The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t have the splashiest offseason, however they added to the depth on their 40-man roster. That’s quickly come into focus this spring as Brett Anderson underwent back surgery that will keep him out up to five months, and the date of Hyun-Jin Ryu’s return remains largely unknown.
When the Dodgers opened camp, there was the thought Ryu would be part of the rotation come Opening Day. He then conceded a return at some point in May was likely, however now that too is questionable given where the southpaw is in his recovery.
Los Angeles has also endured minor injuries to Yasmani Grandal, Alex Guerrero, Corey Seager and Alex Wood, among others, in recent weeks.
It’s currently unknown if Seager, who is suffering from a left knee sprain, will recover in time to be in the Dodgers’ Opening Day lineup on April 4 against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Aside from injuries, there’s also some concern surrounding offseason signee Scott Kazmir. He struggled through two Cactus League outings, then started a B game rather than taking the hill for a third Spring Training start.
Despite the various question marks the Dodgers face, one rival executive believes they will win the National League West division title this season, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
The depth of the Dodgers’ rotation remains a question, even in certain quarters of the team’s clubhouse. The club’s front office, though, remains confident in its internal options, and one rival executive flatly dismissed any concerns Tuesday, saying, “They’re going to win the division.”
The Dodgers’ current streak of three consecutive NL West titles is a first in the franchise’s history. What’s more, Los Angeles has won at least 90 games each season over that same stretch for the first time since 1976-78.
Along with the executive, PECOTA is extremely bullish on the Dodgers, predicting they will not only win the NL West title in 2016, but also finish with the best record in the Majors at 94-68.
The Dodgers figure to face plenty of competition within the division this season as both the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants bolstered their starting rotations. Arizona of course lured Zack Greinke away from the Dodgers, and soon after traded for Shelby Miller.
While the Giants signed Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija to long-term deals. The Dodgers will first see the Giants on April 7 for the start of a four-game series, then host the Diamondbacks for a three-game set, beginning on April 12.
