Dodgers: Health allows Dodgers to run back to platoons

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 21: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to his walk off solo homerun to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 during the 10th inning at Dodger Stadium on August 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

With Max Muncy and Justin Turner returning to the fold for the platoon-loving Dodgers, the team will be as healthy and as deep as its been all season long.

In their short absences, Gavin Lux has risen from the minors to provide a stable starting second baseman in the field in place of Muncy and Matt Beaty has shined as a capable replacement for JT. So what’s going to happen to the roster, and more specifically to the starting lineups?

Will they continue to allow players like Lux and Beaty to have significant and consistent starts? Or will the roster begin to mold back into possibly the preferred form of Dave Roberts and the front office: the platoon-based lineup?

It’ls looking to be the latter. With so many talented players healthy, it seems like a platoon is the most logical way to run the offense, even if it means playing time will dip all around the roster.

In this article, I’ll look into likely platoon lineups for the rest of the way and try and analyze the pros and cons of the platoon-style to some key performers like Lux and Beaty, and other players whose roles may shrink in the coming weeks preceding playoff baseball.

BOSTON, MA – JULY 14: A.J. Pollock #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three run home run in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 14, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) /

When Facing a Lefty…

Against lefties, the Dodgers have some talented right-handed hitters who thrive against lefties a great deal more than they do against righties. While this is useful late in games through pinch-hitting appearances, it is best to utilize these players as much as possible versus lefties, especially considering some of the team’s deficiencies against southpaws.

As a team this season, the Dodgers are hitting .254 against lefties (17th in baseball), though much of that has to do with the team’s injuries to the platoon hitters most adept at mashing lefties. David Freese and Kiké Hernandez both have spent extended stays on the IL this season, but both are healthy for the playoffs, as has the team’s best lefty killer A.J. Pollock (.341 with five home runs).

In the coming weeks, expect that trio to be in almost every lineup that faces lefties, along with Turner and Cody Bellinger, who both are more than likely immune to platoons, as they’ve actually performed similarly to assumed lefty-killers Hernandez and Freese this season.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are rookies Lux and Beaty. Unlike Alex Verdugo, who likely will be out for the next few weeks, these two rookies should be active for the rest of the regular season at least, but neither have hit lefties well in their MLB stints. Lux has five plate appearances against them, with the lone hit in those appearances being a home run. Beaty has four hits and a walk in 34 plate appearances (.125 AVG).

Here’s one version of the main lineup that will likely face lefties for the Dodgers, based on past lineups and currently healthy players.

A.J. Pollock (R) LF
David Freese (R) 1B
Justin Turner (R) 3B
Cody Bellinger (L) CF
Max Muncy (L) 2B
Corey Seager (L) SS
Will Smith (R) C
Enrique Hernandez (R) RF

Note: If Lux plays second some nights to ease Muncy back into the field, Hernandez should swap with Muncy’s spot in the order, making Lux the eighth hitter and Hernandez the fifth hitter.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – APRIL 21: Joc Pederson #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a home run in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 21, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

When Facing a Righty

Even though facing righties usually just means letting the many slugging lefties on the Dodgers swing away, with Muncy’s return, there will be more lefties for more spots than at any point this season.

Through the first five innings of games (a proxy for the team’s stats against starting pitchers), the Dodgers have hit .262 with 104 home runs, better than their numbers against lefty pitchers. Four Dodgers, Turner, Lux, Seager, and Bellinger, are hitting over .300 in this sample (more than 15 plate appearances). Pederson and Muncy both have double-digit home runs in this situation, with 23 and 11 respectively (Bellinger has 17 and Turner 11).

Beyond this big four though comes lineup questions when you throw Muncy and Pederson into the mix. If Bellinger and Pederson join Beaty (.287 AVG with 4 home runs off righties through five innings) in the outfield, who mans the infield? Lux and Seager slot in perfectly up the middle and Turner and Muncy man the corners, pushing Pollock (.237 AVG with 4 home runs) to the bench.

Here’s how the lineup would more than likely break down.

Joc Pederson (L) RF
Max Muncy (L) 1B
Justin Turner (R) 3B
Cody Bellinger (L) CF
Corey Seager (L) SS
Will Smith (R) C
Gavin Lux (L) 2B
Matt Beaty (L) LF

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 02: Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 02, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /

Who is Affected Most?

All of the right-handed hitters on the Dodgers outside of Will Smith and Justin Turner will struggle to find consistent ABs against righty starters. Pollock, Taylor, and Hernandez have combined to hit just 11 home runs off of righty starters through five innings this season and only Taylor is hitting over .240 against them (CT3 is at .267 but with just one home run).

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Defensively, they are some of the team’s strongest and most versatile fielders, so during the playoffs, they may be used as defensive substitutions with good bats as pinch hitters who may force opposing managers to move away from their strong left-handed relievers in order to get these guys out in big spots.

For the left-handed hitters, namely Lux, Beaty, and Pederson, they may struggle to find ABs. Unlike Alex Verdugo, who actually hits .280 off of lefties, they have no place in a lineup against a left-handed starter, though with time Lux could be able to.

For now, Roberts will have the luxury (or the chore) of setting up lineups based almost entirely on handedness thanks to wide splits unable to be bridged by solid defense or small ball.

Next. Lessons learned about the Dodgers after a weekend series in NY. dark

While Turner has not made his way back into the starting lineup just yet, once he does that may spell the end of their chances of making the potential playoff roster for hitters like Taylor and Hernandez or more likely Lux, but only time will tell.

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