spring.
The last, and perhaps most intriguing name to watch for the fifth rotation spot is top prospect Gavin Stone. Stone entered the 2023 season on fire after an incredible 2022 minor league campaign. However, he struggled mightily after getting the call to the majors. In 31 innings at the major league level, Stone gave up 31 earned runs on 46 hits and 13 walks. The 70-grade changeup that made him so dominant as a prospect was knocked around to the tune of a .480 opponent slugging percentage. Stone has one of the highest ceilings out of the youngsters in the Los Angeles organization but will have to show strong signs of improvement to earn a permanent opportunity with the ball club.
The early season rotation options are abundant, but the Dodgers should be receiving reinforcements through the back end of the season as well. The most prominent of these is first-ballot Hall-of-Famer Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw had another limited, yet strong season in 2023, finishing with a 2.46 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 24 starts. Despite this, his peripherals indicated that he was likely closer to league average. Kershaw chose to re-sign with Los Angeles during the offseason, but a shoulder surgery should keep him out until the late season playoff push.
Also not expected to return until the second half of the season is Dustin May. May has had an unfortunate career up to this point; every time he starts to breakout, he encounters a season-ending injury. For proof of this, look at the 2021 season, when he posted a 2.74 ERA in five starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery. 2023 was a similar case when, after recording a 2.63 ERA across nine starts, it was announced that he needed another elbow surgery. When he returns, expect May to pitch out of the bullpen and work his way back into a starting role.
Likely to miss the entire 2024 season, but still worth mentioning is Tony Gonsolin. Gonsolin’s 2023 was by far his worst season as a major leaguer, as 87 ERA+, 7.5 H/9, and 7.2 K/9 were all the worst marks of his career. He was also in the 20th percentile or worse in a number of statistics including xERA, whiff rate, and barrel percentage. Los Angeles is hoping that these struggles were attributed to the nagging injuries that eventually necessitated his Tommy John surgery and that he will pitch closer to his former self once back in 2025.
Moving to some of the more fringe rotation options, Kyle Hurt is a fun name to consider. Hurt made his debut late last season for the Dodgers and pitched two scoreless relief innings in his singular appearance. Many fans were displeased with his underutilization, as Los Angeles desperately needed pitching late in the summer, and his 3.91 ERA across AAA and AA was arguably good enough to warrant an opportunity in the rotation. Hurt will likely spend the majority of his time in the bullpen in 2024, but watch for him to make a few spot starts here and there when needed.
Michael Grove is in a similar position to Kyle Hurt in that he will likely be used out of the bullpen but be given chances to start when injuries arise to the main guys. Grove’s 2023 numbers were ugly, with a 6.13 ERA across 69 innings. However, the majority of his struggles came as a starter, as his 4.24 relief ERA was much more respectable and demonstrated promise as a bullpen option. The Dodgers should use Grove in a variety of ways this season, and it will be interesting to see how he develops.
Among the top prospects, Nick Frasso is the new flashy arm in the continually-deep Los Angeles system. Like many of the major league arms, Frasso is dealing with his own pair of long-term injuries, so his chances to crack the roster in 2024 are slim. Nevertheless, he is still worth mentioning just in case he does make his debut, as he has all the makings of a big league starter with an electric fastball and solid supporting pitches.
Two more young arms to keep an eye on this season are River Ryan and Landon Knack. Ryan still has work to do in regards to building up to becoming a full-time starter, but features four plus pitches that could make him tough to face once he does eventually arrive in Los Angeles. Knack posted a 2.51 ERA in 22 starts across AA and AAA in 2023 and is the closest to debuting out of all the Dodgers’ pitching prospects. With a good fastball-slider combo and solid control, Knack could be utilized in the rotation as well as the bullpen this season.
At the back end of the ‘pen, the majority of save opportunities will go to Evan Phillips. Phillips had another dominant season in 2023, finishing with a 212 ERA+ and 24 saves in 61.1 innings. With a sweeper that had a run value of 12 last season and two other very strong pitches, Phillips should continue to perform at an elite level and earn Reliever of the Year votes in 2024.
Sneakily having a better 2023 than Phillips last season was fan favorite Brusdar Graterol. Graterol finished the campaign with a 1.20 ERA and 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Ever since Kenley Jansen’s departure, many have believed that Graterol would take the reins and become the next great Dodger reliever. He demonstrated this ability last season and will be given every opportunity to continue that success in 2024.
Joe Kelly is another familiar face to this Los Angeles bullpen. After spending 2019-21 with the ballclub, the Dodgers acquired him once again at the 2023 trade deadline alongside Lance Lynn. After a poor first half of the season with the White Sox, Kelly turned it around in Los Angeles, allowing just two earned runs in eleven appearances. This performance led to the Dodgers bringing him back this offseason.
The main lefty reliever for Los Angeles is Alex Vesia. After stellar seasons in 2021 and 2022, Vesia struggled a bit in 2023. Spending some time in the minor leagues to regain his form, Vesia wasn’t nearly as good against left-handed hitters as he had been previously in his career. With a lack of southpaw reliever depth, the Dodgers will need the best version of Vesia in 2024 to be able to play the matchup game they love so much.
Like Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier was also a deadline acquisition Los Angeles chose to re-sign during the offseason. A great story for the Dodgers, Brasier completely turned his season (and potentially career) around midway through 2023. After posting a 7.29 ERA for the Red Sox, Los Angeles picked him up, and he was lights out from then on, allowing just three runs in 38.2 innings. This earned him a two-year contract to return to the team and prove that his recent success wasn’t a fluke.
Despite all the arms who will start the season rehabbing from long-term injuries, there are a few who are finally returning. One of whom is Blake Treinen, who has been dealing with shoulder issues for what feels like half a decade. During his peak in 2021, Treinen was easily the Dodgers’ most dominant reliever, but has taken a beating since then. Having not pitched since early 2022, Treinen is finally healthy this season and needs to prove that he can be a reliable arm once again.
Another returner from injury is J.P. Feyereisen. Feyereisen was acquired from the Rays while rehabbing from shoulder surgery and will make his Dodger debut in 2024. The last time Feyereisen threw a baseball was in 2022, when he allowed just one(!) unearned run in 24.1 innings. Feyereisen has been a very productive reliever for almost his entire career, so it will be interesting to see how Los Angeles employs him.
Gus Varland is one of the few lesser-known names in this Dodger bullpen. A Rule 5 Draft pick by the Brewers, Varland was returned to the team after an abysmal eight appearances in Milwaukee. Once back in Los Angeles, Varland performed well in a small sample, striking out 10.8 hitters per nine innings. With multiple years of team control left, Varland could be a name to watch as he continues to develop.
The only other left-handed reliever on the roster is Matt Gage. Gage was acquired from the Yankees this offseason alongside prospect Christian Zazueta for Caleb Ferguson. In brief appearances for the Blue Jays in 2022 and the Astros in 2023, Gage has been solid, with a 1.83 ERA across 19.2 major league innings. Gage will most likely fill the role left by Ferguson as the Dodgers continue to rotate their bullpen and find more controllable pieces while bolstering the farm system in the process.
Currently on the injured list due to a knee surgery is the intriguing Ricky Vanasco. Vanasco had been working exclusively as a starter in the Rangers organization before the Dodgers picked him up and converted him to a reliever. From then on, he performed at an elite level for AA Tulsa and AAA Oklahoma City. Vanasco should return from his surgery a few months into the season, and it will be exciting to see what he can do at the major league level.
Daniel Hudson chose to return to Los Angeles this offseason on a minor-league contract. After pitching well for the Dodgers across parts of the past two seasons, injuries have seemed to catch up to the 37-year-old veteran. Hudson could perform himself onto the big league roster with a strong spring but will more likely serve as a depth piece in the case of injury trouble.
In similar boats to Hudson, there are a plethora of relievers with big league experience that were brought in this winter to supplement the bullpen depth. Among some other names you could hear throughout this season are Dinelson Lamet, Nabil Crismatt, T.J. McFarland, and Jesse Hahn. Each of these guys provide Los Angeles with low-risk, high-reward bullpen options to throw into their pitching lab.
Moving to the offense, the catching group is the same as it has been in recent years. Will Smith is, once again, the main guy behind the dish for the Dodgers and expected to be a top three catcher in baseball in 2024. Making his first All-Star Game appearance last season, Smith actually had arguably the worst season of his career, finishing with a 114 OPS+ in 126 games. Smith will look to continue to be productive this season as he bats behind a star-studded group at the top of the lineup.
Austin Barnes will be Smith’s primary backup again in 2024. A lifetime .219 hitter, Barnes was worse than ever last season, as implied by his 41 wRC+. In fact, he performed so poorly in 2023 that some of our readers argued for his inclusion as an Aluminum Slugger Award recipient. Adding to this, Barnes was exposed by baserunners, finishing fourth-worst in the league in Statcast’s Caught Stealings Above Average. Any level of improvement from Barnes would go a long way for Los Angeles.
Keeping the theme of returning players, first base will be manned by Freddie Freeman. Freeman finished third in MVP voting last season after an incredible campaign in which he recorded 59 doubles, 29 home runs, and 23(!) stolen bases. The epitome of availability, he played in all but one of the Dodgers’ regular season games and serves as an irreplaceable leader in the clubhouse as well. Barring an unforeseen tragedy, expect Freeman to rake just he has for the entirety of his career.
The middle infield has developed some question marks as Spring Training has progressed. Going into this season, the expectation was that Mookie Betts would finally get his full-time role at second base, while the similar could be said about Gavin Lux at short. However, in his first few games at the position, Lux has struggled mightily, both with the glove and with the throwing errors that have plagued him previously in his career. Thus, as I am writing this, the plan going forward is to try Betts out at short and Lux at second until he can work through his issues.
Despite the defensive swap, both these players have a lot going for them offensively in 2024. In Lux’s last full season in 2022, he slashed .276/.346/.399, walking almost half as much as he struck out. He looked even better last spring before he tore his ACL running the bases, an injury that kept him out for the entire season. Back now, Lux is hoping to continue working towards the breakout many scouts predicted for him when he was the #2 prospect in baseball in 2020.
On the flipside, Mookie Betts has no mystery over how he will look this season. If not for a record-breaking campaign from Ronald Acuna Jr., Betts would have likely acquired his second MVP in 2024. Just to name some stats, Betts finished in the 95th percentile or better in xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, Sweep Spot Percentage, and Chase Percentage. By far one of the best players in the game with no signs of slowing down, Betts will be a key player for this Dodger lineup.
Finally, at third base will be Max Muncy. After an up-and-down 2022, Muncy bounced back last year, recording a career-high 105 runs batted in and tying another career high with 36 home runs. Playing at the hot corner regularly for the first time in 2023, Muncy was bad defensively, earning an M-SABR Iron Pyrite Glove Award for his performance. He came into spring training this year 15 pounds slimmer and has been working on his flexibility to improve his defense. Regardless of how well his glove plays, Muncy should mash once again in 2024.
In the outfield, left will be manned primarily by newcomer Teoscar Hernández. Hernández, a lifetime 118 OPS+ hitter, was in the midst of another strong season for the Blue Jays in 2023 when he was shipped over to the Mariners. There, it seemed he struggled a bit with T-Mobile Park’s large dimensions, as his OPS dropped 66 points between the two halves of the season. Adding Hernandez not only extends the Los Angeles lineup, but it provides them with a guy who crushes left-handed pitching, something they have been needing in recent years.
Slated to man center field is one of the more exciting young players on the team and likely my favorite in the Dodger organization in James Outman. Outman finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 after slashing .248/.353/.437 across 151 games and playing above-average defense in center. Despite the solid numbers, his rookie season was very streaky, as each scorching month was usually followed by a frigid one. Outman will look to find consistency as he continues to develop as an everyday starter in 2024.
Jason Heyward is back as a Dodger once again in 2024. Heyward was the most recent of the Dodgers famed reclamation projects last season, after a swing adjustment in spring training resulted in a revival of his career. Serving as a platoon against right-handed pitching, Heyward recorded a 117 OPS+. With Betts now becoming a full-time second baseman (or shortstop?), Heyward will get a significant number of reps in right field, particularly against righties.
Last, but certainly not least in rounding out the starting lineup is the unicorn. Just in case you’ve spent the winter living under a rock, Shohei Ohtani is now a Los Angeles Dodger. Although he won’t pitch in 2024, he is so good offensively that he could very well win an MVP as a designated hitter alone. Here is a list of some statistics Baseball Savant keeps track of: xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, Avg. Exit Velocity, Barrel Percentage, and Hard-Hit Percentage. Now, here are the percentiles Ohtani finished in each of them: 99th, 96th, 99th, 99th, 100th, and 97th, respectively. Need I say more?
Serving as the backup infielder is veteran Miguel Rojas. Rojas took on a mentor role for Los Angeles in 2023, as he was often seen setting an example for the rookies, at one point treating them all to a shoe-shopping trip. Even at his age, Rojas provides the Dodgers with elite defense at shortstop, which has suddenly become immensely more valuable with Lux’s struggles at the position. Rojas isn’t expected to do much offensively these days, but his glove and leadership make him essential to this roster.
Chris Taylor is the first of the super-utility players on the roster. Taylor has been about league average offensively over the course of the past three seasons, but his ability to be an above-average defender at a number of positions has helped him accumulate 6.7 fWAR over that time. With Manuel Margot being shipped off during spring training, Taylor may get a large chunk of the starts in right field against left-handed pitching.
After the Margot trade, his spot on the roster was almost immediately filled by the acquisition of Kiké Hernández. Like the previously-discussed Joe Kelly, Hernández just keeps finding ways to end up back on this Dodger roster. He was shipped over to Los Angeles at last year’s trade deadline after an abysmal first half in Boston. From there, he picked up his production again, but was still a below-average hitter. The Dodgers will likely use him as a right-handed platoon bat in 2024.
The odd man out right now due to the current roster construction is youngster Miguel Vargas. After tearing up the minor leagues as a prospect, Vargas has struggled mightily at the major league level, slashing .191/.290/.350 across 2022 and 2023. Playing mostly first, second, and third base during his career, Vargas is currently blocked at all three positions. Thus, Los Angeles has been working on getting him reps at the corner outfield spots to provide him another path to major league playing time.
In terms of the minor leagues, the big name to watch is prospect Andy Pages. After recording a .925 OPS in AA, Pages was recalled to AAA and suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in his first game. Many thought this injury would result in a slow start in 2024 for Pages, but he has been the story of spring training so far, tearing up opposing pitching. Pages isn’t expected to reach the majors until later in the season, but he has legitimate power and could make this Dodger lineup even more explosive.
Beyond Pages, Los Angeles has a number of guys, both young and old, lurking in the minor leagues as depth. Some names to watch for 2024 are Andre Lipcius, Austin Gauthier, Hunter Feduccia, Drew Avans, Chris Newell, and top prospects, Trey Sweeney, Jose Ramos, and Diego Cartaya. This elite offense, combined with a deep pitching staff, should very well place the Dodgers in contention once again in 2024.
Players to Watch:
Usually for my players to watch, I like to take risks on guys who I think have intriguing storylines and potential for big breakouts rather than the traditional safe picks. However, this strategy backfired for me last season as all three of my players to watch (Julio Urías, Miguel Vargas, and Noah Syndergaard) disappointed in some way. With this being my senior year here at M-SABR and this article likely being my final Dodgers Season Preview, I can’t afford to go 0-for-3 again. Thus, here are some guys who, in theory, shouldn’t be letting me down this season:
Player to Watch #1: DH Shohei Ohtani
The Dodgers struck gold this offseason. For much of the past decade, this front office has had one goal. One offseason circled on their calendar. One player. It’s the guy they’ve been sending scouts to watch since he was a high schooler and none of us in the states knew who he was. It’s the guy they got to see play on the other side of town for six years straight. It’s the guy who can hit two homers in the same game then turn around and strike out 13 hitters the next day.
Shohei Ohtani is going to be wearing Dodger blue from now on. What did it take? A 10-year, $700 million contract that not only blows past previous major league records, but also tops the previous world record sports contract held by arguably the greatest soccer player of all time, Lionel Messi. Not only that, but Ohtani chose to defer all but $2 million for each year of his contract to allow Los Angeles the financial flexibility to build around him.
At this point, there aren’t any questions left about what the Japanese phenom can do. He’s proven that he can hit just as well as Aaron Judge, and he’s proven that his pitching performance can compete with Corbin Burnes. The only thing left to wonder now is how long his body will hold up. There is a reason nobody has been able to do this since Babe Ruth, and he has already had concerning injuries previously in his career. However, none of that will matter if he helps bring home a championship, and the expectation in Los Angeles is that he will do just that.
Player to Watch #2: 2B Gavin Lux
In a lot of ways, Lux has the largest influence on how good this Dodger offense can really be. If he is just okay, the lineup is merely elite, but if he’s the Gavin Lux that broke out in AAA in 2019 with a .392/.478/.719 slashline, it becomes nearly unstoppable. Thus far, Lux hasn’t quite shown that he could be that 2019 version of himself at the major league level. His best season was his most recent in 2022, where his 109 OPS+ was solid, but his below average xwOBA and Hard-Hit Percentage indicated that he still had much room for improvement.
Lux looked to capitalize on those improvements and take a huge leap going into 2023 until he suffered a torn ACL running the bases during a Spring Training game against the Padres. He is now working his way back from that, and the road back has had some bumps in 2024. Although he has hit well so far this spring, his defensive capabilities have been problematic.
After a string of both fielding and throwing mishaps in his first few games at shortstop, the Dodger staff has announced that Lux will be swapping positions with Betts, demoting him from the position he’s been playing most his life. Despite Dave Roberts calling the move “permanent for now,” I don’t expect Lux’s struggles to last too long, and I’m sure he will find his way back to shortstop sooner rather than later.
Player to Watch #3: SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Many non-Dodger fans around baseball were very upset by the Ohtani signing. How dare a great team who didn’t win the World Series try to get better! Thanks to Ohtani’s deferrals, these complaints were only furthered two weeks later when Los Angeles signed another Japanese superstar, starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Yamamoto’s deal will pay $325 million with a $50 million signing bonus to keep him in Dodger blue for the next twelve seasons. At only 25 years old, this contract will keep him in Los Angeles for the entirety of his hypothetical prime years. Coinciding with the arrivals of Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow, along with years of control on guys like Bobby Miller, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin, Yamamoto headlines a Dodger rotation that should be a force for years to come.
As for who Yamamoto is as a baseball player? In 557.2 innings since the beginning of the 2021 season, he has fanned 587 hitters while allowing just 88 earned runs. That’s good for a 1.42 ERA in that timeframe, earning him both the Eiji Sawamura Award (Nippon Cy Young) and Pacific League MVP in each season. He has a fastball that can reach the upper 90s and a catalog of secondary pitches matching some of the best in baseball. Yamamoto struck out Marcus Semien on three pitches in his first ever MLB plate appearance this spring, and there should be many more to come over the next decade.
Position Group to Watch: Starting Rotation
The Dodgers’ 2024 rotation is as fascinating as it has ever been. In fact, if you were to look at their 60-day injured list alone, you’d find one of the best rotations in the league’s recent years. Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin will all begin the 2024 season on the shelf. In any other situation, if you were to read that, you’d think this team is in deep trouble.
This is not the case, however, as Los Angeles boasts possibly their deepest starter core ever. While the familiar faces continue to work their way back from injuries, in come Japanese superstar Yoshinobu Yamamoto, former Rays ace Tyler Glasnow, sophomore sensation Bobby Miller, and seasoned veteran James Paxton. Adding to them are even more intriguing arms, such as swingman Ryan Yarbrough or youngsters Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, and Kyle Hurt.
Even with all this depth, you have to acknowledge that many of these key players have had a long history with injuries. One can’t expect guys like Glasnow or Paxton to make it through a full season. Additionally, Yamamoto will need to adjust to pitching every fifth day. Thus, it seems like the Dodgers’ plan is to just fill the 40-man roster with arms and hope that five or six of them are healthy on any given week.
Regardless of who they throw out there, this team is built to support its starting pitchers in every aspect of the game. The offense is potent, the defense is capable, the bullpen should be quality once again, and, most importantly, the development is among the best in baseball. Expect this Los Angeles rotation to finish near the top of the National League in every category even while circulating a variety of arms.
2024 Record Prediction: 105-57
Predicting any team to win 105 games feels like an incredible risk. However, this team won 100 games in 2023 with significantly less firepower both offensively and on the mound. Thus, it doesn’t seem too unrealistic to expect them to improve by five games. The starting rotation options are endless, the bullpen is deep, and the lineup can mash from spots one to nine.
In terms of the division, the Diamondbacks have also improved over the offseason and look to be the biggest competition for Los Angeles. The Giants have made some interesting moves as well, and should be another team to watch. The Padres, dealing with money issues, lost some big pieces in Blake Snell and Juan Soto, but still have enough firepower to stay in the race. Lastly, the Rockies have a baseball team!
The Dodgers will be playing in some competitive games within the division, but, on paper, it doesn’t seem like any team in the National League outside of the Braves should be on the same playing field as them during the regular season. Thus, I can’t help but be confident in this team to run away with the NL West and clear 100 wins in the process. However, we all know regular season success isn’t what matters to this team anymore.
Categories: 2024 Season Preview, Articles, Season Analysis
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