February 27th, 2020 at 10:00 am 
by 0799291000348 If you buy into the old baseball adage “You can never have enough pitching,” then the answer is no, keep everyone that is above the borderline level and find ways to either use or stash them until needed. Makes sense – unless the roster and minor league depth is as loaded as the 2020 Dodgers.
There are currently seven veteran starting pitchers on the Dodgers 40-man roster: right-handers Walker Buehler, Jimmy Nelson, Ross Stripling, and left-handers Clayton Kershaw, David Price, Julio Urias, and Alex Wood. In addition, there are three highly-regarded starting pitching prospects who are ready to pitch at the Major League level right now: 25-year old Tony Gonsolin, 21-year old Brusdar Graterol and 22-year old Dustin May. The team also has 22-year old right-hander Josiah Gray, who manager Dave Roberts believes will be ready to pitch for the Dodgers in 2020.
No doubt there are some injury concerns with several of the 11-pitchers noted above, in particular: Jimmy Nelson, David Price, and Alex Wood, all of whom spent a great deal of time on the 2019 Injured List for their respective teams. Additionally, Wood will be a free agent after the 2020 season. Dodgers chairman Mark Walter is correct: “Pitchers break.”
Notwithstanding the starting pitchers noted above, there is more pitching talent very close to helping the Dodgers in their quest for a seventh World Championship: 22-year old right-hander Edwin Uceta has looked very good this spring training, eliciting comparisons to Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez at the same age; and 23-year old right-hander Michael Grove is now fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery and ready to fulfill the potential the Dodgers saw when they drafted him in the second round of the 2018 Major League entry draft (rule 4 draft). While 23-year old left-hander John Rooney is not an overpowering left-hander in the mold of Kershaw or Urias, he commands the strike zone with fastball, slider, and changeup. Uceta, Grove, and Rooney should be ready to compete for spots on the Dodgers 2021 roster.
According to reports, the Dodgers were willing to trade Ross Stripling (along with Joc Pederson and outfield prospect Andy Pages) to the Angels in return for prospects. There is no reason to believe that the team will not trade pitching for the right return in players and/or prospects.
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I’m having a difficult time trying to figure out where you stand on this issue, Jesse – ‘trade ‘em’ or ‘keep ‘em?’
If it’s ‘trade ‘em,’ I couldn’t disagree more.
You (we) don’t have to look back very far to see that the Dodgers simply did not have enough pitching to not only get to but to win a World Series. And while there would undoubtedly be some bruised egos and hurt feeling by those who will be relegated to Triple-A OKC (at least to begin the 2020 campaign), pitchers do indeed break. (BTW: That is a saying that is as old as the game itself and most certainly cannot be attributed to Mark Walter).
I am reminded of yet another old saying that is very appropriate here:
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
This is, hands down, THE best Dodgers pitching staff since the Koufax, Drysdale, Podres, Perranoski (etc., etc., etc.,) days.
LEAVE. IT. ALONE!!!
That´s a spot-on analysis, and a Dodger history lesson as well!
I don’t believe the Dodgers should be “shopping” its quality pitchers, but should not hesitate to trade one if the price-is-right. On the surface, I am pleased that Moreno backed out of the Dodgers trade as it seemed decidedly on-sided (without knowing the names of the other Angels prospect(s) that were supposed to be included). I am still concerned with the left handers in the bullpen with Urias moving to the starting rotation. Caleb Ferguson has done well in his first two assignments, but Scott Alexander and Kolarek are still huge question marks for me. If the Dodgers could acquire a top notch left handed reliever for a starter like Stripling then that is something the team should seriously consider. As I write this I read that Dodgers have shutdown Jimmy Nelson after yesterday’s bullpen – back and groin soreness – so there is a reason to keep what you’ve got.
I’m glad Ryu and Maeda are gone can someone tell me why Urius isn’t.
I’ll take a shot on why Urias isn’t gone.
184 career IP with 3.18 ERA.
79 2019 IP with 2.49 ERA.
23 yrs old.
$1M 2020 salary with 4 yrs of future team control.
Future ACE potential.
Now you tell me why you want him gone.
“I think our ‘pen will be a position of strength this year.” — Dave Roberts
As do I.
The eternal optimist Roberts. I hope he is correct, the talent is certainly there. But, if truth be told, I believe Friedman would like to find a quality, late inning, LH reliever.
trade to fill what pressing need? At present there are no overt holes in the MLB roster. In fact they are multi-players deep at every position. Pitchers ho down and having an abundance in today’s style just affords the ability to rest each one a bit more.
This is how I see it as well.
As I noted above, this is could very well be the best Dodgers pitching staff in six decades.
I agree, there is not a pressing need today, but Friedman looks years ahead and proactively addresses issues before they become problems. We know that Friedman was willing to part with Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling (Angels trade), and nothing has happened to change that willingness. Yes, the team lost Ryu, and Hill to free agency, and traded Maeda, but has added highly regarded pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol, starting pitchers David Price, Alex Wood, and Jimmy Nelson; moved Julio Urias into the starting rotation, and there is no doubt that Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May are ready now to pitch at the ML level. I am not suggesting that the Dodgers dump a pitcher, but for the right return that includes another well regarded pitching prospect who will be ready in 2021, or 2022.
Try as I may, I simply cannot get on-board with you on this one, Jesse. This is one of those times where we will simply have to agree to disagree.
Friedman is, in my opinion, THE very best in the business at his job. But it’s hard to believe that he is not feeling the heat from Dodgers ownership to put another World Series trophy in the trophy case at Dodger Stadium THIS YEAR.
Health, that is staying healthy is the most important thing. It all comes down to the 11 wins needed to win a championship.If David Price can be healthy he could be a major difference maker.Hopefully the kids can pitch effective in the pen and let’s hope KJ and Kelly have great years.
As crazy as it may sound, I see Pedro Baez as potentially having a big impact in getting to – and winning – the World Series this season.