Once projected to be a strength for the Los Angeles Dodgers, their depth in the starting rotation has quickly transformed from safety net to necessity within one week’s time.
The Dodgers were already aware they’d begin the 2016 season without the services of Brandon McCarthy, but the list of unavailable starting pitchers come Opening Day has grown since camp opened.
Hyun-Jin Ryu conceded last week he’s unlikely to return until some point in May, which is a target date that’s far from set in stone.
Ryu hasn’t thrown since Feb. 26 as he’s suffering from discomfort in his surgically-repaired left shoulder.
Then on Thursday, the Dodgers learned Brett Anderson will miss three to five months after undergoing back surgery.
The losses moved Alex Wood from potentially being on the outside looking in to now factoring heavily into the Dodgers’ rotation for at least the first month of the regular season. However, that still leaves Los Angeles in need of a fifth starter.
They used a total of 16 starting pitchers last season — most in the Majors — and return much of same group who was called on. While the Dodgers will spend the next month evaluating their options, the DodgerBlue.com staff shared who they believe should be the fifth starter come April 4.
Matthew Moreno (@MMoreno1015)
Under the assumption the Dodgers are primarily considering Brandon Beachy, Mike Bolsinger and Zach Lee, my nod goes to Lee.
His time with the Dodgers organization has been far from stellar since they selected him No. 28 overall in the 2010 draft, but I don’t believe Beachy or Bolsinger are far superior options. Beachy remains an unknown and Bolsinger often found himself in trouble when his curveball wasn’t sharp.
Lee’s Major-League debut last season was a horrendous outing, but it was also one filled with a few bad breaks. He showed improvement with Triple-A Oklahoma City and may be able to translate that to the Majors in a brief stint.
A caveat to my decision would be if Jose De Leon replicates the performance he had on Saturday in two innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand)
Obviously, we’re only a few days into the Cactus League schedule and getting to see the various options pitch in actual games. But, depending on how the spring goes, I would like to see one of the young prospects, Leon or Julio Urias earn that role by having a good showing.
With Ryu aiming for a return in May, whoever is named the fifth starter conceivably could only be needed for as little as five or six starts. I believe it would be a perfect taste of the Majors for one of the two young prospects, and if they don’t particularly do well then it would serve as a learning experience.
CONTINUE READING: Making The Case For Mike Bolsinger, Sign Tim Lincecum?
Jeff Spiegel (@JeffSpiegel):
For me, this is an easy one: Mike Bolsinger. The guy has one option year left, so the flexibility of bringing him up and sending him down as needed is a major bonus.
Oh, and the fact that he was actually really good last season — 3.62 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 8.07 strikeouts per nine innings in 21 starts. In fact, every single one of those numbers was better than Brett Anderson last season.
Bolsinger obviously isn’t a long-term solution (I don’t think), but he’s a fantastic stop-gap until Ryu, McCarthy and Anderson return, or Urias, De Leon and Jharel Cotton are ready for their shot.
The only other starter I’d consider here is Zach Lee if he had a great spring. But until he proves he’s more than a Quadruple-A player, I’m going with Bolsinger.
Matt Borelli (@MattDodgerBlue):
It sure looks like the final spot in the Dodgers rotation will be a battle between Bolsinger and Brandon Beachy, with the edge going to the former. Bolsinger was solid for the most part last season but had trouble going deep into games.
Meanwhile, Beachy has consistently battled injuries since the 2012 season. Top pitching prospects De Leon and Urias have bright futures ahead, but don’t appear to be legitimate candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation due to inexperience and the fact that it wouldn’t be logical to rush them to the Majors.
Others such as Chris Anderson and Lee aren’t viable options for similar reasons, though they have much lower ceilings. With that being said, the Dodgers could turn to the free agent and/or trade market if they choose to go in that direction.
Tim Lincecum is the most notable free agent remaining and is expected to host a showcase soon for interested teams. Los Angeles could also swing a deal for a back-of-the-rotation arm from clubs with a surplus of depth.