Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig will bounce back
It’s almost absurd to consider Pederson a “bounce back” candidate after his amazing first half of the season in 2015 (.851 OPS, 20 home runs), but he looked completely lost at times from mid-July and on.
After starting in center field on most days, Pederson was reduced to a platoon role and didn’t receive many at-bats against left-handed pitching.
On the bright side, his on-base skills and superb defense remained consistent all season long.
Puig, on the other hand, is deemed a bounce back candidate because of his inability to stay on the field due to multiple hamstring injuries last season. Limited to just 79 games, he posted career-lows in nearly every offensive category, including extra-base hits, walks and OPS.
Even though the pair of outfielders ended 2015 on a disappointing note, the ZiPS projections are expecting both to rebound in a big way this coming season.
The two are projected to combine for 6.6 WAR with 42 home runs and 108 extra-base hits. Needless to say if these projections come even close to being accurate, the Dodgers will have a revitalized outfield in 2016.
CONTINUE READING: Starting Rotation Loaded With Depth
