Dodgers Could Follow Sixth Starter Trend This Year

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 20: Julio Urias
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 20: Julio Urias /
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WALKER BUEHLER

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Buehler, the # 5 best RH pitching prospect in baseball, had a taste of the majors during a September callup.  He showed flashes of brilliance, striking out 12 in 9.1 innings.  Barring a stellar spring, Buehler should head to OKC, but he won’t be there long.  Buehler is the prime candidate to slot into the rotation should an injury occur, or a prolonged slump by one of the starting pitchers.  It is just a matter of time before both Urias and Buehler are leaders in the Dodger rotation.

The sixth starter concept is here to stay.  At the least, MLB teams will judiciously utilize a sixth starter to ease the burden on the pitching staff.  At the most, some teams may eventually opt to use a sixth starter all season long, as starting pitcher workloads diminish.

Next: 3 Factors Crucial to 2018

The Dodgers have the luxury of having enough quality arms available to not only field a sixth starter, but also enough quality MLB ready arms to nearly fill a whole other rotation!