Dodgers: Who Will be the Dodgers Biggest X-Factor in 2018?

Walker Buehler

Although the Dodgers started Walker Buehler off slow this spring, he has come on like a bat out of hell in his first two appearances.  Buehler has pitched only four innings this spring but he has seven strikeouts in only four innings and he seems to be throwing strikes and attacking hitters so far.  In Buehler’s brief stint in the majors last season he seemed timid in attacking hitters but this spring he is coming out guns a blazing.

The Dodgers are going to have to come up with an innings plan for Walker Buehler this season as they plan to limit him to 140-150 innings this season.  As we have seen in the past with Julio Urias, the Dodgers will most likely hold Walker Buehler in the minors and extended spring training for the first month or two of the season.

Once Walker Buehler comes up this season he could make an impact similar to a trade deadline acquisition like Yu Darvish.  The Dodgers would benefit from Walker Buehler breaking out this season because it would allow them to shift Kenta Maeda to the bullpen once again in the postseason and have four legit playoff starters in Kershaw, Wood, Hill, and Buehler.  It would also allow them to keep from trading away prospects at the deadline for another potential rental.  Out of any Dodger player, Walker Buehler is the player with the biggest chance of being this season’s Cody Bellinger type impact player.