Dodgers: Finding More Playing Time for Alex Verdugo

The Dodgers have a ton of depth on their roster and it can create some good problems.  One of those problems has surfaced as the team needs to find more playing time for Alex Verdugo.

Stacked with the deepest twenty-five man roster in baseball, the Dodgers have run into a problem.  The problem is not a bad one, and it’s that they need to find more playing time for Alex Verdugo.  Joc Pederson and Alex Verdugo continue to play well but the Dodgers do not have room to start both of them.

There is a chance the Dodgers could re-engage those teams that they talked to about Joc Pederson last winter, but for now, they are going to have to find a way to get Verdugo more at-bats and ideally more starts.  Verdugo hit his second home run of the season last night and added a triple.  He is currently sitting at a .438 batting average with six RBI’s.

Joc Pederson has also gotten off to a hot start with three home runs already even after sitting out four straight games due to left-handed starting pitchers.  The problem with Joc starting is that he can only start against right-handed pitchers and his contract is up after next season and the Dodgers will likely let him go if Verdugo proves to be legit.

Alex Verdugo hit .396 against lefties in the minor leagues last season, and in 2017 he hit .277 against southpaws with an OPS over .800.  Even in his brief sample size of this season in the big leagues, he homered off Drew Pomeranz who pitched a very solid game against the Dodgers on Monday.

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While the Dodgers could start Verdugo against left-handed starters in left field, they are unlikely to do that since Chris Taylor also needs at-bats.  The club could give him at least four to five starts a week if they rest Pollock, Joc, Muncy, and Enrique Hernandez one game a week.

Like last night’s game, when Hernandez gets a day off the Dodgers can play Muncy at second, Bellinger at first, and Verdugo in right field.  When Muncy sits, Bellinger plays first base with Verdugo taking over in right field.  That is just one way that Verdugo can get four to five starts a week.  That should be sufficient playing time to keep him sharp while Joc is playing well.

With each hit and home run that Alex Verdugo tacks onto his season totals, you get the feeling that he will take over left field, it’s just a matter of when.  Joc Pederson is a very solid player against right-handed pitching but he has limitations and the Dodgers just might be a better team with Verdugo in left field.

If the Dodgers have a big need at the trade deadline it would not be a surprise if they used Joc as trade bait to fill their areas of need.  Then Alex Verdugo could get the starting left fielder role that he has been gunning for.  Until then the Dodgers have a good problem, finding playing time for a very talented and young Alex Verdugo.