Dodgers: Storylines to Watch in This Year’s Spring Training

Will Matt Kemp ultimately remain on the Dodgers roster?

Matt Kemp is once again a Dodger after the massive salary dump trade the front office pulled off this off-season.  Things are a lot different this time around for Matt Kemp.  He is no longer an MVP worthy candidate, and his defense is very suspect.  Although he was a centerfielder in his first Dodger tenure, Kemp is now a left fielder and one of the worst defensively.

The Dodgers are trying to find a taker for Kemp, but there are not many teams that are willing to take on much of Kemp’s contract.  Kemp still has power so he could help an American League team where he can DH, but in the National League, he has little value.  The Dodgers would likely need to attach a top prospect to Kemp to get a team to pick up some of the 40+ million dollars he is owed over the next two seasons.

There are multiple scenarios that could play out with Matt Kemp and the Dodgers this spring.  They could end up finding a taker for him in a trade, he could be outright released, or the Dodgers could give him a shot to win the left field job and see if Kemp has anything left in the tank.  Kemp is said to be in great shape as he’s worked out all off-season, so he realizes that this is one of his last shots at playing the big leagues.

Who will emerge from the pack in left field?

Speaking of Matt Kemp, the Dodgers will enter spring training with the left field job wide open.  It will be a battle royale with Andrew Toles, Alex Verdugo, Kike Hernandez, Joc Pederson, and possibly even Matt Kemp among others.  Kike Hernandez will likely draw most of the left-field starts when there is a left-handed starting pitcher on the mound, but when there is not the rest of the left fielders will be in the mix to play.

Andrew Toles will look to bounce back after recovering from a torn ACL.  Toles was off to a great start in 2017, he had a .271 average to go along five home runs in only 31 games, but he then suffered his injury diving for a ball in left field.  If Toles can come back strong and win the job, the Dodgers could have a true leadoff hitter and be able to hit Chris Taylor lower in order to drive in more runs.

Alex Verdugo will also have a shot to win the left field job, and he might be the best option out of all the competitors if he can show he belongs.  Verdugo has speed, the ability to make contact most of the time, and a rocket arm that would solidify the Dodgers outfield defense even more.  Verdugo will need a strong spring training otherwise he could be destined for Triple-A so that he plays every day.

Left field is arguably the biggest open competition of any spot on this year’s Dodgers team.  It will be interesting to see how it all plays out, and who wins the starting job.

Will the Dodgers projected rotation stay intact or can Walker Buehler force his way into a rotation spot?

The Dodgers current projected rotation is Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Kenta Maeda.  It would be an upset if Buehler made the opening day rotation due to the fact the Dodgers are going to limit his innings this year.  If there is an injury than Buehler could make the rotation but without an injury, the odds are against him.

Although Buehler is a long shot to make the rotation, he should still be fun to watch in spring training.  His first big league callup last season did not go well, but to be fair Buehler wasn’t used to coming out of the bullpen.  Other young starting pitchers who could force their way into the competition are Ross Stripling and Brock Stewart.  If either pitcher gets hot in spring training, the Dodgers could pull off a trade to shore up their bullpen or bench.

There is always the chance that the Dodgers could deal away a starter or sign another starting pitcher on the market.  Now that Darvish is off the market, it’s unlikely they will bring on another big name starting pitcher.  The club wants to stay under the luxury tax threshold. Otherwise, Darvish would have likely re-signed with the Dodgers.

With Brandon Morrow gone, who will bridge the gap to Kenley Jansen?

The Dodgers bullpen took a hit this off-season when Brandon Morrow left for the Chicago Cubs.  Morrow was a big part of the Dodgers run to the World Series, even though he didn’t pitch well in the World Series.  Last season Morrow cemented himself as the eighth inning setup man to Kenley Jansen.  With Morrow gone, someone will need to step up and win the primary setup man role in spring training.

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The Dodgers did swing a trade for Scott Alexander this off-season although it’s unclear what his role will be.  Alexander is a sinkerballer who is capable of getting right-handed hitters out so he could be the replacement for Brandon Morrow.  If the Dodgers choose to use Alexander as a left-handed specialist then that would open the door for a few other relievers like Pedro Baez and Tom Koehler.

Even though Pedro Baez nose dived at the end of last season he is still a very good reliever and could bounce back strong in 2018.  Speaking of bouncing back, the Dodgers have a pair of often-injured relievers in Yimi Garcia and Adam Liberatore who will throw their names into the bullpen competition.  If Liberatore and Garcia overcome their injuries then the Dodgers bullpen will be even better this season.

Next: Will Logan Forsythe bounce back in 2018?

The seventh and eighth inning roles are totally up in the air this spring, making it the biggest open competition on the team along with the left field job.  Although the bullpen roles are to be decided, whomever the Dodgers fill those roles with will be very good relievers.