For all the injury turmoil the Los Angeles Dodgers had to deal with in the first half of the season, the team’s starting rotation isn’t in that bad of shape. Obviously, there’s still a long way to go to the playoffs, but there are seemingly a few legitimate options now that didn’t exist in the early stages of the year.
Of course, there are probably some other areas — like the bullpen and offense — that need to be addressed before the club even thinks about the postseason. However, for now, let’s take a close look at the current rotation to see how it stacks up.
The Veterans
To say that veteran Clayton Kershaw has exceeded all expectations so far during the 2023 season would be an understatement. Heading into the weekend, Kershaw has been the workhorse of the rotation, making a whopping 15 starts and averaging right around six innings per outing. His 89-1/3 innings pitched leads the team far and away, with both Noah Syndergaard and Julio Urias in a distant second at 55-1/3 innings pitched apiece.
The worst part about Kershaw’s season is that you know he’ll likely go on the in injured list for at least one stint, whether it’s for a brief rest or heaven forbid an actual injury. If all stays on schedule, Urias should be ready to go by next weekend in Kansas City after making a rehab start at High-A Rancho Cucamonga this Sunday.
Tony Gonsolin could be the real wild card of the pitching staff. If the 29-year-old injury-prone righty can stay healthy and throw effectively, he could be a difference maker as the end of the season approaches. The Dodgers are currently ranked ninth in the National league for combined starting pitching ERA at 4.26. Look for that number to improve with consistency, especially if Urias’s return is a smooth one and Syndergaard remains out of the mix.
The Rookies
This year’s starting pitching prospect duo of Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan has replaced last year’s version of Ryan Pepiot and Michael Grove. Sure, both Pepiot and Grove might have jobs in the organization down the road — conceivably even a bullpen spot for Grove. Nevertheless, Miller and Sheehan are at the top of the prospect ladder right now and seemingly control their own destinies regarding a permanent major league spot.
We’ve only seen a sample size of Miller, including a chink in his armor the last time out against the Giants. It should be interesting to see how effective both Miller and Sheehan are over the coming months and whether they have big-league roles toward the end of the season. In addition, if Urias solidifies himself back in the rotation, it would be interesting if the club chooses Syndergaard over one of the kids if his blister ever heals.
Looking Ahead
Even with Miller and Sheehan stabilized in the rotation, the team still lacks significant depth and could be in a difficult situation if they need to contend with yet another injury. As it stands, the club still needs to incorporate a bullpen every fifth day to complement Kershaw and Gonsolin.
Urias will solidify the starting five, but it won’t solve the organization’s problem of high-quality, major-league-ready depth. And it’s certainly not safe to assume that Dustin May or Jimmy Nelson will make a productive return at all this year.
Gavin Stone and Grove remain in the picture as emergency starters, but the club might be more beneficial pursuing a reliable and experienced arm at the summer trade deadline, even though the organization’s trading resources might be a little more depleted this year than previous seasons.