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Dodgers: Improvements That Can Take the Team to its Full Potential

By Sunit Bhakta |
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 10: Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Yasiel Puig #66 and Cody Bellinger #35 after scoring in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on June 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 10: Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Yasiel Puig #66 and Cody Bellinger #35 after scoring in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on June 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 10: Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Yasiel Puig #66 and Cody Bellinger #35 after scoring in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on June 10, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 10: Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Yasiel Puig #66 and Cody Bellinger #35 after scoring in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on June 10, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

The Dodgers have really picked it up after their 16-26 start, reminding us of last year. But there are still aspects that can be improved upon for the team to reach its full potential and become a juggernaut again.

Last year’s Dodgers team was simply a juggernaut, no way around it. You don’t go 104-58 with a historic 43-7 run in the midst of it without being an absolute giant. Fans expected something similar this year, but realistically, it was not going to happen.

The team lost some key components, namely Brandon Morrow, Yu Darvish, and Tony Watson. But that did not mean the team could not win 95+ games again. But after their slow start, even 90 wins would be a great success. But their ceiling is amongst the best in the game.

They have gone on another impressive run, this time 22-8 in their last 30 games. But they have done this with weaknesses still being prevalent, holding them back from coming close to last year’s form.

You can always point to improvements anywhere, but for the most part, almost everyone is doing their part. Here are three things that need to change, however, for the Dodgers to reach their full potential and ensure sixth straight NL West title.

LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 31: First baseman Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and center fielder Chris Taylor #3 celebrate after Bellinger was driven in by catcher Kyle Farmer #17 in the 4th inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 31: First baseman Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and center fielder Chris Taylor #3 celebrate after Bellinger was driven in by catcher Kyle Farmer #17 in the 4th inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

Improved Play from Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger

Two of the reasons that the Dodgers were so great last year were because of this duo. They came out of nowhere and sparked the offense into a high-octane one. However, they have not been able to replicate their success.

Regression was expected, but not to this extent. In Chris Taylor’s case, he has been better recently, compared to a brutal April. He has shown signs of returning to form, having an OPS as high as .815 on June 5. It currently sits at an above-average .777, still an improvement from April due to a .843 OPS in May and .796 in June.

He has been in a bit of a power drought though, last hitting his eighth home run back on June 1 and just three extra-base hits since. But, he is walking more than 2017 and striking out about the same. His groundball flyball rates have moved in the right direction compared to 2017 and type of contact has incrementally improved. It feels like it is only a matter of time before he catches fire again.

Cody Bellinger’s regression has been more surprising considering his pedigree and the absolute show he put on in 2017. His struggles got to the point that it looked like a sophomore slump was instore instead of a bad stretch.

But then he responded with a four-game stretch where he went 6-13 with five walks and four straight home runs, putting the concerns to bed. But since then, he has gone 5-28 with 16 strikeouts. Yes, 16. On the season, his OPS sits at .778, which is above-average but a far cry from last year’s .933.

Both Taylor and Bellinger need to step their game up if the Dodgers’ lineup wants to be fully functioning. It won’t be 100% because of Corey Seager’s absence. But different people have stepped up to help alleviate some of it. To make the lineup truly dangerous, the Dodgers need at least 85% of 2017 Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger, preferably 100%.

BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 12: Zach Britton #53 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the seventh inning during a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 12, 2018, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 12: Zach Britton #53 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the seventh inning during a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 12, 2018, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Bullpen Bolstering

Injuries, loss of key players, and regression have played a part in the bullpen seeing, arguably, the most significant dropoff on the team. After having an NL-leading 3.38 ERA last year, that number has jumped to a middle-of-the-pack 3.73. Solid, but not great. There have been a lot of new faces while injuries (from overuse) have caused the likes of Tony Cingrani to regress.

Daniel Hudson, Yimi Garcia, and Scott Alexander have shaky numbers, but mainly due to slow starts. They have been better lately so judgment will have to wait. But if Brock Stewart is going to remain in the bullpen, the Dodgers will need to find outside help.

Someone like Kyle Barraclough or Zach Britton (from last year) would be perfect additions because Brandon Morrow’s loss has been felt. Josh Fields and Erik Goeddel have stepped up their games, but it is not enough because you do not know how much you can trust them yet.

Someone more proven would be better because, not only does it give someone you know you can always trust, but also adds another quality arm to the pen. And the Dodgers can use that because they do not know what they will get out of Daniel Hudson, Yimi Garcia, or Goeddel. Scott Alexander is starting to resemble his previous form which takes away a lot of the worry with him.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 15: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers watches from the bench during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on June 15, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 15: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers watches from the bench during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on June 15, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Get Healthy

This one is the most obvious. As the saying goes, ‘availability is the best ability,’ and the same can be said the other way. A team’s most prominent opponent is health, or rather the injury bug. And the Dodgers are probably the best team to tell you so. 2016 and 2017 saw terrible injury luck, and this year has been arguably worse.

80% of their Opening Day starting rotation (Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Kenta Maeda, and Rich Hill) has started just 32 of 72 total games, or 44.4% of games. And that is obviously bad and unsustainable to succeed with.

That is $55.7 million, potentially more (depending on Maeda’s incentives), of pitching on the shelf and missing, combined, over half of the team’s games. The injuries led to a patchwork starting rotation of Alex Wood, Ross Stripling, rookie Caleb Ferguson, and others before Maeda and Hill returned.

Their 3.48 starting ERA shows they have bent but not broken. And as Maeda looks to shake off the rust and Hill builds off his best start of the season; they will get stronger. But what will take the rotation to the next level is a healthy Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Walker Buehler.

If you can get those three back, and throw in present-form Ross Stripling, that will be a quality four-man group that will give you quality and quantity by keeping you in games and preserving the bullpen.

Then you would have the luxury of choosing amongst Hill, Maeda, and Wood for the last slot, and insert the other two into the bullpen, further, bolstering it. Or you can move to a six-man rotation, or make Buehler the swingman to preserve his arm. Adding in a healthy Tom Koehler could give the Dodgers their new Brandon Morrow, and don’t forget old friend Julio Urias either.

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And keeping the position players healthy and getting Justin Turner to 100% will allow for the explosive offense they can have. Yasiel Puig, JT, and Logan Forsythe have missed time with injury; it will be best to limit that from hereon.

When healthy, the Dodgers have one of the best rosters around. But you could not tell that because of all the makeshift players they have been using. As they get healthier and hopefully remain that way, you can expect even more consistency and improved play.

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