Dodgers: Making a Case for the Top Three Starters to Be in Blue

Yu Darvish

Out of these three pitchers, Yu Darvish is easily the most talented of the group. He is a Japanese-born pitcher with electrifying stuff who first came to the states back in 2012. He has made four All-Star teams in five seasons and missed the entire 2015 season recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

Darvish is 6-9 this year with a 4.01 ERA in 22 starts. Not great numbers, but the ERA is due in large part to his last start in which he allowed a whopping 10 ER in 3.2 innings to the Marlins which inflated his ERA from 3.44 to 4.01.

He hasn’t had a good July overall, posting a 7.20 ERA in five starts. However, this could work to the Dodgers’ advantage because it can help lower his trade value.

Darvish has shown to be a better pitcher than this, posting a career 3.42 ERA and being one of the best strikeout specialists in baseball by averaging a career 11 SO/9. He is a bit injury-prone, but at 30 years old with his stuff, he can be a terrific number two starter behind Kershaw come playoff time.

Disregard this month because it’s not who Darvish is. Through June he had a solid 3.11 ERA. When he is on, he is one the most dynamic pitchers in baseball. He also does not have a large contract and becomes a free agent this winter.

The Dodgers do have the best overall pitching in the NL but come playoff time you need power arms that have swing and miss stuff as Yu Darvish has. Outside of Kershaw, I am not sure if they have another guy like that.