Although the Dodgers 2021 active roster is still a work in progress, any further personnel changes will likely be tweaks rather than significant changes. While injuries/illnesses are always a possibility, the team heads into Spring Training at Camelback Ranch knowing the roster is talented, deep, and for the most part, settled. The starting rotation seems set, and while the bullpen has some holes to fill, it will sort itself out before Opening Day. Catching, outfield, and infield are ready to go, with Spring Training competition deciding final bench spots. 

Starting Pitching

The Dodgers starting pitching in the abbreviated 2020 regular season was dominant, winning 74% of its decisions, combining for a 3.29 ERA, and limiting opposing hitters to a .219/.271/.386/.657 slash line. Nonetheless, the team decided to enhance an area of strength by signing the 2020 NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer to join Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw at the top of the rotation.

The fourth and fifth rotation spots have 12-year MLB veteran David Price, and 24-year-old Julio Urias penciled into the starting rotation for the start of the season. But the two left-handers come with some question marks next to their names. Urias was once the Dodgers top pitching prospect, but shoulder surgery delayed his development, and he has never pitched more than 87.2-innings as a professional (79.2 as a Major Leaguer in 2019). Price was expected to be part of the Dodgers starting rotation in 2020 after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox (along with Mookie Betts) on February 10, 2020. However, he opted out of the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 season and has not thrown a competitive ML pitch since September 1, 2019 (2 innings). Price will be five months shy of his 36th birthday on Opening Day 2021, and his recent injury history may restrict his innings pitched in the upcoming season.

Right-handed pitchers Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin were outstanding in 2020 when they were thrust into starting roles for a team intent on winning the World Championship. May started 10 games, pitching to a 2.89 ERA (46.2 IP), and Gonsolin started eight games, with a 1.94 ERA (41.2 IP). While May and Gonsolin could start the 2021 season in the bullpen or possibly pitching at Triple-A Oklahoma City, it is likely that both will make 10 or more starts during the season, filling in as needed for Price, Urias, Kershaw, Bauer, and Buehler.

The addition of Bauer and Price, and the maturation of Buehler, Urias, May, and Gonsolin, makes the starting rotation stronger as a group than the 2020 staff, and possibly as robust as the 2019 rotation when the starters had a combined 3.11 ERA.

Bullpen

Collectively, the 2020 relievers pitched well with a combined 2.74 ERA, winning 26 of 37 decisions. But five members of that bullpen will not pitch for the Dodgers in 2021: Adam Kolarek (0.95 ERA) and Dylan Floro (2.59 ERA) were traded to the Oakland A’s and Miami Marlins respectively, Caleb Ferguson (2.89 ERA) will be rehabbing all season from Tommy John surgery, Pedro Baez (3.18 ERA) and Jake McGee (2.66 ERA) left via free agency. Notably, three of the five are left-handed pitchers, leaving only Scott Alexander and Victor Gonzalez as returning southpaws. The team added left-handed pitchers Garrett Cleavinger (Phillies), and Alex Vesia (Marlins) through trades. The 26-year-old Cleavinger was the Baltimore Orioles third-round selection in the 2015 entry draft as a power left-hander with a plus curveball, but he has struggled with command issues in his professional career. Vesia will be 25 shortly after the 2021 season opens, and in two minor league seasons (52 games) was exceptional with 138 strikeouts and only 25 walks, but was hit hard in his ML debut with an 18.69 ERA in 4.1 innings pitched. Unless the Dodgers move Urias to the bullpen, an additional left-handed reliever could be one of those Spring Training tweaks.

The Dodgers are well stocked with right-handed relievers: Gonsolin, Brusdar Graterol, Kenley Jansen, Tommy Kahnle (possibly second half of the season), Joe Kelly, Corey Knebel, May, Dennis Santana, Blake Treinen, and Mitchell White. Additionally, veteran right-handed pitchers Brandon Morrow and Jimmy Nelson are non-roster invitees to Spring Training. If needed, the team could call upon starting pitching prospects Josiah Gray and/or Edwin Uceta.

The Dodgers are known for their strong pitching staffs, and 2021 will be no different, perhaps with a tweak or two.

We will next consider the position players, and bench.

  *  *  *  *  *  *