Dodgers: The top 3 free agent starting pitchers after Gerrit Cole

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WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 06: Hyun-Jin Ryu #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals in Game 3 of the NLDS at Nationals Park on October 6, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

The MLB season could end tonight and after the Dodgers and the rest of the league will be looking for ways to improve their rosters.

The Dodgers and the rest of Major League Baseball await the conclusion of the World Series so that the hot stove season can begin. The World Series could end tonight and even if it goes seven games then Wednesday will be the end of the season. The Dodgers will be looking to upgrade their rotation whether it’s bringing Hyun-Jin Ryu and Rich Hill or seeking alternatives in free agency.

The top free agent on the market will obviously be Gerrit Cole and the chances the Dodgers overpay for his services remain minuscule. Stephen Strasburg technically has to opt-out of his contract so he is not in this article but if he does opt out he is the clear cut second-best starter on the free-agent market. Here are the top three starters on the free-agent market after Gerrit Cole.

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 06: Pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers in the first inning of Game 3 of the NLDS against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 06, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

1. Hyun-Jin Ryu (2.32 ERA, 3.10 FIP in 2019)

The top starting pitcher after Gerrit Cole in free agency (barring a Strasburg opt-out) is the Dodgers’ own Hyun-Jin Ryu. While Hyun-Jin will likely miss out on the NL Cy Young award, he had a stellar season and will head into free agency with a much better market as he will not have draft pick compensation attached to him.

Ryu made 29 starts this season and stayed healthy throughout the season which is something he did not do in 2018. Turning 33 years old before the 2020 season, Ryu is among the oldest big-name starting pitchers on the market but he does not rely on high velocity which helps his cause. Unless the Dodgers are serious about pursuing Cole or Strasburg, their best starting pitching option could be Ryu on a short-term contract.

Projected contract: 3 years $54 million

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 10: Zack Wheeler #45 of the New York Mets pitches in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field on September 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

2. Zack Wheeler (3.96 ERA, 3.48 FIP in 2019)

Outside of Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg, the next big fastball on the free-agent market belongs to Zack Wheeler. Wheeler was the sixth overall pick of the San Francisco Giants in the 2009 draft but has been overshadowed a bit in the New York Mets’ rotation that features Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.

Wheeler’s fastball averages over 96 miles per hour and he would give the Dodgers a pair of fireballers at the top of their rotation if the blue signed Wheeler instead of bringing Ryu back. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015 and struggling in 2017, Zack has been healthy and very effective in the last two seasons.

From a pure stuff standpoint, Wheeler has the best stuff of any free agent starter on the market after Cole and Strasburg. He also enters free agency on the right side of age thirty.

Projected contract: 4 years $64 million

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 24: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park on September 24, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

3. Madison Bumgarner (3.90 ERA, 3.90 FIP)

This may come as a surprise to some as Jake Odorizzi was probably the starter that most thought would be here but it is the long-time enemy Madison Bumgarner. One of the main reasons is that MadBum has been very consistent over his career and outside of self-inflicted dirt bike injury, Bum has been a consistent workhorse over his big league career.

Unlike Odorizzi whose ERA was nearly a full run higher in 2018 than 2019, Bumgarner does not have a huge variance in his performance from year to year. Despite his ERA increasing in 2019, MadBum’s strikeout rate (8.8 K/9IP) and walk rate (1.8 BB/9IP) actually improved this year compared to last season. On a contending team, he should see his performance improve.

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Then there is the postseason where Bumgarner is regarded as a playoff legend. Although he has not pitched in the postseason since 2016, Madison owns a 2.11 ERA in the postseason and has the reputation of being a big-game pitcher. Outside of Walker Buehler, the Dodgers do not have a big game starting pitcher and Bumgarner could help bolster the Dodgers’ playoff rotation.

In case you are wondering about how Madison would fit in the Dodger locker room, I am sure he would get along just fine as he is good friends with Clayton Kershaw. MadBum would also be glad that he would no longer have to go get Max Muncy’s home run balls out of the ocean. Bumgarner will likely get a three year deal in free agency worth around $45-$48 million.

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Starting pitchers that just missed the cut were Jake Odorizzi, Dallas Keuchel, and Cole Hamels who make up the second tier of free-agent starting pitchers. The second tier of free-agent starting pitchers will be ranked in another article. Rich Hill also makes up that second-tier given his ability when healthy.

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